- The Austrian Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer met Federal Councilor Ignazio Cassis, Federal Councilor Karin Keller-Sutter and other politicians in Zofingen (AG) in the morning.
- For security reasons, the state reception took place largely without an audience.
- A point de press is planned for midday.
At the official reception on Niklaus-Thutplatz in the heart of the spruced-up old town of Zofingen, the military band played the national anthems of both countries. In Zofingen there are two-way talks between Nehammer and Cassis as well as official talks between the two delegations. Everything went according to protocol.
The population, who was initially invited, could not see the reception with their own eyes. The city of Zofingen announced on Friday evening that there were “serious indications” that the official visit could be disrupted. Opponents of the Corona measures had previously called for protests against Nehammer on social media. In Austria, general vaccination against the corona virus has been in force since the beginning of February.
Legend:
Police and security forces blocked Niklaus-Thut-Platz on Monday morning.
key stone
The Niklaus-Thut-Platz was therefore cordoned off by the police and security forces on Monday. In the old town, at the entrances to which identity checks were carried out, no opponents of the measures could be identified. Only a few spectators gathered behind the barriers.
Federal President Cassis wants to show Swiss diversity
The reception of the Austrian Federal Chancellor in Zofingen set the starting point for the planned official visits by foreign guests to various locations in Switzerland. This was announced by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (EDA). This is in line with the President’s credo, which is to convey Switzerland’s diversity to the outside world and at the same time make foreign policy tangible throughout Switzerland.
The city of Zofingen and the canton of Aargau have a long history in common with Austria. For example, the Zofinger coat of arms is derived from the Austrian coat of arms. While the flag of Austria has three horizontal bars with the color sequence red-white-red, an additional white horizontal stripe can be seen on the Zofingen coat of arms. The city’s founders had sold the city to the dukes of Austria in the 13th century, who lost their rule to Bern in 1415.
For Nehammer, who has been in office since December 6, the visit to Switzerland is his first bilateral trip abroad as Federal Chancellor. Nehammer and Federal President Cassis wanted to meet in Vienna in January. However, this was not possible because of Nehammer’s corona infection.