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For SVP parliamentary group leader Thomas Aeschi, Swiss neutrality is more important than the arms industry, as he said in an interview with Tamedia. (archive picture)
Keystone
According to Tamedia, SVP parliamentary group leader Thomas Aeschi has prioritized neutrality over the interests of the arms industry. Neutrality is the SVP's top priority, Aeschi explained in an interview with the newspapers.
The National Council should therefore carefully examine the relaxation of war material exports decided by the Council of States. It must be clarified whether the bill is compatible with neutrality. "But in principle, the responsibility no longer lies with Switzerland once it has sold a good. The responsibility then lies with the buyer," Aeschi told the newspapers. According to Aeschi, the cleanest solution would be not to impose any restrictions on re-exports.
The list of 25 countries that are allowed to continue exporting war material without Swiss approval could be questioned, Aeschi added. While Argentina, for example, is on the list, Brazil is not. "I don't know how this came about," said the SVP parliamentary group leader.
Neutrality only requires that belligerent states are treated equally. As the 25 states are not currently belligerent, the SVP believes that neutrality has not been violated. If this changes, the list could be adjusted, said Aeschi.
He would welcome it if the people could decide both on the anchoring of armed neutrality in the constitution and on the amendment of the War Material Act, he said with a view to the referendum threatened by the political left.
On Wednesday, the Council of States decided to relax the export rules for war material by 31 votes to 11 with one abstention. The bill now goes to the National Council. The Group for a Switzerland without an Army (Gsoa) had already decided on a referendum as a precautionary measure before the Council of States debate. The SP and the Greens are likely to support it.
12.06.2025, 07:26
