Switzerland confronts a spectrum of issues, workplace bullying at the Federal Intelligence Service, and alleged corporate misconduct by ABB, highlighting the need for systemic reforms and accountability.
Keystone/SDA – PETER KLAUNZER
NZZ am Sonntag:
One in eight employees at the Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) has been bullied at work in the last two years, according to a staff survey. The risk of betrayal in the FIS has increased in recent years, according to the supervisory authority for the intelligence service. Over 200 pages of internal documents were made available to the “NZZ am Sonntag”. According to the survey, FIS employees distrust their management and complain about a poor error culture and inefficient work processes, as well as bullying.
SonntagsZeitung:
The Swiss electrical engineering group ABB is alleged to have misled the investigating authorities in a corruption case. Apparently, the company deliberately withheld documents and passed on false information to the authorities. ABB had admitted to bribing during the construction of a coal-fired power plant in South Africa. The company said it would cooperate with the authorities and pay a fine of more than 300 million dollars. ABB has reached an agreement with the South African, US and Swiss investigating authorities, the newspaper continued.
NZZ am Sonntag:
Despite recommendations for alignment with climate policies, subsidies for diesel used in Swiss tractors continue, backed by Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin. This move has sparked debate over the balance between agricultural needs and environmental responsibilities
SonntagsBlick:
The cantons have once again objected to the co-financing of container accommodation for asylum seekers. The federal government asked the cantons to co-finance “mobile facilities”. There is no legal basis for this. It is unclear how much they would cost. The federal government wants to apply for the additional funds as a supplementary credit to the 2024 budget. The minutes of the meeting also showed that the authorities are preparing for an increase in the number of asylum applications in the fall.
SonntagsZeitung / Le Matin Dimanche:
US sanctions have jeopardized the major “Aminona Resort” project in Crans-Montana VS. The Russian Kogan family, who own the Aminona Luxury Resort and Village (ALRV) company, would have to provide around 500 million Swiss francs to complete the project. However, Bank Uralsib, which also belongs to the family, is under sanctions due to the war in Ukraine. The sanctions have no impact on the project, said ALRV Director Anna Pozdnyakova. However, financial institutions could hold back. Banks would also have to check the origin of the funds. Tracing them would be difficult and expensive for Swiss banks.
Stolen Pink Diamonds: SonntagsZeitung / Le Matin Dimanche:
The Vaud Court of Appeal has sentenced a jeweler of Palestinian origin to three years in prison. He is alleged to have stolen a pink diamond from a French multimillionaire living on Lake Geneva and replaced it with a quartz, as the SonntagsZeitung newspaper reported. The verdict is not yet final. The recently published verdict from December came as a surprise: at first instance, the court in Nyon VD had acquitted the accused in 2022. The sentence handed down by the court of appeal was twice as high as the prosecution had demanded, the jeweler’s lawyer announced. She intends to challenge it before the Federal Supreme Court.
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