Switzerland Today

Greetings from Bern!

Here are the latest news and stories from Switzerland on Friday.

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In the news:  The Swiss government has lifted the obligation for pets coming with Ukrainian refugees to quarantine on arrival, saying the risk of disease being introduced is low.

• About 5% of refugees from Ukraine bring their pets with them, the government said today. The animals are a great emotional support and give people strength to deal with the terrible events, according to a Zurich animal shelter where the first “refugee cat” was quarantined earlier this month.
• After a pandemic-related slump in 2020, Chinese companies last year invested more money in Swiss companies, spending $96 million (CHF89 million) on nine deals. This was up from only $7 million in 2020.
• The Swiss government had adopted more European Union sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, the cabinet said todayExternal link. It added it had decided not to implement the EU measure suspending the broadcasting of Russian media outlets Sputnik and Russia Today.

Imago/russian Look

Who’s who among the Russian oligarchs thought to live in Switzerland? Here’s an introduction.

Switzerland is widely assumed to be one of the favourite global destinations for Russian billionaires with links to the Kremlin. But multiple passports, visas and residences make it difficult to trace the exact whereabouts of oligarchs. Lawyers and financial advisors are busy obscuring the trail of their billions with shell companies and trust funds.

Sorting fact from fiction is far from straightforward. But the unmistakable fingerprints of some sanctioned Russians can still be found in Switzerland – and not just in the banking system.

Karpi

What does Switzerland have to say sorry for? In a new satirical video format, Swiss comedian and director Patrick Karpiczenko apologises for Switzerland’s minor and major transgressions.

The first episode discusses the new extension at the Zurich Art Museum, built by the city of Zurich to display the art collection of controversial arms dealer Emil Bührle – a collection whose legitimate acquisition during the Second World War is in doubt. What many experts consider insufficient provenance research has become a PR disaster for the politically left-leaning city.

“When researching looted art and the Holocaust, I completely lost my sense of humour at times,” Karpiczenko says.