By Jamey Keaten, Associated Press GENEVA — Switzerland’s executive branch on Wednesday announced plans to step up processing of asylum requests, building on a referendum result amid a growing backlog of African migrants trying to enter from Italy — many hoping to pass through to reach Germany. The Federal Council set Oct. 1 for first phase of legal reforms aimed to speed up processing of asylum-seekers, after two-thirds of Swiss voters accepted the plan in a summer referendum. Federal officials will also boost monitoring of asylum-request rejections by Switzerland’s largely independent regions, which could face penalties in case of violations. Switzerland’s southern region of Ticino has seen a surge of migrants in recent months from neighboring Italy. In recent weeks, many would-be migrants into Switzerland were sent back to Italy for trying to enter without proper papers or not making formal asylum requests. Italian authorities have approved a tent camp to house an estimated [...]
