Opposition to swissinfo cuts increases
The Swiss expatriate communities in Spain and Portugal have rejected plans for massive jobs cuts at swissinfo.
They follow their counterparts in France, Germany and Italy in calling for the multi-language news platform to continue.
“We believe that swissinfo/SRI is of great importance – not only for the Swiss abroad,” said a resolution approved by the conference of Swiss communities of Spain and Portugal and addressed to Swiss President Samuel Schmid.
The resolution argued that swissinfo/SRI was not just a platform for Switzerland and its economy, but also for tourism, culture and the scientific communities. Therefore it was important to maintain an information service in the country’s national languages as well as the main languages of the world.
An increasing number of Swiss citizens are working in Spain and Portugal.
“Switzerland has invested SFr9 billion ($7.2 billion) in Spain until the end of 2003,” foreign ministry official Heinrich Schellenberg told swissinfo.
He attended the annual meeting of Swiss expatriates in Torremolinos, Spain, at the end of May.
Quality offer
Other Swiss expatriate communities in Europe have also voiced opposition to plans by swissinfo’s parent company to cut 80 of its 120 jobs.
The Swiss Abroad in Italy last month demanded a commitment by the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) to maintain a special information platform for Swiss expatriates.
The Swiss communities in neighbouring Germany and France called for the swissinfo service to be retained at its current level.
Paul Aeschlimann, vice-president of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad, told a meeting in Agen, France, in April that swissinfo is an independent and fast source of information.
Spending cuts
In March the SBC announced it was planning to close down all but one of swissinfo’s language services and axe about 80 jobs.
It comes after parliament decided in 2003 to cut its annual financial contribution to swissinfo by SFr15 million.
Several parliamentary committees have come out against the SBC plans and are asking the federal authorities to fund 50 per cent of swissinfo’s annual budget.
In response, the SBC top management indicated that its reform plans were on hold pending further discussions in parliament, notably about amendments to the radio and television law.
A decision is not expected before the end of the year.
swissinfo/SRI suspended its radio programmes on short wave last year and axed 26 jobs. Its current budget stands at SFr28million.
swissinfo
Around 24,200 Swiss expatriates live in Spain and Portugal.
There are 166,000 Swiss in France, 70,000 in Germany and 45,000 in Italy.
Worldwide there are more than 600,000 Swiss expatriates, some 100,000 of whom have registered to take part in nationwide votes and elections.
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