‘This is how the state fills the treasury of the SRG’

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More refugees, more money for the SRG. The increase in asylum applications makes the treasury ring in Leutschenbach: Because serafe fees are also due for asylum seekers, temporarily admitted and recognized refugees – whether they have a television or radio or not.

The state often pays for this: while the federal government and the cantons pay the fees for asylum seekers in collective housing directly, the fees for refugees who live in their own apartment and do not earn enough are settled through social security. The media portal “Klein-Report” estimates Serafe fees from these sources to be at least a “mid-single-digit million”.

Companies are also fighting back

The anecdote is grist to the mill of Gregor Rutz (50). The SVP National Council is one of the fiercest critics of the SRG – and the new fee model. “The problem started in 2015 with the change in the household tax system,” he says. He already warned that it would be difficult if everyone had to pay for Serafe, whether they watched TV and radio or not.”

The business community has long been battling the new fee schedule – because companies also have to pay Serafe, even though every employee already pays at home. Commodity traders have now also filed a lawsuit against the fee: about 35 companies are fighting in the Federal Administrative Court against having to pay almost 50,000 francs for the public media service in extreme cases, as the “NZZ am Sonntag” reported. The rate depends on turnover: the more turnover a company makes, the more it has to pay.

“That’s absurd!”

“The Serafe compensation for refugees shows how absurd it all is,” says Rutz. “Because that’s how the state simply fills the SRG’s coffers. Which means nothing other than that taxpayers now pay for migrants in addition to their own contribution. You can only shake your head at that!”

Rutz demands that the federal government go through the books and change the fee collection system. “I hope that the Bundesrat will also address this in its announced overview of the SRG. Otherwise there is the initiative ‹200 francs is enough!›.”

The initiative demands that the Serafe fee be capped at CHF 200 per household. It is currently in the collection phase, but should have no problem getting the 100,000 signatures needed. (sf)

Source:Blick