Basel Show: lawsuits, disappointment, free time, and no visitors at Zurich
April 04, 03 by Edahn Golan
Many exhibitors at the Zurich part of the Basel show are planning to fold up and leave as early as Sunday night, after Swiss health authorities have closed down the Hong Kong booths until Sunday for fear of SARS. After the first response to the shutdown - the shutdown exhibitors left in protest - Chinese exhibitors have told show organizers they plan a two billion dollar lawsuit.
The rest of the exhibitors at the international pavilion have expressed great disappointment today, even exasperation, as the stream of visitors is practically non existent, and diamantairs are mostly wondering around almost idly, visiting colleagues at adjacent booths.
At 2:30 pm, Israeli exhibitors have met with show organizers to hear how they plan to deal with the lack of visitors, but didn't hear much good news. Organizers manly offered their sympathy, as the decision was not in their hands, with the practical aspect of it being furnishing the Israelis with local lawyers, on their dime, to consult with.
Representatives who went to meet the lawyers heard that they will not be able to sue the Swiss government, since the decision to bar exhibitors from China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Vietnam was legal, even though ridicules.
