Switzerland is increasingly rejecting protection requests from Ukrainian refugees, with acceptance rates dropping to 87%. The application process has become more difficult, requiring proof of residency in Ukraine at the time of the invasion. Concerns are rising about the Swiss asylum system’s stability due to accommodation shortages and declining public support. Meanwhile, issues in the Swiss army’s digital platform project and safety concerns regarding the Airbus A220’s air system have emerged. High-income earners are also saving on taxes by repurchasing pension contributions.
Switzerland’s Changing Approach to Ukrainian Refugees
In a notable shift, Switzerland is increasingly turning down S protection requests from Ukrainian refugees, according to a report by SonntagsZeitung. The acceptance rate has plummeted to 87%, a significant drop from nearly 99% in 2022. The application process has become more complex, now averaging 80 days for completion. Ukrainian applicants must demonstrate they were residents of Ukraine at the time of the Russian invasion and that they have not sought protection in other European nations. This tightening of policy places Switzerland in a more restrictive position compared to its neighboring countries, as it is returning refugees to places where they have already received asylum.
Concerns About the Swiss Asylum System
Claudia Kratochvil, director of the Swiss Association of Municipalities, voiced her concerns in NZZ am Sonntag regarding the potential collapse of the Swiss asylum system. She highlighted the strain on municipalities caused by a shortage of accommodation options and a decline in public support for hosting refugees. Furthermore, the lack of qualified personnel is exacerbating the situation. Kratochvil criticized the Confederation for poor communication during the closure of nine temporary federal asylum centers, noting that there are still 22,000 asylum requests pending.
In other news, the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos is set to welcome Donald Trump, with his advisor Elon Musk also likely to attend, as reported by Le Matin Dimanche. Trump, who has previously attended the forum twice, may discuss his experiences with Musk, who has previously described the event as uninteresting.
Delays in the Swiss army’s new digital platform have been attributed to complex project requirements and additional supplier delays, according to NZZ am Sonntag. The project, which has a budget of 1.6 billion Swiss francs, is crucial for various IT initiatives, including the new French airspace surveillance system, Skyview, which has already faced a two-year postponement.
In a separate incident, aerospace expert Christoph Regli raised concerns about the air distribution system of the Airbus A220 after an emergency landing in Graz, Austria. He noted that the system could allow contaminated air to enter the cabin if a failure occurs, casting doubt on its safety following a recent incident that resulted in the tragic death of a flight attendant.
Despite the rise of Elon Musk’s Starlink, which offers high-speed internet across Switzerland, Swisscom maintains that it does not threaten their business model. The company argues that regulatory limitations and technological challenges prevent Starlink from fully replacing traditional landline services.
In the realm of social media, several parliamentarians are advocating for the Confederation to exit the X platform, citing its decline into a space filled with bots and trolls. National Councilor Stefan Müller-Altermatt expressed skepticism about the platform’s utility, while the Federal Chancellery plans to remain active, promising the development of a new information application to safeguard communications.
Lastly, high-income earners in Switzerland are reportedly saving substantial amounts on taxes by buying back years of contributions from their pension funds, as noted by SonntagsZeitung. For instance, married couples in Bern’s highest income bracket can save an average of 153,000 Swiss francs. Economists are calling for limits on these contributions to the second pillar pension system to ensure fairness.
This article contains unverified information from Keystone-ATS.