Swiss citizens stranded in Morocco due to Covid-19 travel restrictions will be able to fly home from Tuesday, the foreign ministry has announced. It has also urged all nationals currently travelling abroad to try to get home as soon as possible.
Last Saturday hundreds of Swiss travellers found themselves stuck when Morocco suspended flights to and from 25 countries, including the Alpine nation.
Speaking at a press conference in Bern on Tuesday, Peter Lenz of the foreign ministry said that diplomatic efforts had been successful and that, from Tuesday, five commercial flights can go ahead. More will follow in the next days, he said.
Costs must however be borne by the travellers themselves; Lenz said that no there was no legal basis for the state to organise or finance flights in such a situation. That said, diplomatic and indirect support is available.
Other situations, similar to that in Morocco, will be regularly monitored by the foreign ministry, and if it comes to a situation where citizens are unable to travel by land or pay their way, the ministry will consider alternative options.
Lenz also reiterated the note sounded by the government on Monday, when it called on Swiss citizens currently travelling abroad to try to return home as soon as possible, to avoid becoming stuck in case of further closing of borders.
Should raw milk sales be banned or should consumers decide?
Swiss food regulations do not allow raw milk to be sold for direct consumption. However, a loophole allows 400 raw milk vending machines to do just that.
Is artificial intelligence an advantage or a disadvantage for workers?
What is your experience with AI at work? Have you already used it? Has it helped you work better? Or has it caused you more stress, more work or caused you to lose your job? Tell us about your experiences!
Regional bus travel authorised between Italy and Switzerland
This content was published on
Passengers on public regional bus services between Italy and Switzerland will be able to board and alight within both countries.
Switzerland still gets poor marks on fighting corruption
This content was published on
Switzerland is still not getting good marks from the Council of Europe’s Group of States when it comes to fighting corruption.
Swiss man released after arrest in connection with Austrian bomb threats
This content was published on
A 20-year-old Swiss man was arrested under suspicion that he sent emails with bomb threats against numerous institutions in Austria.
Former top diplomats call on Switzerland to keep UNRWA funding
This content was published on
Some twenty former Swiss state secretaries, and ambassadors have called on the Swiss Senate not to stop payments to UNRWA.
Public prosecutor closes church abuse case in canton Valais
This content was published on
The Public Prosecutor's Office in the southern canton of Valais has closed the case of abuse perpetrated within the Church.
Number of women in Swiss labour market more than doubled in half century
This content was published on
According to the Swiss Federal Statistical Office, women's participation in the labor market has more than doubled in half a century.
This content was published on
Nestlé recorded slower growth than hoped in the first nine months of 2024, making it difficult to achieve previous growth targets for the year.
Swiss cantons step up efforts to tackle child poverty
This content was published on
Swiss cantons and cities have decided to strengthen social welfare services and increase basic needs provisions for children in poverty.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss International Air Lines hopes to receive state aid over coronavirus
This content was published on
The boss of Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) says he hopes the Swiss state will step in to help it deal with the impact of the novel coronavirus.
Serbia closes borders to coronavirus-affected states, including Switzerland
This content was published on
Serbia has closed its borders for travellers from countries most affected by the coronavirus outbreak, including Switzerland.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.