Swiss hold UK charity driver
Page 6
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• A British truck driver, carrying urgent aid for children in war-torn Yugoslavia, has been held for 32 hours by Swiss police for driving at the weekend.
Mike Whitney, who was transporting blankets for the Red Cross, was detained for breaking the country's weekend truck ban even though he had proof his load was not commercial.
His boss, John Early of London-based John Early International, has described the attitude of the city of Basel police as "deplorable and disgusting".
Every other European country has waived driving bans for trucks carrying charity goods during the Yugoslavian crisis, says Early. "The Swiss weekend ban is on goods vehicles," he says. "We were carrying gifts." Early was subcontracted by Newark-based haulier PBC, which has the contract from the Red Cross to take aid to Yugoslavia.
Whitney eventually reached Brindisi in Italy, where the gifts were shipped to Dubrovnik,