Unless you’re a Valais politician, skiing costs money. The mountain canton’s winter sports areas provide discounted and even free ski passes to members of the government, the canton’s federal parliamentarians and the local councils of Valais. Switzerland’s best-known corruption expert, law professor Mark Pieth, 69, does not believe this can be justified legally.
Rather: “very likely” under criminal law. Members of the cantonal government should be more careful since the trial of Geneva State Councilor Pierre Maudet, 44, who took an “unfair” advantage by gifting a luxury trip to Abu Dhabi, according to the court.
two deputies
Ski subscriptions for politicians were made public by the French-speaking Swiss radio and television (RTS). Then “NZZ” reported it. However, he highlights that not all politicians who can receive the gift will actually benefit from it. A majority of national and state legislators have agreed to the issue, and five out of seven lawmakers are opting out of the general ski subscription. Benjamin Roduit (center) and Jean-Luc Addor (SVP) accept such subscriptions, according to the RTS report.
Well-known ski resorts such as Verbier, Portes du Soleil, Nax and Nendaz/Veysonnaz issue a ski season pass to the governing members of these Valais municipalities. Depending on the region and time of purchase, such a subscription costs up to 1,000 francs.
The government accepts the majority
On the top of it. Valais federal parliamentarians and five members of the cantonal government can buy “Snowpass Limited” from the Valais mountain railways for only 100 francs. This normally costs 1570 francs. “Snowpass Limited” gives you free travel on all ski slopes in the canton. Only Zermatt and 4 Vallées allow these ski pass holders to use the slopes for only four days.
In addition to the five MPs, two Valais state legislators are waving the ski pass: neither Franz Ruppen (51, SVP) nor Mathias Reynard (35, SP) are using it. Frédéric Favre (43, FDP), Roberto Schmidt (60, medium) and Christophe Copellay (51, medium) should use the offer. Coupllay even defended his heavily discounted ski pass on the radio. The offer is in no way an attempt to influence. “We act completely independently,” he says. As proof of this, he cites the collective agreement that the cantonal government enforced against the will of the mountain railways. (point)