Roberto Balzaretti, Switzerland’s top negotiator with the European Union, is reportedly losing his job because of the current stalemate in sealing a new framework agreement.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Tages-Anzeiger/RTS/jc
Several sources in the foreign ministry have confirmed this information according to Switzerland’s public radio and television channels, SRF and RTS.
This follows a report in the Tamedia group of newspapers that Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis has decided to “sacrifice” his chief negotiator “because of the political turmoil surrounding the framework agreement – the agreement Balzaretti negotiated with the EU in 2018”. The papers, citing “reliable sources” said the government is expected to formalise this on Wednesday.
Although “the news had been in the air” for weeks, RTS said Cassis’s timing for the decision is surprising, coming a couple weeks after the September 27 vote on the free movement of people that was key for relations with the EU.
“The Swiss people’s ‘yes’ was supposed to signal a resumption of talks with Brussels on signing a framework deal to consolidate bilateral relations,” said RTS. “But today in Switzerland nobody wants it. And, so leaves the chief negotiator to try and defuse a dossier that has already worn out four secretaries of state.”
More
More
Swiss rebuff right-wing plan to curb EU immigration
This content was published on
A right-wing proposal to scrap a Swiss immigration accord with the EU has been clearly rejected at the ballot box.
According to the newspaper reports, Balzaretti’s succession has already been decided. It reports that he will be sent to Paris as new ambassador and that the current Swiss ambassador in the French capital, Livia Leu, will take his post as State Secretary.
It could also be accompanied by a restructuring within the foreign ministry. However, this remains to be confirmed.
First large-scale alpine solar plant approved in Switzerland
This content was published on
The approval was met with satisfaction by the project's organisers, but it also brings with it a certain amount of pressure.
Medieval squirrels may have ‘helped spread leprosy’
This content was published on
An examination of squirrel remains in the United Kingdom has opened up interesting questions and possibilities in terms of the history of the disease.
Swiss money laundering office registers record number of reports
This content was published on
The Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS) registered a record number of reports of suspicious activity last year.
Two teens accused of planning terror attack released from custody
This content was published on
The Schaffhausen judiciary has released the two teenagers from custody who allegedly planned bomb attacks in Switzerland.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.