SWITZERLAND: More than two thirds back tougher asylum and immigration rules in a Swiss referendum

Neutral Switzerland, home to humanitarian agencies and the International Committee of the Red Cross, backed plans on Sunday (September 24) to make it harder for asylum-seekers to gain entry to the rich Alpine state, according to early poll projections. "Of course it will hard, the more we toughen laws, the less we can claim we are in a humanitarian state of mind, which we are so proud of", Geneva's socialist deputy Veronique Purro warned. Despite warnings of damage to Switzerland's humanitarian reputation, more than 67 percent of Swiss voters said 'yes' in referendums to laws limiting access for non-European job-seekers and making the country's asylum rules amongst the West's toughest. The vote was likely to show a deep divide between the French-speaking parts near Geneva, home to humanitarian agencies and the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the more inward-looking German-speaking areas of the north and centre. The measures have already been passed by both parliament and the government, but opponents raised enough signatures to force a national vote. It is the latest move by an industrial power -- Britain is amongst others -- to raise barriers to asylum as part of a crackdown on illegal immigration. Amongst other things, the new asylum law says all those seeking refugee status present a passport within 48 hours, something which the United Nations' refugee agency (UNHCR) has warned may be difficult to do. Documents such as a driving licence will no longer be accepted. Voters were also being asked to approve a clearer division between job seekers from the European Union, and non-EU Switzerland's allies within the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), and those from outside the two blocs. The latter will only be accepted if they have special skills -- something which critics says flies in the face of economic reality because Switzerland, like other advanced countries, also needs unqualified labour. The new measures have been proposed despite figures showing that asylum applications in the country of 7.5 million people have been falling sharply in line with a worldwide trend. Just over 10,000 people sought asylum in Switzerland in 2005, down 29 percent from the previous year and less than half the 21,037 that applied in 2003, according to official figures. For Blocher and other advocates of a tougher stand, the decline proves the effectiveness of restrictive measures already taken, but he says too many 'false' refugees are still abusing the system to gain entry.

ITN Source | September 25, 2006

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