Vie, May 26th 2023
Special prosecutor Peter Marti this week announced that he would be leaving the highly-publicized investigation into Swiss President Alain Berset’s suspected leaks of confidential information to the Swiss media at the height of the pandemic.
Berset is in hot water over allegedly passing on information about federal Covid-19 measures to Swiss media house Ringiersegún un informe bomba publicado en Schweiz am Wochenende (SaW).
Berset, who served as the head of the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) during the Covid-19 pandemic, currently holds the rotating Swiss presidency this year. During the pandemic, Berset supervised such measures as a countrywide lockdown, mask mandates, vaccine protocols, and the controversial Mobile COVID Certificate.
According to the report, Berset’s former head of communications, Peter Lauener, repeatedly and illegally handed over confidential intelligence to Ringier concerning pandemic measures such as vaccine releases and when businesses would be allowed to reopen.
Read more: How many Swiss died of Covid vaccines?
Lauener reportedly regularly informed Ringier boss Marc Walder what the seven members of the Federal Council discussed pertaining to Covid measures that would affect Swiss residents and businesses. Ringier is a media conglomerate which owns Swiss publications such as Blick.
A special, federal investigator has been in the works since late 2020. Former judge Marti was appointed to the case as a special public prosecutor in January 2021.
Berset, so far, has denied knowing anything about Lauener transmitting confidential information nor any sort of arrangement with Ringier. As for Lauener, he was put in jail after his questioning.
Marti said he “stumbled upon” emails that suggest Lauener is guilty of tipping off the media; Lauener responded by accusing Marti of criminal misconduct, as well.
Investigator Marti announced Thursday that he has asked to be released from his duties “for personal reasons” and that the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has accepted his request.
El caso llega en un momento muy político, pues es año electoral. Aunque Berset no sea declarado culpable, los críticos afirman que las acusaciones debilitan su reputación y la del Partido Socialdemócrata.
Berset ya ha protagonizado varios escándalos. En 2019, un antiguo amante de Berset intentó chantajearlo on the threat of publishing private letters and photographs. In 2021 fue detenido en pleno vuelo por militares franceses por sobrevolar una zona restringida en su avión privado. Y más recientemente, un banquero suizo presentó cargos penales contra Berset por hacer declaraciones falsas en torno a las vacunas Covid-19.
Read more: Will Switzerland extend emergency Covid restrictions?
In the days after the “Covid leaks” report was published, Berset’s critics were outspoken.
“It is now difficult for Alain Berset to maintain credibility,” said Balthasar Glättli, the President of the Green political party, when he appeared on Swiss public television RTS’s “Forum” interview program.
If Berset was involved in or even knew about the illegal leaks, his actions are “harmful to the state,” Glättli added.
“It will certainly not strengthen his position as President of the Confederation, which is bad in the crisis situation we are experiencing now,” he continued. For some members of the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP), the actions are enough to warrant Berset’s resignation, even if it is highly unusual for Switzerland.
Berset debería "preguntarse cuánta credibilidad están dispuestos a perder él y Suiza para que siga siendo Presidente de la Confederación", declaró Jean-Luc Addor, miembro de la UDC del Valais. RTS. Es simplemente "el caso de demasiado", añadió Addor.
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