” ““Fear of invasion and foreigners”, these are, according to mgr. Ivo Fürer, emeritus bishop of San Gallo, the reasons that led, at yesterday’s referendum voting in Switzerland, to the approval by the vast majority (approximately 68%) of a circa) of the enforcement of harsher laws on asylum and foreigners. Speaking to the Catholic agency Apic on behalf of the Swiss bishops, mgr. Fürer recalled “that there are persecuted people who must be helped. It is an important aspect that has been hidden during the electoral campaign, especially about the abuses committed in the asylum and foreigners’ camp. For the churches, which have worked hard against the enforcement of harsher laws on asylum and foreigners, the clear result of the voting means the arguments have not been accepted so easily by the population, since these are ethical issues related to foreigners”. Similar comments on the result have come from the Protestant Federation of the Swiss Churches and Israelite Communities, which have announced they will carefully and critically monitor the enforcement of the new regulations, while keeping working in favour of asylum seekers and foreigners.
