The authorities in Switzerland taking thousands of francs, decision is made for women from Kosovo

A Kosovo woman has been sentenced in Switzerland for illegal profiting aid for unemployment, since for a year she received benefits while employed.

The case, which according to the prosecution was to lead to its expulsion from the country, took a different turn in the Supreme Court, which decided not to expel it, with the argument that it would have serious consequences for her family.

According to Swiss media, the woman had benefited over 11,000 francs in unemployment aid from late August 2019 until the end of August 2020, while employed as a cleaning woman and earned about 17,000 francs.

She had reported falsely every month that she was not employed, misleading authorities for a long period of time.

In December 2021, after an announcement by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, the investigation was launched against her.

During the interrogation, she pleaded guilty and said she had done so because of her husband's large debts.

In May 2023, Rheinfelden-Laufenburg Public Prosecution filed an indictment and demanded a daily fine and expulsion from the country.

However, the District Court imposed only fine sentences for repeated illegal acquisitions of profits and cleared him of charges of multiple fraud, refusing even deportation.

The prosecution complained about the decision and the case went to the Supreme Court, which admitted that there was deliberate fraud in this case and decided to sentence the woman to 60 daily fees of 90 francs and a fine of 1,350 francs.

Despite that, the Supreme Court did not order the expulsion from Switzerland, stressing that such a move “would destroy the accused's” family. The court also stressed that its motive was not of luxury benefits but of a need created by family debts.

The case has sparked discussions in Switzerland on the border between social assistance, fraud and deportation penalties, especially when human and family factors are involved./Periscopi/