Council of States committee against the delivery of protective vests to Ukraine
Published: Friday, Aug 30th 2024, 12:30
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The export of protective equipment such as bulletproof vests and helmets for the civilian population to war zones such as Ukraine is not an option for the responsible Council of States committee. It is proposing that a motion adopted by the National Council be rejected.
The decision was made by 8 votes to 4, as reported by the parliamentary services on Friday. The majority of the Security Policy Committee (SIK-S) came to the conclusion that the request was not compatible with the law on neutrality.
The motion by the Green-Liberal parliamentary group wants the protection of the civilian population in armed conflicts to be given greater weight in future when exporting protective materials than any violation of the principle of equal treatment of the parties to the conflict. A majority in the National Council and a minority in the SIK-S refer to Switzerland's humanitarian tradition.
The Federal Council is against the motion. In its written response, it states that according to the Hague Convention of 1907, Switzerland, as a neutral state, must treat both warring parties in the Ukraine war equally with regard to the export of war-related goods. However, the Swiss government is willing to ensure that the sanctions imposed on Russia do not hinder humanitarian action in Ukraine.
The Council of States will discuss the matter in the fall session.
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