Accounts agreed despite rightwing opposition
Parliament has approved the 2008 federal accounts and additional funds for this year's budget.
The House of Representatives followed the Senate in accepting the regular accounts, including a SFr7.3 billion ($6.8 billion) surplus, as well as extraordinary expenses for a multi-billion bailout package for leading bank UBS.
However, members of the rightwing People’s Party rejected the accounts and a financial package of SFr144 million for asylum, Swiss embassies and consulates as well as transport and agriculture.
Finance Minister Hans-Rudolf Merz said tax revenue was likely to drop dramatically this year as a result of the financial and economic crisis.
He called for a judicious spending, notably for a third stimulus package for the struggling economy.
Merz said it was crucial to review government spending.
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