National Council committee makes no decision on army/Ukraine deal
Published: Tuesday, May 7th 2024, 13:00
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The Finance Committee of the National Council wants to await the discussions in the Council of States on a proposed CHF 15 billion package for the army and Ukraine. A similar proposal has been withdrawn in the committee.
Sarah Wyss (SP/BS), President of the National Council's Finance Committee (FK-N), said this to the media in Bern on Tuesday. The army/Ukraine deal had been discussed intensively on several occasions. In the end, however, the conclusion was reached that the discussions in the small chamber should be awaited.
Almost two weeks ago, the Security Policy Committee of the Council of States (SIK-S) dropped a small bombshell. It proposed putting together a CHF 15 billion package for the army and Ukraine. This proposal by a center-left alliance subsequently met with resistance. The corresponding motion could be dealt with by the Council of States in the summer session.
The FK-N does not want to anticipate this decision, as Wyss explained. "From the Finance Committee's point of view, there is currently nothing to do." Some members of the Finance Committee still believe that the "marriage of two different concerns" makes sense. Others, however, are skeptical. She could not say how the vote on her own motion would have turned out, said Wyss.
"No problem" is the so-called unity of subject matter, the Commission President stated in response to a question from journalists. Various concerns could be linked together in one law. "We know this from other bills."
Approve additional expenditure with a special law
If the SIK-S has its way, the army budget will now be increased to one percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030 after all. To achieve this, the army's budget for the period 2025 to 2028 is to be increased by four billion francs to 29.8 billion francs.
In addition, a commitment credit of CHF 660 million is to be added to the 2024 armaments program compared to the Federal Council's proposal. Procurements are to be brought forward by one year.
According to the majority of the SIK-S, this is to be financed by a special fund. This is to cover the army's additional financial requirements - CHF 10.1 billion from 2025 to 2030 - and at the same time be used for reconstruction aid in Ukraine - CHF 5 billion. The debt brake is to be circumvented in this way.
An SVP/FDP minority in the SIK-S rejects this deal. In the meantime, several centrist members of parliament have also made it known that they are skeptical about linking the two issues. Whether the deal will find a majority in parliament will only become clear in the summer at the earliest.
©Keystone/SDA
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