Legend:
Piranha IIIC (icon image)
imago images
They are heavily armored, are intended to offer soldiers protection in combat and come from Switzerland: the Piranha III wheeled infantry fighting vehicle. The Danish government wants to cede around 20 of its original fleet to Ukraine as arms aid.
Research shows that the Danish authorities have officially asked the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs Seco for permission – and have been rebuffed: Seco rejected the request a few days ago, as the authority confirmed to the SRF “Rundschau”.
No arms aid without Switzerland
Without the approval from Bern, nothing will come of the aid for the Ukraine: When purchasing the tanks, Denmark had undertaken to only pass on the war equipment with Switzerland’s permission.
The veto against the piranha export brings back memories of the dispute over German tank ammunition. At the beginning of April, Seco Germany had already refused to pass on ammunition for the Gepard tank to Ukraine. As with the ammunition, Seco justified its no in the case of the Danish Piranha tanks with neutrality and the War Material Act. This prohibits the export of armaments to warring countries.
Habeck warns Federal Council
However, it remains to be seen whether Switzerland will stick to its restrictive stance. The pressure from abroad is increasing. Germany’s Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck warned at the WEF last week that he wanted “maximum support” for Ukraine.
Before the Russian attack on Ukraine, Germany had also ruled out arms exports to warring countries. He and his party, the Greens, have changed their minds: “We have to measure our own attitude against reality,” said Habeck. As the “Rundschau” knows, the Vice Chancellor followed his words with deeds: Germany’s government has asked the Bundesrat to come back to the Swiss no to ammunition exports.
U-turn this Friday?
Research shows that the Federal Council will decide on this this or next Friday. There are voices in the federal administration and in parliament that see room for maneuver in the War Material Act: Switzerland can very well allow European states to pass on Swiss armaments under certain conditions.
Central politicians such as Councilor of States Pirmin Bischof are in favor of such a more generous interpretation: “The Federal Council should now take action and correct its practice,” says the President of the Foreign Policy Commission. The Green Liberal parliamentary group leader Tiana Moser also wants a change of course. After all, it’s not about direct arms exports, but about arms that Switzerland has already sold to friendly democracies: “These arms would be passed on to a country that is defending itself against an aggressor.”
Decision with signal effect
Politicians from the pole parties, on the other hand, want to prevent a change of course. According to the SVP, the Federal Council must not deviate from its current practice. And Greens President Balthasar Glättli sees neutrality in danger. He warns against a change of direction: “The current practice is broadly supported. The Federal Council must not simply say goodbye behind the scenes without asking Parliament.”
The Federal Council’s decision will have the character of a precedent: If the state government agrees to the German ammunition export, Denmark could also submit a new application to export the Piranha tanks.
More on the topic in the «Rundschau” at 8:05 p.m. on SRF 1.