Sunday, December 08, 2024
Published: Sunday, Dec 8th 2024, 06:20
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The possible total failure of airspace surveillance, the return of Sanjia Ameti to politics, and the early retirement of many state employees: this and more can be found in the Sunday papers. The headlines in unverified reports:
"NZZ am Sonntag":
Swiss airspace surveillance is threatening to become a national security risk. This is the picture painted by the "NZZ am Sonntag" newspaper, referring to an internal quality management report within the Swiss Armed Forces. According to the report, there is even a risk of total failure. Because two new replacement systems for airspace surveillance and fighter jet control are not working and have been suspended, the outdated Florako system, which should have been decommissioned this year, will have to continue operating for years to come. However, according to the NZZ am Sonntag, this is precisely where the problem lies: there is a lack of personnel who can still operate and maintain the old system. Dismissals are not ruled out, as there is great dissatisfaction in the team. The internal report was deliberately written objectively and focuses on possible risks, according to the head of the army, Thomas Süssli.
"SonntagsBlick":
Sanija Ameti, co-president of Operation Libero, is planning to return to politics as a member of the Green Liberals. She is expected to take part in the Zurich municipal council meeting on December 18, according to SonntagsBlick. After Ameti fired shots at a picture of Mary and Jesus in September, GLP President Jürg Grossen called for her to leave the party. Grossen is seeking a discussion with Ameti, but she is refusing, a GLP parliamentarian told the newspaper. According to "SonntagsBlick", Ameti's circle had lost confidence in her. Ameti and Grossen did not wish to comment publicly.
"NZZ am Sonntag":
The majority of state employees have recently taken early retirement. According to the "Neue Zürcher Zeitung", 54 percent of men took early retirement from the federal pension fund Publica. The average retirement age is 63.6 years. 43 percent of women in state-owned companies took early retirement. According to the newspaper, the SBB, Swiss Post and the City of Zurich reported similar figures. The deputy director of the Federal Personnel Office said that employees were retiring later compared to a good 20 years ago. According to the newspaper, he was referring to the permanent staff of the Federal Administration, where the average retirement age for men was 64 at the end of 2023.
"SonntagsZeitung":
The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs has paid non-governmental organizations (NGOs) almost one billion Swiss francs per year. The payments made by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) are the most transparent, as the SonntagsZeitung wrote. Nobody really knows how much the Confederation pays to NGOs in total. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), which is under the umbrella of the FDFA, supported NGOs with around CHF 860 million last year. A third of this went to Swiss NGOs. According to the newspaper, it remains unclear how many organizations benefit from these funds.
"SonntagsZeitung" / "Le Matin Dimanche":
The Europe initiative of an alliance of pro-European organizations is in danger of failing. More than eight months after its launch, not even 10,000 signatures have been collected, as the SonntagsZeitung was informed by members of the initiative committee. What is needed is 100,000 valid signatures. The necessary budget is also not available. The European Alliance is backed by Operation Libero (OL) and the Greens. The OL does not comment on the status of the collection. The number of signatures is not currently of central importance, as Switzerland's negotiations with the EU are nearing a successful conclusion, said OL managing director Isa Gerber. Once the negotiations have been concluded, the initiative committee will discuss the next steps.
"SonntagsBlick":
Every second GP practice is potentially affected by two federal court rulings from June. If a doctor is in an employment relationship, he or she cannot claim emergency flat rates, as "SonntagsBlick" wrote. The Federal Court interprets the Tarmed tariff structure rigidly according to legal form. Half of the medical profession in Switzerland is in an employment relationship, the newspaper wrote. A meeting was therefore held at the headquarters of the Swiss Medical Association FMH in Bern on Friday with representatives from insurance companies, the cantons and the federal government. Emergency care outside of hospitals and the future of primary care practices are at risk, said FMH President Yvonne Gilli.
"SonntagsZeitung":
The sale of the Migros travel subsidiary Hotelplan is likely to be complete. The Dertour Group has been awarded the contract, as the SonntagsZeitung newspaper reported, citing insiders. The group is a subsidiary of the German retail giant Rewe. It also includes travel providers Kuoni and Helvetic Tours. Industry observers had estimated the sale price at between 140 and 200 million francs. However, Hotelplan owes Migros 100 million francs. The value of the Hotelplan subsidiary Interhome is estimated at CHF 40 to 60 million. The industry expects that Dertour will fillet the Hotelplan business and sell or cut it back.
"NZZ am Sonntag":
A young Swiss man invented an international organization and used it to deceive politicians. He traveled the world, shook hands with politicians and signed memoranda, as the "NZZ am Sonntag" wrote. The research was conducted by the Reflekt research team. For example, the Swiss man promised a Congolese politician that he would raise funds. This never happened. He had promised help with the renovation of a pass road in the canton of Uri without any cooperation. A St. Gallen cantonal councillor was listed as a minister on the organization's website - he only found out about this through the investigation. The Federal Supervisory Board for Foundations has been asking the Swiss man to submit documents for years without success.
"Le Matin Dimanche":
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, has proposed an action plan to strengthen democracy. In an interview with "Le Matin Dimanche", the former Federal Councillor said that a vibrant democracy needs a wide range of opinions and an exchange of views between those who disagree with each other. This has become more difficult nowadays. Democracy is declining to varying degrees in different countries. He did not suggest launching an action plan to point the finger at anyone. Rather, it was about looking at different contexts and strengthening the conditions that make a functioning democracy possible, said Berset.
"SonntagsBlick":
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (Fifa) is paying for the elite school of the daughter of Swiss Fifa President Gianni Infantino. The school in the US state of Florida costs 5000 dollars a month, as "SonntagsBlick" learned from documents. The Fifa compensation committee and the head of human resources had approved the fee. The association also pays the Valaisan for an apartment in Paris and an apartment in Zug. This is despite the fact that Infantino earned CHF 4.13 million last year. The total benefits are comparable to the remuneration of other executives in international companies and sports organizations based in Switzerland, a spokesperson said.
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