So, Nov 19th 2023
On Friday, the Control Committees of the National Council and the Council of States (CC) published their eagerly awaited investigation report on the so-called corona leaks.
A working group had investigated how many leaks had occurred, focusing on the role of Alain Berset’s Department of Home Affairs. This is what the Swiss newspapers say:
The Tages-Anzeiger newspaper was disappointed by the GPK report: “The parliamentarians clearly missed their targets with the report on the coronavirus leaks.” The GPK did a “remarkable” diligent job of evaluating 500 media reports – but nothing more.
The newspaper criticized the fact that only 16 people were questioned over a period of ten months – despite assurances to the contrary beforehand, none of them were outside of Alain Berset’s Department of the Interior (with the exception of the members of the Federal Council). As a result, very little came to light: “The central question of whether Berset knew about the indiscretions also remains unanswered,” the newspaper said. The GPK should also look at themselves: “Despite the few findings, they sharply criticize the government – and the media. A little self-criticism would be more appropriate.”
The “Neue Zürcher Zeitung” reacted with disillusionment to the GPK report. According to the report, Alain Berset is said to have known nothing about the content of the exchange between his then Head of Communications Peter Lauener and Ringier CEO Marc Walder. “This is somewhat astonishing,” wrote the newspaper. “Because the commission found out that secret information from 38 of 50 Federal Council meetings leaked to the public.” However, the Department of Home Affairs was not necessarily responsible for all indiscretions.
“The culture of indiscretion was widespread in the Federal Palace, and the Federal Council did nothing for a long time,” summarized the “Neue Zürcher Zeitung”. “There are indeed indications of a Berset system, but one that the Federal Council strangely never noticed.” Nothing remains of “Monsieur Teflon”.
For “Schweiz am Wochenende”, it is unlikely that Alain Berset knew as little about the indiscretion of his then head of communications as he claimed. Even if the GPK was unable to provide any concrete evidence to the contrary. “This in no way means that Berset was clueless – and this would not be plausible either, as Berset and Lauener worked closely together for ten years.”
The newspaper sharply criticized the GPK: “The GPK is a toothless authority, and perhaps it also lacked the will to dig deep.” And it saw Berset’s decision not to stand for re-election to the Federal Council as an indication – he had said at the end of 2022 that he wanted to remain a Federal Councillor. “This is not an admission of guilt, but an indication that Berset feared that his true role could end at any time.”
Blick”, which is published by Walder’s Ringier publishing house, criticized the GPK investigation as unbalanced: “The working group only took a close look at Berset’s FDHA. In no other department were emails from employees requested and evaluated,” the newspaper wrote. “An unbiased, balanced investigation looks different.” An “irrepressible will to actually get to the bottom of what happened” was not in evidence.
“Le Temps” found the GPK report incomplete: “Light had to be shed on the darkness”, considering that the corona leaks had impaired the management of the pandemic. Alain Berset’s responsibility was “obvious”, according to the newspaper, which pointed to the imminent departure of the President of the Swiss Confederation.
According to “La Liberté”, the CPC missed the mark by not naming responsibilities. The limited possibilities of politics explain this result: if someone refuses to hand over private emails, for example, a political body only has limited options for action, the newspaper wrote.
©Keystone/SDA
‘Even without full access to the emails of Alain Berset and his staff, the directors have identified untenable conditions in his department. Despite incomplete sources, the report shows evidence of a comprehensive system of indiscretions aimed at influencing the Federal Council.
Officially, Berset’s resignation has nothing to do with the indiscretions, but in view of his knowledge of the indiscretions and the loss of confidence in the government, the Minister of the Interior could no longer remain in office.’
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