Dismissal for Michel Reybier
Multimillionaire is not naturalized – because of 40 km / h too much
The luxury hotelier and clinic operator Michel Reybier is denied naturalization by the Federal Constitutional Court – because he drove too fast, writes the “Bilanz”.
Published: 18 minutes ago
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Updated: 17 minutes ago
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Michel Reybier is not allowed to become Swiss, although the multi-millionaire who lives in the canton of Vaud feels at home in this country.
Marc Kowalsky («Balance Sheet»)
He has lived in Switzerland since 1978, feels integrated here and says: “I am very proud of this country.” Nevertheless, Michel Reybier (77) is not allowed to become Swiss. That was decided by the Federal Administrative Court in St. Gallen at the beginning of January.
Reybier is the owner of numerous luxury hotels such as the Victoria-Jungfrau in Interlaken BE, the La Réserve Eden au Lac in Zurich or the Mont Cervin Palace in Zermatt VS. He also owns the Cos d’Estournel winery in Bordeaux and, together with Antoine Hubert, controls 74.6 percent of the listed clinic and hotel operator Aevis Victoria.
Passed the citizenship test, but…
Reybier applied for a Swiss passport in 2018, went through the formalities, passed the naturalization test, and everything seemed to be going well until the authorities suddenly stopped the process: in 2017, Reybier was in Geneva at 80 instead of the permitted 40 km/h through a construction site hazards. The Geneva public prosecutor sentenced him to a fine of 540 francs and a conditional fine of 90 daily rates of 30 francs for a probationary period of three years.
As unusually low as the daily rate was (Reybier is listed in the “Bilanz” list of the 300 richest in Switzerland with assets of CHF 700 to 800 million), the consequences of the fine were severe: According to the Civil Rights Ordinance, it is considered “not successfully integrated”. who has such a penalty on their criminal record.
Naturalization denied, lawsuit unsuccessful
The State Secretariat for Migration therefore rejected naturalization. The Federal Administrative Court has now dismissed Reybier’s lawsuit against this decision.
In June, when the probationary period and a waiting period of another three years have expired, the Frenchman can apply for naturalization again. In an interview with “Bilanz” last fall (see issue 10/2022), he left open whether Reybier, who now lives in Coppet in the canton of Vaud, will do that. It can be assumed that the court decision has not exactly increased the desire to do so. Reybier does not want to comment on this.
Article from the “Balance Sheet”
This article was published in the magazine «Bilanz». You can find more exciting articles at www.balance.ch
This article was published in the magazine «Bilanz». You can find more exciting articles at www.balance.ch