The multibillion-dollar arms deal, the Federal Council in a direct confrontation with the economy. This threatens to be the new Secretary of defense Viola Amherd (CVP) blatantly with the withdrawal of political support. The Federal Council wants to win”, apparently, the difficult referendum on the renewal of the air force without the full commitment of important parts of the industry ( … )”, letter from the industry Association Swissmem and the Swiss Association of defense companies GPRM in a Communiqué – a barely-hidden warning to Amherd.
the trigger for the conflict is a reversal of the Federal Council. A year ago, on 23. May 2018, he had decided to compensate for the total renewal of the air defense 100 percent of the purchase price in the domestic market. And in December 2018, he reiterated that foreign arms have to offer a supplier to the Swiss industry against transactions by 100 percent. But now, only five months later, is the waste: At the request of Amherds the government has decided, in its new composition, just to compensate for 60 percent of the 6 billion Swiss francs to the cost of new fighter jets.
“Missed opportunity”
last week, representatives of Swissmem and GPRM languages in Amherd and tried in vain, the CVP Federal councillor from your Plan to dissuade. Also Heinz Karrer, President of the economic umbrella organisation Economiesuisse was. He was “disappointed,” says Karrer on request. By the Federal Council voluntarily waive all compensation transactions in the billions, “he missed a chance that Swiss SMEs tap into new sales channels and new supply chains can engage,”.
Amherd reasons for the decision, among other things, with an expert report. In her order, Kurt Grüter, the Ex-Director of the Federal Finance control came at the end of April to the conclusion that the Offset of shops armor increase the price of procurements, while their Use is often questionable. Therefore, he recommended that, to reduce the Offset transactions to those orders, which secure directly to the continued existence of domestic defense companies such as Ruag or Rheinmetall. To waive the Federal government, however, to indirect Offset transactions with companies which do not belong to the military industry.
In his criticism of Grüter was a little squeamish. He spoke of a “Bazaar” and warned of corruption cases, such as the Eurofighter scandal in Austria. Not to compare a reputable Swiss company with a Bazaar and corruption scandals abroad, “that’s easy,” said Swissmem Director Stefan Brupbacher. “This is a damage to reputation without any justification.”
Now the associations to be their fight to the Parliament to relocate.
Amherd yourself said in front of the media, the Offset-rates of about 60 percent would only be a “subsidy” of companies, which could not be justified in terms of national security.
Such arguments can Swissmem and GPRM does not apply. Unlike in the case of direct Offsets, there is indirect little more cost. In addition, the associations argue that the Federal Council of the French-speaking Switzerland at a disadvantage. Because of the large armor companies such as Ruag, Thales or Rheinmetall produce almost all of them in the German part of Switzerland, could be taken into account without indirect Offsets to a little Italian company.
In the Federal Council, the industry have lost associations with this line of reasoning. Now they are shifting their fight to the Parliament, and there for a higher Offset ratio fight. On the outcome of this showdown between Neo-Federal councillor Eveline Amherd and the economy, it may be interesting.
vote only on Jets
The second major position in the aircraft business relates to the question of the referendum. On Amherds request, the Federal Council decided to put the purchase of new fighter aircraft in what is called a planning decision, and the optional Referendum. So Amherd is based on the idea of your predecessor, Guy Parmelin (SVP).
In a point Amherd Parmelins corrected preliminary work, however. He wanted to put everything on one card and the voting public about an 8-billion loan for the whole of the air defence vote using fighter jets and ground-to-air missiles. After there has been a lot of criticism of this Plan, restricted Viola Amherd the vote on a 6-billion loan for the jet fighters.
The ground-to-air missiles are to be procured from the Parliament without the participation of the people. So the poll question that needs to answer the people expected to be in September or November 2020 is now: Want to buy new fighter jets for up to six billion Swiss francs, without, you know, what type of aircraft will it be in the end?
(editing Tamedia)
Created: 16.05.2019, 23:55 PM
