There is actually no money for the plane: the Federal Council is using its tricks for the plane

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Basel SP councilor Sarah Wyss (35) is furious. “When it comes to its own interests, the Federal Council simply bends all the rules,” says the financial politician angrily.

Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter (59) has imposed a tough austerity program on the government for the next two years. Everyone should tighten their belts. The Federal Council itself buys a new luxury aircraft, the Bombardier Global 7500. This is not well received by the officials. People talk mockingly about a ‘palace of the air’.

Next year there wouldn’t be enough money

The business jet costs no less than 103.2 million francs. The government also notes that money will be tight from 2024. Or to put it another way: there is actually not enough for the new aircraft that will replace the Cessna.

In order to be able to pay for the plane, the Federal Council has come up with a trick: the costs must be included in the current year’s budget at the last minute. Last week, the Federal Council presented the “Message on Addendum II to the Estimates for 2023” to Parliament. He even admits his trick: “Due to the tight budget situation in 2024 and 2025, the purchase price would have to be paid in full in the 2023 financial year.”

The government must admit that down payments of the full purchase price are “unusual and should generally be avoided”. And so she quickly declared that the purchase of the plane was urgent – something that had never been discussed before. But now a quick financial settlement is necessary.

In violation of the Financial Budget Act

“That’s really daring! “The Federal Council is not just dribbling around its own debt brakes,” criticizes financial politician Wyss. The approach also clearly contradicts the Financial Budget Law: “Additional loans are not intended to bypass the debt brake for special requests from the Federal Council. But for expenses that were not yet known when the budget was drawn up – for example if the asylum situation suddenly deteriorates. But buying an airplane is not unpredictable.”

The Federal Financial Administration, on the other hand, emphasizes the urgency of the transaction. “The current state aircraft can no longer fully meet existing needs and due to their age they need to be replaced,” the statement said. The problems are not new and that is why there has been discussion about purchasing a new aircraft for some time.

Earlier delivery of the aircraft

Nevertheless, Keller-Sutter officials point out that the fleet now needs to be further developed quickly. And: “At the time the estimate for 2023 was made, the work on this further development had not yet been completed.” However, if the purchase of the aircraft is included in the 2023 budget, the aircraft could also be delivered earlier.

Wyss does not accept this explanation: “The Federal Council uses a trick to circumvent its own, far too restrictive debt brake and at the same time says that there is no money for premium reductions and the AHV.” For Wyss, it would be fairer to loosen the debt brakes in general than to undertake such maneuvers. (dba)

Source:Blick