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Following the Swiss referendum with majority votes backing restrictions on immigration from European Union (EU) countries, the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary has warned of “adverse effects” from this development on the WCC and other international organizations in Switzerland.
“We stand with our member churches here in Switzerland who have made it clear that Switzerland needs to continue being a place that welcomes the stranger,” said the WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit on Monday in Geneva, where the WCC headquarters are based.
The referendum held in Switzerland on 9 February showed 50.3% votes in favour of strict quotas for immigration, which can impact the Swiss-EU agreement on freedom of movement.
Switzerland is not an EU member but has adopted large sections of EU policy.
Tveit said that “there are other potential ramifications to this vote that could adversely affect the WCC and other international organizations working in Geneva and throughout Switzerland.”
“We depend on the diversity of our staff and the gifts they bring to represent our global fellowship of churches. To be able to maintain this, we need to learn more from the Geneva and Swiss authorities about the impact of the law,” he added.
The vote is regretted by Brussels and comes amidst increasing debate across Europe about migration and its effects on free movement of people.
According to media reports, restricting free movement of people can limit Switzerland's access to Europe's single market, where over half of its exports are sold.
