Sunday news: Opponents of the regime demand surveillance of Eritrean compatriots. Fighting again in Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon

Accusations of abuse in the Catholic Church, demands from Eritrean opposition members and false certificates for hygiene masks: this and more are in the Sunday newspapers.

The headlines in unverified reports:

Serious accusations against Swiss bishops and priests

Former Vicar General Nicolas Betticher has made serious accusations against six Swiss bishops and three priests. They are said to have covered up abuse, as the “SonntagsBlick” wrote. A bishop allegedly sexually abused a teenager. Betticher also accused three priests of sexually harassing young people. According to “SonntagsBlick”, the Public Prosecution Service has received four reports. The Vatican ordered the Bishop of Chur, Joseph Bonnemain, to conduct a preliminary investigation. It is unclear whether the violations have already expired. “Anyone who has injured or seriously harmed other people no longer has the right to work in the church,” Bonnemain said.

Opponents of the regime demand surveillance of Eritrean compatriots

Eritrean opponents of the regime called for surveillance of their compatriots in Switzerland during a rally in central Switzerland. The Swiss security authorities are supposed to monitor political activities within the Eritrean community, as the “NZZ am Sonntag” wrote. The opposition members want to hand over a corresponding petition to the authorities. They also called for the closure of the Eritrean embassy in Geneva. The opposition wants to hand over data of regime supporters to the federal government and the police, an activist told the newspaper. A regime supporter who visited the newspaper put it differently: Eritrea is not as bad as it is made out to be.

This was reported by the Eritrean ambassador

Contrary to various media reports, Eritrean ambassador Adem Osman did not go into hiding. “I still work at the embassy,” Osman told “NZZ am Sonntag” in Geneva. Everything goes as usual for Osman. According to the newspaper, Osman is an internationally known figurehead of the Eritrean regime. The regime is known for its lack of transparency. That’s where the speculation comes from time and time again, political scientist Mirjam van Reisen told the newspaper. The regime deliberately relied on a strategy of disinformation, she said.

New findings in the Emix mask scandal

The company Emix is ​​said to have supplied eight million inferior hygiene masks to the army during the corona pandemic. Some manufacturer’s certificates have also probably been forged, writes the “SonntagsZeitung”. The Spiez laboratory tested the masks and declared them to have “poor performance.” According to the newspaper, manufacturer Sword denied that the masks came from its factory. An independent report even found irregularities in the attached manufacturer certificates, the newspaper continued. Emix denied the accusations. The company referred to an appointment order from the federal prosecutor’s office in March. According to the “SonntagsZeitung”, the studies focused on FFP2 masks.

Caritas: Very high demand

Social welfare organization Caritas registers above-average demand in its stores. Caritas recently registered 90,000 purchases every month, as “SonntagsBlick” wrote. This corresponds to twelve percent more than in the record year 2022. Debt advice and individual assistance have also increased. According to Caritas, it now takes longer for those affected to recover financially. Because the corona pandemic was followed by inflation. Caritas said it was inevitable that in the current situation, especially families would fall below the poverty line.

Criticism of cantonal banks

The Consumer Protection Foundation has accused cantonal banks of fraud. It would be “unfair” if the banks made “absurdly high profits” and at the same time did not withdraw fees or increase interest rates, Sara Stalder, managing director of the foundation, told the “SonntagsZeitung”. The sector also called for greater understanding, as Fabio Regazzi, president of the professional association and member of the Center National Council, said. It must be examined whether the banks can reduce their margins. Green Party Chairman Balthasar Glättli called for a tax on excess profits. The Association of Cantonal Banks called the interest rates “in line with the market”. Various banks have adjusted their conditions.

Mitte-Pfister comments on the magic formula

Center chairman Gerhard Pfister has declared his willingness to negotiate in the Federal Council, contrary to the magic formula. Green Party Chairman Balthasar Glättli should guarantee that he would attack the SP seat vacated by Alain Berset, Pfister told “Le Matin Dimanche” and said in the “NZZ am Sonntag”. According to Pfister, the magic formula needs to be redefined. The situation is similar to 2003, he says. With the SVP there is a party that is entitled to two seats because of its electoral strength, he told the Westschweizer Zeitung. Pfister told the “NZZ am Sonntag” that it was clear to him that the FDP and SP were over-represented in the Federal Council. The question is to whom they should give up a seat.

Pharmaceutical company Roche can imagine larger acquisitions

The Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche has taken possible acquisitions into account in its strategy. “We can also imagine a larger takeover,” said Roche boss Thomas Schinecker in an interview with “NZZ am Sonntag”. But he does not want to speculate about figures. He saw opportunities for improving the quality of research projects. The pharmaceutical company has a leading position when it comes to innovative molecules. “Admittedly, we also have a number of projects where we are only in the middle of the field,” he says. He does not foresee any reorganization. “Such a step would lead to uncertainty among employees and paralyze the organization for years.”

Large donation from Swissmem to FDP candidate

The trade association Swissmem supported its director Stefan Brupbacher with 80,000 francs in the election campaign. It is the largest donation known to date in the battle for a seat in the National Council, as ‘SonntagsBlick’ wrote. The Association of the Swiss Mechanical, Electrical and Metal Industries transferred 50,000 francs to Brupbacher. Office employees provide additional support to their director. The value of her work is 30,000 francs. The support was preceded by a unanimous board decision of the association. With a total of more than 240,000 francs, the FDP politician from Zurich ranks second among the highest election campaign budgets, according to “SonntagsBlick”. So far, only the FDP candidate Andri Silberschmidt from Zurich has shown more.

Less vitamin D testing

After a comparison among colleagues, GPs have reduced the number of vitamin D tests by about a fifth. Vitamin D tests are the best example of an oversupply of medical devices, says health economist and study author Tobias Müller to the “SonntagsZeitung”. In 2020, he and his team from the University and College of Bern wrote a letter to doctors showing how often their colleagues used the tests. According to Müller, millions could be saved every year if the letter were sent to the entire medical profession. A test costs 52 francs. The “NZZ am Sonntag” also wrote in an article independent of the Bern study that not much remains of the former healing promises of vitamin D. (sda)