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GENEVA

UPDATE: Swiss cantons of Fribourg, Neuchâtel to implement new coronavirus restrictions

Neuchâtel and Fribourg join Geneva and several other cantons in Switzerland in mandating tougher measures to fight the spread of Covid-19.

Published: 3 November 2020 10:39 CET
Updated: 3 November 2020 16:47 CET
UPDATE: Swiss cantons of Fribourg, Neuchâtel to implement new coronavirus restrictions
A sad sight: a number of cantons are shutting down bars and restaurants. Photo by AFP

Fribourg and Neuchâtel have become the latest Swiss cantons implement stricter lockdown measures than those adopted at a federal level. 

Here's what you need to know. 

Fribourg

From 11pm on Wednesday, November 4th, Fribourg will put in place a strict range of new coronavirus measures. 

Bars, restaurants and cafes will be forced to close, as will cinemas, theatres, museums, gyms, fitness centres and swimming pools. 

Cantonal authorities stressed that the measures were necessary to control the pandemic. 

Fribourg has become one of the hardest hit cantons in Switzerland. 

Neuchâtel

Among the new rules will be the closure of all bars and restaurants, along with cinemas, concert halls, theatres, museums, fitness, and wellness centres, erotic salons, swimming pools, bowling alleys and other game rooms. Contact sports are prohibited and non-contact sports activities are limited to five people.

Religious ceremonies are also prohibited, except for funerals.

The measures will go into effect on Wednesday at 11 pm until at least until November 22nd.

“Demonstrations and gatherings, public or private, including within the family circle, both indoors and outdoors, involving more than five people are prohibited. Households with more than five people are not affected by this measure”, the canton said.

Neuchâtel’s measures follow a ‘semi-confinement’ implemented in Geneva on November 2nd, which includes shutting down all bars, restaurants, non-essential shops, as well as leisure establishments like cinemas, museums, libraries and pools.

READ MORE: UPDATE: Geneva and other Swiss cantons introduce tighter coronavirus restrictions 

Similar measures are also in force in Jura, where all bars, restaurants, museums, theatres, cinemas, and libraries in the canton will remain closed until November 15th. 

Other cantons are expected to implement similar measures in the coming days, including Vaud, which will release its list of restrictions on Wednesday.

The measures go beyond those mandated by the Federal Council on October 29th on the national level.

Cantons can’t revoke any of the federal measures but they can add their own, more restrictive ones.
 

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GENEVA

Can Geneva still claim to be the ‘capital of peace’?

The Swiss city has traditionally been a space for diplomacy and international relations. But does Geneva still merit this title?

Published: 8 May 2024 12:06 CEST
Updated: 12 May 2024 08:26 CEST
Can Geneva still claim to be the 'capital of peace'?

Geneva has been the scene of numerous negotiations and agreements since the end of World War Two.

According to the United Nations, the city’s “humanitarian tradition, strategic location in a neutral country, and political stability make it an obvious choice to host a variety of diplomatic meetings”.

These are just some of the top-level meetings held in Geneva in the past decades, which have earned it the nickname of the “capital of peace”:

1985: After a long stretch of Cold War, former US President Ronald Reagan met and (shook hands) with USSR leader Mikhaïl Gorbachev 

1994: The then US president Bill Clinton met former president of Syria, Hafez al-Assad
 
2009: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held talks with Russian minister of foreign affairs, Sergei Lavrov
 
2013: Iranian nuclear negotiations
 
2021: Summit between US president Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putinshakes hands with US President Joe Biden prior to their meeting in Geneva. Photo: Denis Balibouse/AFP

You can see all the other major meetings in Geneva here. 

However, since Biden met Putin in May 2021, no major meetings have been held in Geneva – either regularly or consistently.

Why is that?

Russia’s interference
 
Blame it on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

After that event in February 2022, Switzerland’s image took a beating in Putin’s eyes.

That’s because the country froze the assets of Russian oligarchs held in Swiss banks, closed its airspace to Russian airlines, and generally followed all of EU sanctions against Kremlin.

Because of these actions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described Switzerland as an “openly hostile country”.

As for the Russia’ ambassador to Bern, Sergey Garmonin, he said that Switzerland “has lost its credibility as an impartial international platform and cannot be regarded a mediator in addressing the crisis in Ukraine”, according to Russia’ official news agency, TASS.

In fact, due to Switzerland’s stance on Russia, Putin “reciprocated” by pressuring his ally, Syria, to suspend its peace talks that have been held in Geneva since 2016.

Is Switzerland’s role as the hub of international diplomacy really doomed?

Not quite yet.

On June 15th and 16th, the country will host a high-level peace conference for Ukraine at the Burgenstock resort near Lucerne.

High-level officials from dozens of countries will attend, though Russia already said it would not participate in the summit.

READ ALSO: Switzerland to host Ukraine peace conference without Russian involvement 

What about Geneva – will it be able to maintain its diplomatic role?

Russia’s interference has undoubtedly inflicted some damage, as evidenced by its stance on Switzerland in general, and its pressure toward Syrian peace talks in particular.

However, given that Geneva has been “at it” for many decades, and successfully so, it is too early to count it out as the world’s “peace capital”.

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