The Senate on Wednesday followed the House of Representatives in agreeing to pay for the new aircraft, despite opposition by the centre-left which is concerned about costs in other areas. Critics also pointed out that the bill could not be challenged to a referendum.
The armed forces will be reduced from 200,000 troops to a minimum of 100,000.
The government, which had proposed 80,000 troops and an annual budget of SFr4.4 billion, wanted to delay the purchase of the aircraft.
The pacifist group Switzerland Without an Army said it was considering launching an initiative next May to let voters have the final say on new combat aircraft.
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Defence ministry denied extra funds for army
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The army will consist of 80,000 troops, including 35,000 members of the infantry, from a total of 140,000. The number of troops for international peacekeeping operations is set at 1,000. Defence Minister Ueli Maurer said the cabinet had mandated him to seek ways to save SFr1.1 billion through changes in military training, lowering technological standards,…
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Defence minister Ueli Maurer has asked army chief André Blattmann to study various cost-cutting strategies to comply with government’s recommendations on saving. The defence ministry, which also covers sports and civil protection, could also cut up to 2,500 jobs. Blattmann said the army was obliged to “reconsider everything”, even what has not been disputed until…
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On Wednesday the House of Representatives followed the Senate in setting the minimum number of troops at 25 per cent higher than the figure proposed by the cabinet. A majority of centre-right and rightwing parties argued that the country’s prosperity and security depended on having forces of a sufficient size. However, their opponents on the…
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The lack of clarity about the future of the army is currently casting its shadow on parliamentary debates about the basically uncontroversial 2010 armaments programme, which envisages a partial renewal of the aged air fleet. Defence Minister Ueli Maurer of the rightwing Swiss People’s Party said in spring 2009 that he wanted to make the…
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