Contents tagged with Switzerland
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Three Russian oligarchs asked to stay away from Davos
VTB Bank CEO Andrey Kostin, Rusal co-owner Oleg Deripaska and Renova Group major shareholder Viktor Vekselberg will not be allowed to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos this year.
All three of the Russian oligarchs, who are under personal US sanctions, were contacted by the forum’s management and asked not to come to the town in eastern Switzerland where officials and representatives of the largest companies in the world have been gathering since 1971.
Last year, Vekselberg, Kostin and …
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Swiss court allows disclosure of reasons for the refusal of Abramovich's residence permit
The Swiss Supreme Court lifted restrictions on the disclosure of for the reasons why Russian businessman Roman Abramovich failed to obtain a residency permit in the country.
The court rejected Abramovich's arguments that the disclosure of such information could damage his reputation.
In September, the Swiss authorities refused to allow Abramovich to obtain a residence permit fearing that his stay in the country could pose a "threat to public safety" and cause "reputational damage". According …
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Head of Swiss intelligence: Russia has increased spy activities in the country
Head of the Swiss intelligence Jean-Philippe Gaudin stated that there a lot of Russian spies in the country who have recently become more active, Deutsche Welle reported.
Gaudin did not mention the exact number of spies but he explained that Russian agents in Switzerland are now become more active than before.
He said that the Swiss Prosecutor’s Office is investigating a criminal case against two Russians, allegedly employees of the GRU (Main Russian Intelligence Directorate), Yevgeny …
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Kremlin: US denied entry to Russian appointee to UN post
The United States denied entry to a Russian, who was appointed to the UN secretariat, stated the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova.
"Earlier, the Americans refused entry to a Russian citizen for no reason, one who has been appointed to the UN Secretariat. The Americans have been delaying their response for the whole year" Zakharova complained, adding that the United States continue to create problems for Russians. She pointed out that the US has gone …
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Switzerland denies residency to Russian tycoon Abramovich
The Swiss authorities denied this country’s residence permit for Russian businessman Roman Abramovich. The Federal Office of the Criminal Police concluded that his presence in the country is undesirable, reported Swissinfo.
According to law enforcement officers, Abramovich's presence is "a source of possible threats to the country’s public safety," as well as can cause a "reputational damage for Switzerland."
Earlier, the businessman filed suits against the publishing holding Tamedia …
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Crimean Deputy Minister of Education denied entry to Switzerland
The press service of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Russia reported that the so-called Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Youth of annexed Crimea, Aider Abliatypov was unable to obtain a visa to Switzerland.
He had planned to participate in the 39th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, where he would talk about “the real picture of what is happening on the peninsula.” However, the authorities decided not to give him the visa.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia …
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Switzerland opens criminal case against Russian spies
The Swiss Federal Attorney's Office is conducting an investigation into the criminal case of two Russian citizens suspected of involvement in the cyber attack at the European headquarters of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in Lausanne.
On Monday, September 17, in Bern, the prosecutor's office representatives said that the case on espionage for political purposes was initiated as early as March 2017, reports Deutsche Welle.
The office also accuses Russians of trying to obtain data from the …
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Media: Every fourth Russian diplomat in Switzerland could be a spy
More than a quarter of the Russian diplomatic staff in Switzerland works for the foreign intelligence services of the Russian Federation, writes the newspaper Tages-Anzeiger after analyzing the Swiss government's report.
Back in March, the Bundesrat of Germany published a report on national security, which stated that "in relation to one country there is a suspicion that more than a quarter of the diplomatic personnel works for the special services."
The Bundesrat report did not mention the …
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Gazprom loses appeal in court case with Ukraine's Naftogaz
The Svea Court of Appeal has re-authorized the seizure of Gazprom’s assets in order to collect $2.6 billion in favor of Naftogaz Ukraine.
On Thursday, the Swedish court removed the temporary suspension of the fine enforcement measures, which had been introduced in June at Gazprom’s request, Reuters reports.
The Russian gas company asked to have the original ruling of the Stockholm Arbitration Institute revoked on the basis of external interference in the process. Citing a “world renowned …
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Kyiv may impose sanctions against Swiss ‘delegation’ for visiting Crimea
The Ukrainian Embassy may initiate sanctions against the Swiss delegation headed by Edward Belzer, a former member of the Council of States of Switzerland, for visiting the annexed Crimea.
As the diplomatic mission reported on September 10, this visit was “a violation of the Ukrainian legislation and contradicts Switzerland's official position on the non-recognition of the attempt to annex the Crimea to Russia”.
“We are sorry, but despite the well-known observance of the supremacy of the …