Reprimand for Amherd: Finance delegation criticizes the creation of new state secretariats

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The pointer goes first and foremost to Defense Minister Viola Amherd (61). The Financial Delegation of the Federal Councils (FinDel) calls for more restraint in the establishment of new state secretariats. It has made a corresponding recommendation to the Federal Council.

This is stated in FinDel’s 2023 activity report, which was published on Thursday. A statement from the Federal Council is still pending.

Supervisors expect more restraint

The permanent granting of the title of State Secretary has always created a State Secretariat, notes FinDel. However, this is not mandatory. “Secretaries of State could also head a federal office.”

FinDel suggests alternative options for creating a new state secretariat. The Federal Council should use a strategy to explain why other options that FinDel believes are available in the legislation are not used enough.

For example, according to FinDel, the Federal Council could only temporarily grant office directors the title of State Secretary if they represent Switzerland in international negotiations at the highest level.

The State Secretariat must be budget neutral

The reason for the criticism was the decision of the Federal Council in April 2023 to establish a new State Secretariat for Security Policy (Sepos). This started at the beginning of this year. As early as 2014, FinDel had informed the Federal Council of its expectation to exercise a certain degree of restraint in the establishment of state secretariats.

According to FinDel, Defense Minister Amherd assured that the establishment of the Secretariat of State should be fundamentally budget neutral. The exception is the additional functions for the Federal Office for Information Security, which should have been established even without the establishment of the SEPO on the basis of the Information Security Act that came into force at the beginning of 2024. (SDA)

Source:Blick