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The army leadership is squirming and talking about a “liquidity bottleneck” – VBS head Viola Amherd says hardly anything about it. There’s a system to it.
Federal Councilor Viola Amherd traveled to Estonia. Among other things, she visits an international cyber defense center. Then the journey continues to Norway.
Meanwhile, their army in Switzerland is lacking a lot of money. The army calls this a liquidity shortage. So far there has only been a single oral statement from Amherd himself: “At the moment there is nothing more to say than that there is no gap.”
Army budget rises less quickly than expected
Last Thursday, the Federal Councilor gave information to the Security Policy Commission of the Council of States behind closed doors. Then she disappeared again. Meanwhile, Army Chief Thomas Süssli explained the complicated financial planning: The army had therefore expected its budget to increase more quickly.
This is where the often-quoted Teflon effect comes into play.
Saying nothing seems to be Viola Amherd’s strategy. She successfully sits through unpleasant stories. Mark Balsiger also says that. Among other things, he specializes in crisis communication and advises politicians. “This is where the oft-quoted Teflon effect comes into play.” Something similar had previously worked with the then Federal Councilors Doris Leuthard and Alain Berset.
No comment due to trip abroad
There are exciting questions for the Defense Minister: Süssli, for example, explains that he cannot be responsible for the state of the army and the lack of money. The “NZZ am Sonntag” reported, citing internal minutes of the parliamentary commissions, that Amherd stated there that she agreed that the army budget was growing more slowly than originally planned.
Would the Defense Minister still say that today – now that the consequences are becoming visible? The Defense Department DDPS says that a statement is currently not possible due to the trip abroad.
Similar cases in the past
Viola Amherd’s decision to take cover is systematic: the appointment of a top position in her department at the end of last year, the sale of tanks by Ruag, which resulted in disagreements, and the criteria for evaluating the new fighter jet. When things get tricky, Amherd consistently reduces her presence. The defense minister then takes cover.
The political competition is saying that they wish they could now “feel better” about the Defense Minister, as security politician Priska Seiler Graf from the SP puts it.
Discouraging tones from within your own party
For National Councilor Reto Nause – like Amherd, he belongs to the Center Party – Parliament bears the main responsibility for the missing money. With the decision not to let the army budget grow to one percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) until 2030, but only until 2035.
“Against this background, I can understand that Viola Amherd did not run into the public and demand an increase in the army budget,” says Nause. From his point of view, the affair can be explained – because Amherd does not bear the main responsibility.
Nevertheless, in view of the large deficit of 1.4 billion francs, there are also voices in our own party who say behind closed doors: Amherd should no longer hide behind the army.