Corona indiscretions – Berset claims to have known nothing about indiscretions – News

  • At its meeting, the Federal Council held a discussion on the reports of indiscretions from the state government during the Covid 19 pandemic.
  • Federal President Alain Berset was not aware of the indiscretions between his former head of communications and the media during the corona pandemic.
  • That’s what Berset said to the Federal Council, according to Federal Council spokesman André Simonazzi.

President Berset has stepped out of part of the discussion, says Simonazzi. The Vice-President of the Federal Council, Viola Amherd, head of the DDPS, then informed him about the content of the discussion.

A climate of trust both internally and externally is necessary for the quality of the Federal Council’s decisions.

“The Federal Council emphasizes that a climate of trust, both internally and externally, is necessary for the quality of its decisions. Indiscretions damage the work in the committee, the credibility of the college and the interests of the country, »explains the Federal Council spokesman. The Federal Council does not tolerate leaks and condemns them firmly.

Center President Pfister: “The excitement is justified”


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Central President Gerhard Pfister spoke for the first time today about the Corona indiscretions. “The allegation of systematic violation of official secrecy is very serious,” he told the SRF Rundschau program. The political and media excitement is justified, the allegations must be clarified – by the Federal Council and the Audit Committee, which has already started its work.

The key question for the center boss is what Alain Berset knew. The Federal Council announced today, Wednesday, that Alain Berset told the committee that he knew nothing about the indiscretions between his former head of communications and the head of the Ringier group.

“Indiscretions damage the atmosphere in the Federal Council”

Pfister criticizes the fact that indiscretions surrounding the government have increased. This has to do with the staffs of the Federal Councilors: they try to make their own boss appear in a good light – sometimes at the expense of other Federal Council members. “These indiscretions have damaged the atmosphere in the Federal Council. The government is well advised to investigate further leaks in the past – as does the Control Commission.” (Franziska Ramser)

The Federal Council will continue to conduct business on the basis of restored trust. He took note of the announcement that the business control committees of both councils had set up a working group. The state government wants this to be carried out quickly in the interest of the necessary trust in the institutions.

No other questions answered

Alain Berset also repeated that he was ready to testify before the GPK. This investigation must be carried out within the framework of the institutions, he said. It should be clarified “everything at once”.

Berset and Simonazzi did not answer any other questions from the journalists – neither about the climate in the Federal Council, nor whether Berset had stepped out of his own accord, nor about Berset’s contacts with Ringier.

So far, Berset has not said in public that he knew nothing about the indiscretions. This was heard indirectly for the first time today via the Federal Council spokesman.

That’s what the Corona indiscretions are about


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The newspaper “Switzerland at the weekend” revealed that Federal Councilor Alain Berset’s former head of communications, Peter Lauener, had passed confidential information to Ringier’s publishing boss, Marc Walder, during the corona pandemic.

According to media reports, 180 communication processes were documented between the then press spokesman and the Ringier CEO. This would show emails and interrogation protocols. The “Blick” is said to have been informed several times ahead of time about decisions by the Federal Council and made them public.

Three special prosecutors are now dealing with the matter. Special Counsel Peter Marti was appointed by the federal prosecutor’s office to investigate indiscretions related to the crypto affair. In consultation with the supervisory authority, he then expanded his investigations to include possible leaks during the Corona period.

As a result, Lauener, as Federal Councilor Berset’s head of communications at the time, was targeted by special investigator Marti. Lauener therefore filed a criminal complaint against him. The accusation: Marti had unlawfully expanded his investigations.

As a result of this complaint, the extraordinary public prosecutor Stephan Zimmerli is investigating Peter Marti.

A third special prosecutor could soon begin his work. This is to investigate the latest leaks from the judiciary to the media. The presumption of innocence also applies here.

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