Blocher gives up on changes to constitution

Christoph Blocher has changed his mind about trying to modify the constitution Keystone Archive

Justice and Police Minister Christoph Blocher says he no longer wants to amend the constitution to eliminate urgent social aid for rejected asylum seekers.

The country’s highest judicial authority – the Federal Court in Lausanne – has ruled that refusing aid would go against the Swiss constitution.

Blocher said that Switzerland would let “nobody die of hunger” but he had other measures in mind to bring pressure to bear.

“Within the government, we feel that a solution can be found to modify revision of the asylum law so that it respects the constitution,” Blocher said in an interview in the SonntagsZeitung and Le Matin dimanche newspapers.

“Not everything has been resolved in detail. But we must not help rejected asylum seekers who do not cooperate. We must find a new regulation to combat these abuses.”

“Other means of pressure are being studied to force those [whose asylum requests have been rejected] to cooperate in their return,” said Blocher.

New approach

He said that the government had approved the outline of a new approach to the issue on Friday.

On Thursday he reported that he would give further details to the relevant commission of the House of Representatives in the next two to three weeks.

According to commission president Hermann Weyeneth from the Swiss People’s Party, the commission was notified that it would receive Blocher’s plans.

Weyeneth said the commission would be ready to discuss the issue on May 12, once the justice and police ministry had formulated precise details.

According to the Federal Court in Lausanne, a refusal of urgent aid runs contrary to Switzerland’s constitution.

Criticism of Senate

Several international organisations, including the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), have criticised the Senate for approving a draft law aimed at making the country less attractive to illegal immigrants.

They argued that the draft legislation was contrary to human rights.

After the Federal Court’s ruling, Blocher announced that he would take no notice of it and suggested modifying the constitution.

But one month later, he has changed his mind.

swissinfo with agencies

Key facts

Urgent aid means that asylum seekers have a roof over their heads, food, toiletries, as well as necessary dental and medical treatment.
This can take the form of a daily allowance of SFr21 ($17.5).
Switzerland recorded 14,248 requests for asylum in 2004.
This was 32.3% less than in 2003.
At the end of 2004, there were 55,103 asylum requests pending.
1,555 people were granted refugee status in 2004 (1,636 in 2003).
10,080 were declined refugee status in 2004.

In brief

The Senate has voted to extend an existing ban on welfare benefits to all those whose asylum requests have been turned down, including those going through the appeals process.

It wants asylum seekers who do not have valid identity papers to be refused entry into Switzerland.