While welcoming a “broad discussion on the various migration routes and models”, the head of the justice ministryExternal link says she does not believe that the refugee redistribution system penned by five European Union countries in Malta will find a majority at this stage.
“The system is lacking. For example, people without a reason for asylum will also be redistributed,” she said.
Keller-Sutter was speaking from Luxembourg, where EU interior ministers were meeting on Tuesday to discuss the system in more detail. Switzerland is not a member of the 28-country bloc, but via bilateral agreements, it cooperates with the European Union on issues like migration.
At the end of September, Germany, France, Italy, Finland and Malta had agreed to redistribute all migrants rescued from the Mediterranean Sea.
“What was planned is not really convincing,” Keller-Sutter said. “I feel a lot of scepticism among the EU member states such as Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands and Austria, which have the same position as Switzerland.”
Switzerland is fundamentally in favour of introducing a redistribution mechanism. But if such a system were introduced, it would have to be sustainable and take into account, first and foremost, those countries most affected by migration.
“Right now, that’s Greece,” Keller-Sutter said. “I believe we need to find a global system.”
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Swiss migration chief calls for reform of European asylum policy
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State Secretary for Migration Mario Gattiker has criticised the current European asylum policy of redistributing migrants rescued at sea.
Swiss institute hosted informal talks between Russians, Ukrainians and Americans
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Automated driving on Swiss motorways is theoretically possible from March
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Heated atmosphere at Swiss rally against AfD politician Alice Weidel
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The Ethos Foundation recommends that shareholders vote against all compensation-related items at the Annual General Meeting on March 7.
Top Swiss firms close to reaching gender quota in boards
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The proportion of women on the boards of directors of the fifty largest listed companies in Switzerland currently stands at 28%.
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Drop in asylum requests prompts review of facilities
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The justice ministry has ordered a review of the number of Swiss asylum centres amid a drop in the number of requests for asylum.
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Most asylum proceedings are now to be completed within 140 days in federal asylum seekers’ centres. This compares with an average of 280 days in 2015. The reform was approved by two-thirds of Swiss voters in spring 2016. + Read more about the 2016 vote on accelerated asylum procedures As of March 1, asylum…
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