Switzerland Today
Good day, Helvetians of the world,
The Swiss government is releasing aid for the victims of the fire in Crans-Montana. “With this solidarity contribution, Switzerland intends to send a signal in the face of the suffering that has been endured,” declared Economics Minister Guy Parmelin, who holds the rotating Swiss presidency this year, at a press conference.
The second Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) poll ahead of the March 8 vote has just been published. The outcome remains uncertain for two issues, but fate seems to be sealed for the other two.
A one-off solidarity contribution of CHF50,000 ($65,000) and a round-table discussion: today the Swiss government unveiled how it intends to help those injured and the relatives of those who died in the fire in Crans-Montana.
It passed its message to parliament, which will vote on the law in March.
“The law is intended to supplement the existing instruments, which are mainly designed for isolated cases and which reach their limits when events cause a large number of victims,” said Economics Minister Guy Parmelin. He recalled that the fire that broke out on New Year’s Eve in a bar in Crans-Montana left 41 people dead and 115 injured. A further 58 people remain in hospital.
Each family of a person killed or hospitalised as a result of the fire will receive a one-off solidarity contribution of CHF50,000. This will be in addition to the emergency financial aid provided by canton Valais and is intended to offer rapid, unbureaucratic assistance to those affected.
The government will provide funding of up to CHF20 million and will also organise a round table with the people and institutions concerned, with the aim of reaching amicable agreements and “avoiding years of legal proceedings”, said Justice Minister Beat Jans. Bern will also support the cantons with CHF8.5 million for victim support.
Opponents of an initiative to reduce radio and television licence fees have gained ground; support for individual taxation is also waning. The government’s counter-proposal to the cash initiative is attracting support, while the climate fund initiative looks set to be rejected.
Opponents of the initiative to reduce the radio and television licence fee from CHF335 ($435) to CHF200 per household per year have consolidated their lead. The poll shows that 54% of the electorate is now opposed to the initiative, a figure that rises to 58% among the Swiss Abroad (although the Swiss Abroad do not pay the CHF335 fee).
On the other hand, support for individual taxation has fallen sharply since the first survey. Only 52% of those polled now say they are in favour of the proposal, which would see married couples file separate tax returns rather than being taxed jointly. This compares with 64% at the start of the campaign.
The “Cash is freedom” initiative aims to ensure that coins and banknotes remain available in sufficient quantities. It has lost ground during the campaign, and those polled appear to prefer the government’s counter-proposal, which enjoys 70% support.
A clear defeat seems likely for the fourth issue: 65% of respondents said they oppose the initiative for a climate fund.
Yesterday a delegation from the Swiss parliament held talks in the United States aimed at reaching an agreement on tariffs. However, the US did not guarantee Switzerland that such a deal would be more favourable than no agreement at all, reports the Tages-Anzeiger.
The EFTA/EU delegation’s trip had already been planned, but it took on added significance after the US Supreme Court ruled that tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump were illegal. While the European Parliament has temporarily suspended implementation of the customs agreement with the EU, the Swiss government is still seeking a binding agreement.
In Washington, the parliamentarians did not receive a clear answer as to whether a customs agreement would guarantee Switzerland a win-win outcome. After discussions on 10% tariffs, rejected by Trump, negotiating teams are said to have agreed on 15%.
Negotiations between Switzerland and the US are continuing, Economics Minister Guy Parmelin said. He also noted that, following the US Supreme Court ruling, the 10% tariffs announced on Saturday by the US president remain in force.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine four years ago, the Swiss armed forces budget has steadily increased. However, by 2025, it has not been able to spend all its allocated funds, leaving more than CHF350 million ($452 million) unused, according to the online news portal 20 Minuten.
Last week the government told the finance committee that CHF352 million remained in the armed forces’ 2025 budget. Several committee members confirmed the figure, although the defence ministry cited a different amount. All sides agree that delays in delivery of the Patriot air defence system are the main cause.
In a private company, such funds would typically be spent once the goods are delivered. But the federal budget works differently: unspent funds must be used to reduce government debt. The money is therefore effectively “lost” to the armed forces.
Defence Minister Martin Pfister has proposed creating a fund for the armed forces to allow such money to be set aside. For Social Democratic Party parliamentarian Sarah Wyss, however, “the current savings plan is being imposed on us because the army needs more money immediately. There’s no point in allocating more money if it cannot be spent,” she said.
Translated using AI/amva/ts
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
