This week, the Swiss NGO Public Eye, launched a campaign for more affordable medicine in Switzerland under the slogan: protect patients, not patents. The NGO says high prices, of cancer drugs in particular, is not only an issue affecting developing nations but wealthy ones too. It says that cancer treatments in Switzerland often cost over […]
Switzerland second siren test this year
On 23 May 2018, Swiss hills will be alive, not with the sound of music but the sound of sirens. At 13:30 the nation’s emergency sirens will be sounded to ensure they are in full working order. An earlier test on 7 February 2018 revealed a software issue in the command centre. According to the […]
Switzerland’s vote to change its monetary system – sensible or silly?
Sometimes Swiss voters are presented with questions that only specialists are equipped to answer. The vote on 10 June 2018 to change their monetary system appears to be one of these. On the surface it appears simple. Upon closer inspection it contains much complexity and uncertainty, compounded by a widespread misunderstanding of how the financial […]
Fribourg – moves to axe government pensions for life
Switzerland’s government is working hard to find ways to fix a looming state pension shortfall. Two politicians in the canton of Fribourg have decided to seek savings by attempting to cut lifetime government pensions granted after short stints in the job, according to the newspaper 20 Minutes. In some Swiss cantons, government leaders can work […]
Swiss to vote on synthetic pesticide ban
In Switzerland, a popular vote, or referendum, can be launched when 100,000 signatures are collected within 18 months. A crowd-funded initiative entitled: Save Switzerland from synthetic pesticides, now has more than 140,000 signatures and will be officially lodged with the government on 25 May. The initiative hopes to ban the use of synthetic pesticides in […]
Refugees in Switzerland who return home to face tougher treatment
Switzerland is set to get tougher on refugees who return to their home country. Swiss law already strips someone who voluntarily does this of refugee status. Anyone voluntarily returning home is assumed to no longer be persecuted in that state and therefore no longer in need of refugee status. This week a States Council commission […]
Swiss earthquake – Vevey wobbles
If you live near Vevey you might have felt a mild earthquake this morning at around 11:32 am when an earthquake measuring 2.9 struck. No damage was reported and many would not have noticed anything. An earthquake of a similar magnitude (3.1) occurred in the region at 17:30 the day before, according to Switzerland’s seismological […]
Becoming Swiss – Vaud publishes new general knowledge questions
Times change and so have the requirements for becoming Swiss. On the 1st of January 2018 the process got tougher. New language requirements, the need to have a C-permit and more questions on applicants’ knowledge of Switzerland are the main changes. Every commune (Gemeinde) and canton (Kanton) has its own particularities when it comes to […]
Swiss Rail drops plan to put Wi-Fi in trains
Swiss Rail has dropped plans to install Wi-Fi in its trains, according to the newspaper Le Matin. After a survey revealed that customers would only use on-board Wi-Fi it was free, the company decided there was no justifiable way to cover the cost, according the the newspaper. Swiss Rail is not prepared to bear the […]
Weeding with water instead of herbicide – is this the future?
Designed in northern Italy by the company Caffini, the water powered Grass Killer, was spotted weeding grape vines in Valais Switzerland, by the newspaper 20 Minutes. Swiss grape growers have been testing the invention for the last three years. According to Caffini, the Grass Killer hits weeds with water sprayed at a pressure of 1,000 […]
