A wealthy village in Switzerland has chosen to pay a fine of £200,000 instead of accepting its country’s imposed quota of ten refugees.
Residents in Oberwil-Lieli, one of the wealthiest villages in Europe, voted ‘no’ in a referendum over whether to accept the refugees.
The Swiss government had proposed a quota system across its 26 counties in order to meet its promise of taking in 50,000 asylum seekers across the country.
But Oberwil-Lieli, which has 300 millionaires in a population of 2,200, rejected the refugees by 52 per cent to 48.
One resident told MailOnline: ‘We do not want them here it is as simple as that. We have worked hard all our lives and have a lovely village that we do not want it spoiled.
‘We are not suited to take in refugees. They would not fit in here.’ The vote has led to a division in the town and led to people slamming residents for being ‘racist’.
A mother-of-two who lives in the village said: ‘It is only right that we do something to help others who are less fortunate.
‘It makes the village look like we all do not care what happens to others and only look after ourselves. That is not how it is.’
But Andreas Glarner, the mayor of the village, denied that they were being racist by refusing the refugees. He said: ‘We were not to be told if the 10 were from Syria or if they are economic migrants from other countries.
‘Yes, the refugees from Syria have to be helped and they are better served by being helped in the camps nearer their home.
‘Money could be sent to help them, but if we are housing them here it sends out the wrong message. Others will come and risk their lives crossing the ocean and paying people smugglers to bring them.’
He added that the language barrier would also be an issue.
Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2016/05/29/this-village-chose-to-pay-a-200000-fine-instead-of-accepting-10-refugees-5911568/#ixzz4AEQiRPY8
