‘A misleading package at the expense of the taxpayer’

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The fact that the federal administration is increasingly using cheap civilians in its offices is annoying for circles close to the military. As Blick reported, those doing community service completed a total of 50,500 days of federal agency service last year. This corresponds to the working hours of approximately 220 full-time jobs.

Dominik Knill (64), president of the Swiss Officers’ Society (SOG), considers this behavior to be “cheating at the expense of the taxpayer”. Civil servants are conscripted men who refuse military service and are therefore designated by the Federal Council as an instrument of security policy. “From this point of view, it is incomprehensible that civilians are deployed in areas that have nothing to do with military and security policy,” criticizes Knill.

For him, only the deployment of officials in federal refugee centers is justifiable, since “a connection to real security issues” is given here.

SVP finds conditions paradoxical

The Swiss Association of Military Companies and its president Stefan Holenstein (61) also find clear words: the fact that the federal government relies on civilians as cheap labor is “outrageous and effectively leads the militia system ad absurdum”. Selling attractive positions in the administration with militia ideas is unacceptable. He’s not against community service per se, but the fact that thousands of hours are spent in federal offices bothers him. The Bernese government must be “pushed here as soon as possible,” he tells Blick.

Paradoxical proportions are seen in the SVP. “The federal government cannot say that it wants to strengthen the army and at the same time attract more and more people suitable for military service to the federal administration,” SVP security politician and national councilor Mauro Tuena, 51, told Blick.

Association sees no need for action

Meanwhile, the Swiss community service association Civiva has no problem with this development. When asked, director Luca Dahinden says, “Why wouldn’t it be good for federal offices to use Zivis?”

Numerous public institutions such as municipalities, cantons and even the federal government have been given civil service assignments “forever”. The Federal Bureau of Civil Service monitors operational companies and has clear legal requirements. “If federal offices meet these legal rules, why wouldn’t they be operating companies?” Dahinden wonders.

However, the problem is likely to improve one way or another in the coming years. Because Parliament itself has only recently become active. In the spring it accepted an initiative from the SVP with a clear majority. This requires targeted measures to make civilian service less attractive so that more young men and women enter the army.

Source:Blick