Request Denied: SVP cannot prevent Selenski’s speech

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That’s for sure. Next Thursday, Ukrainian President Zelensky (45) will address the federal parliament in a video connection. The broadcast will take place from 2 p.m. in the National Council Hall.

This is a thorn in the side of the SVP. Your party chairman and national councilor Thomas Aeschi (44) submitted a request to the municipal secretariat to reject the request. For him, the speech violated neutrality. Ukraine is trying to influence parliamentary decisions.

SVP didn’t stand a chance

However, the regulatory motion had no chance in the National Council on Tuesday morning. The National Council wants to engage in world politics and thus violates diplomatic customs, SVP National Council member Alfred Heer (61) objected. It is clear that Zelensky is doing everything he can to support his country. However, parliament becomes Ukraine’s “receiver of orders”.

“It is a moral bankruptcy of your party”, SP deputy council member Cédric Wermuth (37) attacked the SVP. In doing so, the party serves Russia. The parliamentary majority took a similar position. The motion was defeated by 128 votes in favour, 58 against and 4 abstentions.

Zelensky will not speak at a real council meeting. So if you don’t want to listen to the Ukrainian president, you don’t have to. This will probably also apply to the SVP. The parliamentary faction has already announced that it will skip the speech.

Not Selenski’s first appearance

The idea for the speech came from the Ukrainian government itself. Zelensky’s speech, which was broadcast in the chamber of the National Council, is not the first speech by the Ukrainian president in Switzerland since the beginning of the Russian offensive against his country.

As early as March 2022 – shortly after the outbreak of war in Ukraine – Selenski addressed the participants of a peace demonstration on the Bundesplatz in Bern via video. He was welcomed as a “friend” by Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis (62).

The National Council and the Council of States had clearly condemned the Russian offensive war. With this explanation, the Council services justified their green light. Video speeches are part of Kyiv’s foreign policy repertoire. Selenski has already made such speeches before the US Congress, the British House of Lords and Lower House and various parliaments of EU countries. (dba)

Source:Blick