MOSCOW (Sputnik) – On February 28, Swiss people will vote on whether foreign nationals who reside in Switzerland should be automatically deported if found guilty of committing a crime, ranging from murder to speeding. The initiative was proposed by the anti-immigration Swiss People’s Party (SVP).
“The Swiss government tries hard to keep companies in Switzerland and to strengthen our competitiveness. But I think this proposition of [the SVP] political party risks to isolate Switzerland from foreigners and turns Switzerland unattractive for any foreign companies,” Doris Fiala said.
Fiala stressed that the very process of getting initiatives passed sparks legal uncertainty and could potentially lead to companies leaving Switzerland, which would be a serious problem.
About a quarter of the Swiss population of 8 million are foreigners.