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Things will get serious for Nicole Ruch (55) on Saturday. The chairman of the Swiss Animal Protection Organization (STS) is facing massive allegations over excessive spending and dubious real estate transactions. Numerous sections are calling for her removal.
But will Ruch really let delegates vote on their own expulsion at next weekend’s meeting? That was unclear for a long time. Critics feared that the STS president was trying to avoid the discussion. To prevent this, the Basel section has now taken legal action as a precaution, the CH Media newspapers report. And won a stage victory in court.
Ruch is threatened with fines
Last week, the Basel-Stadt Civil Court ruled in a super-provisional injunction that the request for Ruch’s removal, which the Basel department had submitted, should be placed on the agenda. If Ruch does not do this, she and the rest of the remaining board risk a fine of up to 10,000 francs. The court decision is available on Blick.
Although asked, Ruch did not confirm that he would put the application on the agenda, explains Beatrice Kirn of Animal Welfare in Basel, who explains the move to court. “We expect that we as representatives are taken seriously. That was not the case for years. It cannot be that decisions are being made over our heads again.” Basel’s proposal calls for the creation of a search committee to put together a new board by the summer.
Nicole Ruch strongly denies the accusation that she wanted to suppress this demand. It was decided that all applications would be processed, says their communications advisor Jürg Wildberger.
Ruch increases the legal budget
“We’ll see what happens on Saturday,” says Beatrice Kirn. One thing is certain: the delegation meeting will be exciting. “It can get chaotic,” says a member of the foundation.
Nicole Ruch has already prepared for this. As CH Media reports, last week she requested an additional budget of R20,000 for legal costs from the remaining board of directors to prepare, support and monitor the DV. A large law firm based in Zug and Zurich would support her at a “special rate” of 300 to 500 francs per hour.
In the autumn, the board had already approved 40,000 francs for legal assistance and 60,000 francs for the communications advisor.
Source:Blick
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