War in Ukraine: a text recently adopted by Switzerland targets Ukrainian refugees, what does it stipulate?

While the sad third anniversary of the war in Ukraine is approaching, Switzerland, through the voice of its parliamentarians, voted new restrictions about Ukrainian refugees.

Temporary protection status

The lower house of Parliament, in Bern, has in fact adopted a text stipulating that temporary protection status will now only be granted in special cases. As detailed by TF1, it will only be available to Ukrainians coming from regions occupied by Russia or affected by the fightsas indicated in the document approved by 96 votes to 87 on December 2. This status in question is also called “S status”.

“Solidarity has reached its limits”

At the initiative of this text, Pascal Schmid, deputy of the Democratic Union of the Center, justified these new restrictions because “there are no more fights in large games of Ukraine. Solidarity reached its limits when the weight becomes too great, and the abuses increase”, he added, recalling that the Swiss people had testified “great solidarity” to Ukrainians who have been fleeing their country since February 24, 2022.

This provisional protection was obtained following a rapid procedurewithout applicants having to wait for the asylum procedure. Still according to our colleagues, according to a count carried out in August 2024, 66,000 Ukrainians had received this S status. Berne has nevertheless clarified that these restrictions voted at the beginning of December will not be in force only for the new requests.

A vote that “only helps Russia”

This adoption was not welcomed in all camps. Beat Jans, Swiss Minister of Justice, insisted that there was “no safe zone in Ukraine. Even far from the front, Russian attacks with bombs, missiles and drones continue. According to him, the vote “only helps Russia. It undermines European solidarity and, therefore, plays into Russia’s hands.”