Swiss hitchhikers get ride from government minister

BERLIN (AP) — Two hitchhikers in Switzerland probably weren’t expecting the driver behind the wheel of the little car that stopped for them to be a government minister.

Their surprise appears to have given way to delight, for the women later sent environment minister Simonetta Sommaruga a thank-you card stating: “what a peaceful country we have, where a member of the Federal Council picks up hitchhikers.”

Sommaruga posted a picture of the card on her Instagram page late Friday, adding that she had been driving down the road in her Mini when she saw the women — one of whom she said was almost 90 — walking along an icy road.

Swiss media quoted Sommaruga’s spokeswoman Saturday saying the incident occurred a week ago in the Bern region.

It is not unusual to see members of Switzerland’s seven-person Cabinet in public without security.