Geneva, Switzerland (Genevalunch) – Switzerland votes Sunday 29 November on three issues: construction of minarets, Swiss arms sales abroad, spending airplane fuel tax revenues. The Swiss generally vote four times a year on a variety of federal issues. Voters will also have cantonal issues to decide Sunday: in Geneva, they will be asked to approve financing for two construction projects, Vaud votes on extending a nuclear power plant’s operations, Valais votes on a law governing tourism, and Neuchatel’s citizens will be asked to approve a new energy law.
Swiss-wide, minarets issue has sparked heated debate
The minaret initiative was proposed by the right-wing UDC (People’s Party), which wants to prohibit the construction of minarets in Switzerland.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – A man riding a scooter who was injured in an accident Tuesday evening on the Cologny quai in Geneva died during the night, and the 31-year-old driver who hit him has been charged with negligent homicide. The 43-year-old Frenchman on the motorcycle was heading from the Quai Gustav-Ador towards Vésenaz, in front of number 28 on the quai, when the car pulled out from a parking place and made a u-turn, initial investigations show.
Vesenaz, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The Green Party in Geneva and its allies collected over 8,700 signatures required to force a referendum on the construction of a tunnel under the village of Vesenaz, the financing of which was approved by the cantonal parliament in May 2009. The issue will now be put on the ballot in November 2009 at the earliest. Some 30,000 cars a day drive through the village of Vesenaz, on the left bank, to reach Geneva.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The commune of Collonge-Bellerive has waited many years for the tunnel project that will reduce traffic along a major road into and out of Geneva, Francine de Planta, municipal mayor, has told GenevaLunch.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The Green party in Geneva has launched a drive to collect 7,000 signatures before 6 July to oppose the building of a tunnel under the village of Vesenaz. The Greens oppose the project because of its high cost, the fact that it benefits relatively few people, and does not solve the problem of traffic, which is regional, according to a spokesperson.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - A Saturday evening high speed car chase through Vézenas, Collonge, Corsier and Anières almost caused a serious accident, and Geneva police are asking for witnesses to come forward with details. A police patrol car on the quai de Collogny noticed a VW Polo driving recklessly along the lake road towards Vézenaz at around 21:00 and took off in pursuit. The driver raced up the hill to Vésenaz and narrowly missed two pedestrians crossing the road at the light in front of the Coop. Police are asking for the two pedestrians to call +41 22 307 9111, the Brigade de Sécurité Routière.
