Viola Amherd on the Ruag scandal "Maybe there's more to come"
Tanks sold twice, investigations into corruption in the spare parts trade - the problems with legacy issues at Ruag are piling up. Defense Minister Viola Amherd does not rule out the possibility that further inconsistencies will come to light at the federal armaments company.
30.08.2023, 01:39
25.02.2025, 02:05
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- In an interview, Defense Minister Viola Amherd does not want to rule out further inconsistencies at the Ruag armaments company.
- Ruag's arms deals have been causing a stir since last week.
- It concerns 25 old Leopard 1 battle tanks that were sold twice and corruption investigations launched in Germany against a former Ruag employee.
- A German company that bought 25 Leopard 1s from Ruag in 2019 but never collected them is now demanding the battle tanks back. According to a media report, the company only paid CHF 500 per tank.
- The circumstances of the arms deal are now being subjected to a double external audit. One of these was ordered by the Minister of Defense.
- According to Amherd, Switzerland's strict interpretation of neutrality has met with international incomprehension.
Defense Minister Viola Amherd has not ruled out further inconsistencies at the Ruag armaments company. "Legacy issues are now coming to light. Perhaps there will be more. I hope not, but I can't put my hand in the fire," said the Federal Councillor in an interview with the Tamedia newspapers (Wednesday edition).
Ruag's arms deals have been causing a stir since last week. It concerns 25 old Leopard 1 battle tanks that were sold twice and corruption investigations launched in Germany against a former Ruag employee.
The latest action by Ruag has "upset her as a lawyer", said Amherd in an interview. There must be a basis of trust for cooperation between Ruag and the federal government. That trust still exists. "But I now want to know exactly what happened," she said when asked about the investigation she had commissioned.
"As a lawyer, I was upset about it"
The purchase of 96 Leopard 1 battle tanks stored in Italy by Ruag is being investigated externally. The failed resale of the tanks to the German armaments company Rheinmetall is also part of the investigation. Amherd wants to know, for example, whether the Ruag Board of Directors had the necessary information, as she said.
The Swiss armaments group had signed a purchase agreement with Rheinmetall before a formal application for the sale had been submitted. "As a lawyer, I was upset about this," said the Federal Councillor. From a purely legal point of view, the procedure was legitimate. "But I personally would have made the formal request first." Then the fundamental question of whether the sale was in line with Switzerland's neutrality would have been clarified.
Amherd said she did not know how the tank deal was perceived abroad. "It's certainly not good when something like this happens." During her meeting with her German counterpart Boris Pistorius, however, it was not an issue.
Neutrality policy up for discussion
According to Amherd, the strict interpretation of neutrality is met with incomprehension internationally. "Neutrality has an effect if it is supported at home and understood abroad." The Federal Council, Parliament and the population should discuss whether neutrality still serves its purpose with regard to the war in Ukraine.
Amherd was convinced that there was nothing to shake about the law of neutrality. It could also be upheld in the event of closer cooperation with NATO. "However, we must discuss - and weigh up - the policy of neutrality," she said.