Sunday, July 14, 2024
Published: Sunday, Jul 14th 2024, 05:10
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The interim conclusion of the PUK in the Credit Suisse case, the environment minister opposes the resettlement of Alpine valleys and Switzerland pledges support for UNRWA: this and more can be found in the Sunday newspapers. The headlines in unverified reports:
"SonntagsZeitung":
The Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (PCI) has criticized all institutions involved in the downfall of Credit Suisse. The Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA), the Swiss National Bank (SNB) and the Federal Council have failed, according to the SonntagsZeitung newspaper. The Finma is accused above all of a lack of assertiveness, an insider told the newspaper. In its criticism of the SNB, the PUK agreed with the expert report by Paul Tucker. He criticized the fact that the SNB limited liquidity assistance to systemically important banks and only included the Swiss part of the big bank. Politically, the then Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer was primarily responsible.
"NZZ am Sonntag":
Environment Minister Albert Rösti has rejected calls for people to be relocated from Alpine valleys due to storms. This would mean people losing their familiar surroundings without knowing when and where the next disaster will happen, he said in an interview with the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper. In a densely populated country like Switzerland, protective measures are the better solution "than forcing everyone into the cities or conurbations", said the SVP Federal Councillor. "We live with various dangers, which we must take seriously and take preventative measures," said the head of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC). However, nature cannot be controlled at will.
"SonntagsBlick":
Switzerland has assured the UN Palestinian Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) of its support. Together with 118 states - including all current and future members of the UN Security Council - it signed a declaration to this effect, as SonntagsBlick reported. The declaration recognizes the aid organization as a "pillar of regional stability". The Israeli government accused the aid organization of several employees being involved in the Hamas massacre on October 7. The Swiss head of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, wrote to Israel in March, April and May asking for proof of the allegations. "To date, I have not received a reply," Lazzarini wrote in a letter to the Israeli government, which was made available to "SonntagsBlick".
"NZZ am Sonntag":
The tenants' association is launching a popular initiative for state control of rents. It demands that rents only reflect the actual costs of the property owner and a certain return on investment, as the NZZ am Sonntag wrote. It would therefore no longer be possible to increase rents with reference to prices in the residential region. In addition, rents should in future be automatically and regularly reviewed by law to ensure they are lawful. The text of the initiative has been submitted to the Federal Chancellery for preliminary examination. The Swiss Homeowners' Association considers such cost rents to be an own goal.
"SonntagsZeitung" / "SonntagsBlick":
Across Switzerland, 2,600 people would be affected by the Juso inheritance tax initiative. The canton of Nidwalden has the highest proportion of super-rich people, according to the SonntagsZeitung newspaper. According to the Nidwalden state chancellery, multimillionaires have already moved away. There are 400 multimillionaires in the canton of Zurich and 466 in Geneva with taxable assets of over CHF 50 million. Entrepreneur Peter Spuhler had threatened to emigrate if the initiative went through. Juso leader Mirjam Hostetmann, who then called him a "tax criminal", apologized for her choice of words in the current "SonntagsZeitung". According to SonntagsBlick, the initiative would not stand a chance at the ballot box.
"NZZ am Sonntag":
The electricity industry has offered 590 megawatts of capacity at a price of CHF 2.6 billion to secure the electricity supply. The "NZZ am Sonntag" received the offers from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy based on the Public Disclosure Act. In June, the federal government stopped the tender for new reserve power plants because the costs were too high. The newspaper wrote that the 2.6 billion was only the pure provision costs. Operation and supply would also be included. The difference between the five bids was striking: The lowest was 3 million francs per megawatt, while the highest was almost 9 million francs.
"NZZ am Sonntag":
The chief prosecutor in the Vincenz case may have violated official secrecy. The Zurich public prosecutor's office has called in a criminal law professor to examine the charges, as the "NZZ am Sonntag" wrote. The chief prosecutor and the professor were in close contact, several informed persons told the newspaper. Only if the authorities themselves did not have the necessary knowledge would they be allowed to consult third parties. The experts must also be bound by official secrecy. According to the newspaper, the Zurich public prosecutor's office and the professor did not wish to comment on the allegations.
"SonntagsZeitung":
Ticket prices for concerts and music festivals have reached a new high. The number of events and sales at Swiss festivals have also never been so high, as the SonntagsZeitung wrote. Ticket prices rose by more than 12% last year compared to 2019, the newspaper wrote, citing figures from event organizer SMPA. This is also due to the increased fees for artists. According to industry estimates, a fee that amounted to 50,000 francs 20 years ago is now between 250,000 and 500,000 francs. Thanks to the oversupply, musicians can choose where they want to perform. However, new formats and smaller events are finding it particularly difficult due to the increasing competition.
"SonntagsBlick":
The new person responsible for looted art at the Federal Office of Culture, Nikola Doll, has criticized the lack of binding standards for provenance research. She believes that museums in particular have a duty to carry out research. "A museum should know which works are in its collection and under what circumstances they changed hands between 1933 and 1945," said Doll in an interview with SonntagsBlick. Not every collection contains looted art. But it cannot be ruled out. In general, she advocates providing sufficient funding for independent research. Since 2016, the federal government has been supporting public and private museums and collections with financial aid.
"Le Matin Dimanche":
Swiss solar pioneer Raphaël Domjan wants to exceed an altitude of 10,000 meters next week with his solar-powered aircraft "Solar Stratos". So far, no electrically powered aircraft has reached this altitude, as "Le Matin Dimanche" wrote. Long-haul aircraft would fly at this altitude. Domjan wants to take off from Sion VS. If he succeeds in the flight, he would break the record held by Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard. Piccard flew to 9,200 meters on his round-the-world flight in the "Solar Impulse" aircraft. Domjan's ultimate goal is to reach the stratosphere. This begins at an altitude of around 12 kilometers.
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