Swiss PostBus’s entire management dismissed

The Swiss Post chairman was shocked by the effort made to cheat. Keystone

All of the managers of Swiss PostBus have been discharged over a loss of trust following the subsidies scandal.

Swiss Post Chairman of the Board Urs Schwaller said on Monday that he was “shocked” at the amount of effort invested into manipulating accounts. There had been a long discussion about how far the consequences in terms of personnel must reach, but the board had concluded that it would “terminate cooperation with persons of special responsibility”. PostBus is a subsidiary of the Swiss Post. 

Swiss Post CEO Susanne was first to go. According to Schwaller, she filed her resignation on Friday, after the board had announced her imminent dismissal.  Ruoff said herself, in a statement on Sunday night, that she “naturally assumed overall responsibility”.

Individuals directly involved in the transfer system and those who failed to intervene despite having been given numerous indications of financial irregularities were also being dismissed, said Schwaller, citing the need for a new operational management team. 

The Federal Office of Transport (FOT) had also informed the board in writing that the audits for the years 2016 and 2017 could not be approved. 

“We need an open and self-critical Swiss Post in which we can place our trust again,” said Schwaller. 

Transport Minister Doris Leuthard said on Monday in Bern that the events at PostBus were inexcusable, and that the affair had harmed the postal service and trust in public service in general.

The PostBus management has been under scrutiny since a regular FOT audit revealed that between the years 2007 and 2015, the company known for its bright yellow buses had deliberately kept its profits low to receive more support money from the government.