Page 6 - aruba-today-20200928

A6 WORLD NEWS
Monday 28 SepteMber 2020
Swiss reject nationalist plan to limit jobs for EU citizens

By NADINE ACHOUI-LES- end of the year with pros-
AGE and FRANK JORDANS pects for a deal on future
Associated Press relations between London
GENEVA (AP) — Voters and Brussels still uncertain.
in Switzerland on Sunday Voter Yann Grote in Gene-
strongly defeated a nation- va said he didn't approve
alist party's proposal to limit of further limiting freedom
the number of European of movement. Fellow voter
Union citizens allowed to Elisabeth Lopes agreed.
live and work in their coun- "I'm a daughter of im-
try. migrants, so it is a mat-
Swiss public broadcaster ter that touches me," she
SRF reported that the mea- said. "If Switzerland had to
sure was rejected by 61.7% withdraw or reduce these
of voters, with 38.3% in fa- agreements (with the EU), I
vor. All but four of the coun- think we would be the real
try's 26 cantons, or states, losers." In Brussels, Europe-
likewise opposed the plan an Commission President
—- proposed by the Swiss Ursula von der Leyen wel-
People's Party — to give comed the result of the ref-
preferential access to jobs, erendum, calling it "a posi-
social protection and ben- tive signal to continue to
efits to people from Swit- consolidate and deepen
zerland over those from Laura Zimmermann, Co-President of Operation Libero, centre, together with Valentin Vogt, our relationship." The free-
the 27-nation bloc that sur- President of the Swiss Employers' Federation, Renato Perlini, campaign manager of Operation dom-of-movement mea-
Libero, and Stefan Manser-Egli, Co-President of Operation Libero, from left, are pleased with the
rounds it. The government result of the vote at the meeting of opponents of the popular initiative "For moderate immigration" sure was being considered
had warned that the mea- (restrictive initiative), on Sunday 27 September 2020 at the Hotel Schweizerhof in Bern, Switzerland. alongside nationwide votes
sure could further strain the Associated Press on several other issues.
rich Alpine's country's deep SRF reported that a majority
and lucrative ties to the EU. continue to pursue a "bi- goal." erendum fearing a hefty of voters backed plans for
It could also have triggered lateral path" with the EU, Roughly 1.4 million EU citi- impact on Swiss society paid paternity leave and
reciprocal disadvantages eschewing membership zens live in the country of and businesses, prompting for the purchase of up to
for millions of Swiss citizens if of the bloc while seeking about 8.6 million, while the People's Party to get 6 billion francs (about $6.5
they want to live or work in close economic ties with it. around 500,000 Swiss live the issue back on the ballot billion) worth of new fighter
the EU. In a nod to the misgivings in EU countries. Some are again this year. planes by 2030. Voters re-
"Especially at this time, dur- many Swiss have about dual citizens and wouldn't Since the last vote, Switzer- jected measures on the
ing the difficult economic the country's big neigh- have been affected by land has witnessed the tur- right to hunt wolves to keep
situation caused by the co- bor, Keller-Sutter acknowl- any restrictions. moil that Britain's 2016 ref- their population down and
rona crisis, good relations edged that "freedom of In a similar referendum in erendum to leave the Eu- on increasing tax breaks for
with our neighbors and movement doesn't just 2014, the Swiss narrowly ropean Union has caused, child care.
with the EU are important," have benefits." voted in favor of limiting EU especially for EU citizens in Turnout was higher than in
Justice Minister Karin Keller- "The Federal Council only citizens' freedom to live and the U.K. and Britons living most recent referendums,
Sutter said, welcoming the wants as much immigra- work in Switzerland. Law- on the continent. Britain left almost 60% of voters going
outcome of the vote. tion as necessary," she said. makers, however, refused the EU in January, but is in to the polls or casting their
She said Switzerland would "That continues to be our to fully implement that ref- a transition period until the ballots by mail.q

Mali transitional government appoints new prime minister

minister days after being president. The three gov- for treatment.
sworn into office. ernment heads are to lead U.N. officials have called for
The appointment of a ci- the transitional government the release of the 13 of the
vilian prime minister was a to an election in 18 months. 18 detained officials still be-
major condition imposed The appointment of Oua- ing held at the Kati military
by the West African region- ne, 64, was made by of- camp in the Malian capital
al economic bloc, ECOW- ficial decree Sunday and of Bamako.
AS, on Mali to lift sanctions signed by N'Daw. Ouane There has been widespread
that were imposed after was minister of foreign af- concern that the upheaval
an Aug. 18 coup. ECOW- fairs from 2004 to 2011 un- in Mali will set back efforts
AS had closed borders to der former President Ama- to contain the country's
Mali and stopped financial dou Toumani Toure. growing Islamic insurgency.
flows to put pressure on the The junta, which calls itself After a similar coup in 2012,
junta to quickly return to a the National Committee for Islamic extremists grabbed
civilian government. the Salvation of the People, control of major towns in
Delegates attend a ceremony to swear in the transitional Former Defense Minister deposed President Ibrahim northern Mali.
president and vice president in the capital Bamako, Mali, and retired Col. Maj. Bah Boubacar Keita in August, Only a 2013 military in-
Friday, Sept. 25, 2020. N'Daw was inducted Fri- detaining him, the prime tervention led by France
Associated Press day as the new transitional minister and other govern- pushed extremists out of
By BABA AHMED appointed former minister president while Col. Assimi ment officials. Keita, who those towns and the inter-
Associated Press of foreign affairs, Moctar Goita, head of the junta became ill, was eventually national community has
BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Ma- Ouane, on Sunday as the that staged the coup, was released and has gone to spent seven years battling
li's transitional president West African nation's prime installed as Mali's new vice the United Arab Emirates the militants.q