Guido Graf criticizes the Council of States for rejecting asylum containers: ‘Party politics more important than cantons’

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SP federal councilor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider (59) wants to place living containers on army sites in order to be prepared if the number of asylum applications increases drastically this autumn. But the Council of States wants nothing to do with approving a loan of CHF 132.9 million for the purchase of these containers. The National Council had approved the amount.

Guido Graf (64, center), district president of Lucerne and head of health and social services, can’t get it into his head. “The councils of state are to represent the interests of the cantons according to their mandate. It is a pity that this loan has been rejected,” he told Blick.

Cantons under pressure

“It is very unfortunate and regrettable that the professional representatives put party political considerations above the interests of their own cantons,” Graf continued. Purchasing and placing asylum containers would have relieved the cantons. Due to the decision of the Council of States, they now face major challenges.

He fears that if the federal government cannot expand its places as planned, the number of refugees allocated to the cantons and thus also to the canton of Lucerne will increase rapidly. “As a result, our center structures would fill up more quickly and the housing and care situation in the canton of Lucerne would come under further pressure.”

Need help from civil protection?

If the federal government does not provide enough places, the canton of Lucerne would be subject to an additional tax – although, according to the director of social affairs, they are already at the limit. Lucerne declared a state of asylum emergency last year. At most, the canton should ask civil protection for support, Graf fears. Because one of the major challenges lies in finding enough employees for healthcare.

It sounded similar from the canton of Aargau. Local Landammann and SVP social director Jean-Pierre Gallati (56) tells the “Aargauer Zeitung” that he sees it just like the social directors conference and can sign every sentence in their letters. The conference sent a letter to politicians in Bern asking them to approve the loan.

Compromise has more chances

The loan is not completely off the table yet. The finance committee of the National Council (FK-N) would like to find a compromise. On Wednesday, she agreed with the proposal of her sister committee, the Council of States, to approve half of the amount requested by the Federal Council: namely 66 million francs. If the National Council again agrees to this loan, the Council of States will have to deal with the funds for the container accommodation for the third time.

Source:Blick