Sunday, December 01, 2024
Published: Sunday, Dec 1st 2024, 06:50
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Elon Musk sparks new debate about the F-35 fighter jet, Christian Levrat sees the existence of Swiss Post threatened by the National Council and a planned visit by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to Bern: this and more can be found in the Sunday papers. The headlines in unverified reports:
"SonntagsZeitung":
POST: Swiss Post President Christian Levrat has warned against a standstill in the realignment of Swiss Post. The National Councillor called for the suspension of downsizing measures until the Postal Act has been revised - a delay that Levrat describes as threatening the existence of Swiss Post. "If we do nothing now, we will be deep in the red in four years' time," he said in an interview with the SonntagsZeitung newspaper. Experience shows that revisions take four to five years. "In today's dynamic world, there is probably no company that can survive such a long hold," the former SP president continued. Due to the decline in letter post and new customer requirements, Swiss Post urgently needs to modernize and digitize. A revision of the law is necessary, but should not stop the ongoing change. Levrat is also critical of the financing of the universal service: subsidies would jeopardize the agility of Swiss Post.
"SonntagsZeitung":
ARMEE: Elon Musk has reignited the debate about the F-35 fighter jet in Switzerland. On his Platform X, the entrepreneur criticized the high costs and effectiveness of the jet and described manned fighter jets as obsolete. "Elon Musk is right. In the foreseeable future, drones will replace manned combat aircraft," said ETH Professor Roland Siegwart to the SonntagsZeitung newspaper. According to him, in two to three years there will be larger drones that can autonomously transport and drop bombs over longer distances. "The pilots won't stand a chance, as drones are much more agile in the air". The procurement of the F-35 will be implemented as agreed in the contracts with the US government, wrote the Federal Office of Armaments (Armasuisse) in response to an inquiry from the SonntagZeitung. However, there are also calls from parliament for increased investment in drone technology.
"SonntagsBlick":
SWITZERLAND - EU: EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen apparently wants to travel to Bern soon. As "SonntagsBlick" wrote, citing insiders, the visit is to take place on December 20 to symbolically seal an agreement in the negotiations between the EU and Switzerland. At the meeting at the Lohn estate in Wabern, representatives from both sides, led by Ignazio Cassis and EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic, agreed on a roadmap. The aim is to conclude the negotiations before the end of the year. According to "SonntagsBlick", von der Leyen's visit to Switzerland has neither been confirmed nor denied. Brussels reportedly said that von der Leyen only ever communicates her trips a week in advance.
"Le Matin Dimanche":
GOVERNMENT JET: The Federal Council has triggered a strong reaction with the purchase of a new government jet for 103 million francs. A Bombardier Global 7500 is to replace the federal government's outdated fleet. According to "Le Matin Dimanche", the main criticism was the high costs, which are ten times higher than those of the last aircraft purchases. "You get the impression that the Federal Council is indulging itself here," said Jean-Luc Addor (SVP/VS), a member of the newspaper's Security Policy Committee. SP Councillor of States Baptiste Hurni (NE) was astonished at the price and noted: "While the Federal Council is planning cold, hard austerity measures in many areas, the signal sent by this purchase is catastrophic." Gerhard Andrey (Greens/FR) also criticized the lack of co-determination by parliament and criticized the fact that no cheaper alternatives had been examined.
"NZZ am Sonntag":
MEDICINE: Medical specialists have criticized a new tariff system for outpatient treatment. From 2026, many services are no longer to be billed on a time and material basis, but via flat rates per case. ENT specialist Andreas Arnold and several specialist associations warned in the "NZZ am Sonntag" that this would create false incentives and make necessary examinations unprofitable. Particularly complex treatments could increasingly be referred to overburdened hospitals, as they would no longer be profitable for practices. For example, in future the same amount would be paid for the removal of a cyst on the neck as for cancer surgery. When asked by the newspaper, the Federal Office of Public Health emphasized that the flat rates "promote the efficient use of resources and inhibit the expansion of volumes". The dossier is now being "treated as a priority" so that it can be introduced on January 1, 2026. After that, it will be continuously updated and adjusted if necessary.
"SonntagsBlick":
CRIME: A criminal deported to Afghanistan has publicly asked to return to Switzerland. The 27-year-old, who has been living in Kabul for two months, told "SonntagsBlick" about the fear and difficult living conditions in an empty, unheated apartment. He entered Switzerland as a minor in 2015 and his asylum application was rejected in 2018. After an act of violence, the regional court in Bern convicted him of attempted grievous bodily harm and he was expelled from the country in 2019. "We are dealing with criminals who pose a problem for public safety," Vincenzo Mascioli, Deputy Director of the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), told the newspaper. According to "SonntagsBlick", the SEM sees the deportation as a success and plans to deport a further 20 offenders. The Afghan in question affirmed his remorse. At the same time, he denied being a danger to the public, which his lawyer confirmed.
"SonntagsZeitung":
TIPPING: The Swiss population is divided on the issue of abolishing tips. A survey conducted by "20 Minuten" and Tamedia revealed that 48 percent of respondents want to abolish tipping and introduce higher basic wages instead, while 46 percent are against it. The majority of women were against tipping, while the majority of men were in favor of it. The possible taxation of tips met with widespread rejection: only 25 percent were in favor of a tax liability. The Federal Social Insurance Office supports this position and currently sees no need for action, as a statement issued on November 20 showed. The Gastrosuisse industry association also rejected general taxation.
"SonntagsZeitung":
ANTISEMITISM: Jonathan A. C. Brown caused controversy with an antisemitic X-posting after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. The Islamic scholar, whose chair is funded by Saudi Arabia, had been invited to a conference by the University of Bern a few weeks before this post, as the SonntagsZeitung wrote. The event was organized by the Middle East Institute, which was dissolved after internal grievances, including nepotism and ideological entanglements. Brown has already been criticized in the past for statements on Islamic slavery and LGBTQ. According to the newspaper, the Swiss National Science Foundation, which co-financed the project, blamed the university. The university distanced itself from Brown's statements, but defended his academic work. The case will be "looked at more closely internally", it added.
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