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Poorly prepared, inadequate security management: Parliament gives the Federal Council bad marks.
The war: unexpected, the Federal Council: unprepared. That is the core of the criticism of the business audit delegation GPDel. It is aimed firstly at the Security Committee of the Federal Council, which includes Defense Minister Viola Amherd, Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis. Second, it is aimed at the core security group, with the heads of intelligence, Fedpol and diplomacy.
Although the committees met before the Russian attack on Ukraine to analyze the situation, they did not inform the Federal Council. They are responsible for the fact that the government was so unprepared for the crisis.
Legend:
The hefty allegations come from Parliament. The audit delegation expresses them in a letter to the Federal Council, the contents of which have now become public.
key stone
Furthermore, neither the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs nor the State Secretariat for Migration was involved. The GPDel analyzes that the ability to assess the direct consequences of the outbreak of war – with unprecedented sanctions and the number of refugees – was therefore lacking.
Security politicians reiterate criticism
Your letter was addressed to the Federal Council and not intended for the public – neither GPDel nor the Federal Council comment on it. But the members of the security policy commissions are concerned. For example, SP security politician Franziska Roth: “I have read the letter from the GPDel and fully share your harsh criticism.”
Roth, together with other national councilors from the SP and the Green Party, has criticized the communication of the Federal Council. Now she demands that the Federal Council set up the management structures in such a way that they can advise the Federal Council well in crises. “And that these structures are put together in such a way that the areas that are affected are also included in these structures.”
Where was the intelligence service, how was the chief of the army informed accordingly? In my view, that was totally inadequate.
There is also criticism from the SVP. Security politician and Councilor of States Alex Kuprecht says with a view to the warning United States: “From December through January and February, one had to realize that the Americans warned very early. Where was the intelligence service here, how was the chief of the army informed accordingly? From my point of view, that was absolutely inadequate.” Kuprecht calls for a discussion between all those involved and better communication, both externally and internally, among the responsible security bodies.
Does it need its own security department?
FDP security politician Doris Fiala recalls her call for a separate security department in the noughties. “Because I am convinced that in a crisis or in a very difficult situation it would be a huge advantage if everything were in one hand.” With the current organization, none of this is impossible, says the Zurich National Councillor. “But it is certainly more complicated and more time-consuming.”
Fiala would be willing to relaunch the idea in a non-partisan way. With a view to the risks in Europe, GPDel expects action to be taken as quickly as possible and that the Federal Council will correct the deficiencies by the end of the year.