The German-Swiss parliamentary group of the German Bundestag visited Bern for the last session. The members met, among others, President of the National Council Martin Candinas (42), Minister of Economic Affairs Guy Parmelin (63) and Secretary of State Livia Leu (61). Blick met the group’s vice president, Gregor Gysi (74), at the Federal Palace. The member of parliament from East Berlin was once chairman of the PDS, the predecessor of Die Linke.
Blick: Mr. Gysi, you have met our President of the National Council, the Minister of Economy, the Chief of Railways and Secretary of State Livia Leu. What impressions do you take with you?
Gregory Gysi: Completely different. It would be inconceivable that a market would take place directly in front of the parliament building in front of the Reichstag in Berlin. And of course that your political system is very different.
You probably already knew that, right?
Yes, but I find it unusual that both chambers, i.e. your Council of States and your National Council, elect the ministers together. Our Bundesrat, ie our state representation, and the Bundestag have nothing to say about it. Only the Bundestag elects the chancellor.
And the chancellor then introduces the ministers.
Exactly, and the Federal President appoints the ministers. In the state of Berlin it was different. As in Switzerland, each minister was elected individually. But that has been abolished. I think it’s a shame.
We would be surprised if the EU had not been a point of discussion.
Yes, she was a problem. As a Member of the Bundestag, I am naturally in favor of Switzerland’s relations with the EU being contractually regulated. After negotiations with Brussels broke down, your Secretary of State now sounded as if it could slowly lead to new negotiations.
And yet it doesn’t really look like any real negotiations will start any time soon.
Look: the EU is hesitant to impose a moratorium, because it fears that they will soon get little from Switzerland. This shows that people also want something from Switzerland. But I understand that your country demands concessions on wage protection. Switzerland cannot allow changes to unbalance the economic structure. But it must be possible for the EU and Switzerland to agree where they are partners and where they are not.
DCX STORY: doc7o3p3bh7h887ow5qae2 [Linker mit Schweizer Wurzeln]
Some in the EU still want relations with Switzerland to eventually lead to accession. However, it is doubtful whether the membership of our population will be able to gain a majority.
I always believed that all European countries should eventually join the EU. Well, when I think of Russia now, it’s still a long way off. I certainly won’t see it again, but that doesn’t matter. But there’s a but.
Namely?
Switzerland is not allowed to join the EU.
Don’t you want us?
The point is that there must always be an exception. It is not known today whether the EU will one day need a non-member in Europe. That could be important for Asia, for Africa, for America. You don’t know that in advance. You have to be prepared for that, as my life experience shows. Therefore, I would understand if Switzerland never joined.
Why should Switzerland be the exception?
Because she was always an exception. And because they haven’t had a war in over 200 years. Because she is neutral.
Was the EU also the only subject at the meetings – for example with Federal Councilor Guy Parmelin?
No, we spoke to your economy minister, Guy Parmelin, about the universities, some of which are also co-funded by the federal government. And with the president of the National Council, Candinas, the railway was a problem – as was the case with SBB boss Vincent Ducrot.
You never know who the biggest train fan is, Candinas or Ducrot.
The train usually suits you well. I am interested in why this is so. I think it has to do with the fact that the Swiss and German railways are financed very differently. They have fixed funds where the money comes from. With us, the Bundestag decides on the money every year. Railway planning over years, even decades, which you don’t get with us. In Germany they do it as it comes to mind.
Not everything is perfect for us either. Parliamentarians often want something extra for the rail network in their region of origin. But what do you mean?
When you step out of the train station in Germany, the train system stops. In Switzerland, the transport system forms a unit. The through buses are aligned with the train connections. Most energy sources belong to the railways. We’re not that far yet. But I almost forgot something very important.
What then?
During the meetings I asked whether Switzerland could act as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine. After all, Sweden and Finland, which will soon join NATO, are not there. And Erdogan doesn’t seem like the right mediator to me.
This is where you may have encountered approving restraint. Not?
In response, I was told that Russia currently does not recognize Switzerland as a neutral mediator because your country has joined EU sanctions. Interesting again! But someone has to mediate. Apparently it was not enough that Switzerland banned Germany from supplying Swiss tank ammunition to Ukraine. But at some point Moscow may remember. You see, it is precisely for such cases that the Switzerland exception is needed.