National Council initiative rejected: Council of States against humanitarian action for recipients of long-term emergency assistance

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People who receive emergency aid from asylum procedures under the old law do not get a second chance at a regular residence permit in Switzerland. On Tuesday, the Council of States rejected a proposal along these lines that was approved by the National Council in March. He’s done with that.

In the small room, the advice of the provisional advisory committee prevailed. She believes that it would be constitutionally questionable and that the principle of equality would be violated if Switzerland were to grant a general residence permit to a certain group of people.

Travel documents are missing

The proposal was submitted by Marianne Streiff-Feller, former national councilor of the Bernese EPP. She stated that many people with a negative asylum decision were unable to obtain travel documents and therefore could not leave the country at all.

Many countries refused to allow their nationals to re-enter the country or provide them with the documents needed to travel. Tibetans, for example, are affected. Most of these people had lived in Switzerland for years and many spoke a local language.

After a negative asylum decision, they are not allowed to work, they are accommodated in emergency shelter and they have to survive on emergency aid. The Federal Council should create a unique opportunity to regularize the right of residence for such people.

Streiff wanted to limit the regularization of these people to the old legal asylum regime, because the new procedure prevented the integration of people whose asylum decisions were rejected thanks to shorter procedural times. The Council of States rejected the proposal by 30 votes in favor and 12 against. (SDA)

Source:Blick