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There are many concerns. After all, what was then Swissair had to be saved with federal billions in 2001. Now Swiss planes are stopped again. The airline industry is particularly suffering from the corona crisis. Therefore, the Federal Council is once again examining state aid to Swiss aviation. Again it is billions.
Young Green Liberals (JGLP) think that is out of the question. State funds should only be awarded to companies that are future-proof. “This is not the case for a company that was unable to pay fuel taxes or VAT before the Corona crisis,” says co-president Tobias Vögeli (24). It was foreseeable that Switzerland would not be able to operate profitably under the Paris climate agreement.
Better night trains than planes
The JGLP Solution: For short distance transportation, the federal government should prefer to invest in rail transportation in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. In this way, 200 night trains could be purchased with around 3,000 million Swiss francs. “Federal money is not intended to maintain obsolete structures, but to invest in the future,” added Vögeli.
The JGLP is not alone in its resistance. In an open letter, 46 organizations, movements and parties ask the Federal Council not to privilege aviation. “There is no special state for air traffic,” is the headline. Two requests from private organizations are even clearer: There is no tax money for the climate-damaging aviation industry. The Federal Council should refrain from any help.
“We save jobs”
But the government sees it differently. It plans to support the three airports in Zurich, Geneva and Basel-Mulhouse, as well as airlines such as the subsidiary of Lufthansa Swiss and Easyjet Switzerland in case of liquidity shortage. Together they offer an important infrastructure for our country, “SP Transport Minister Simonetta Sommaruga (59) told the media on Wednesday. Additionally, 190,000 jobs were indirectly related to the aviation industry. Sommaruga: “We save jobs”.
But there are strict conditions for financial injection: “The money must remain in Switzerland, regardless of who owns a business,” says Sommaruga. Also, companies receiving federal aid must not distribute dividends. “This is not negotiable for the Federal Council.”
Green Left Makes More Climate Demands
It is also clear to the green camp on the left that aviation is one of the country’s most important infrastructures and tens of thousands of jobs depend on it. If the conditions of the Federal Council are met, SP and Greens are not fundamentally opposed to financial aid. At the same time, however, they pose additional weather requirements.
In this way, companies must commit to a long-term strategy that takes into account climate policy and sustainability. Specifically, this means, for example, that there is no resistance to a flight ticket fee or participation in the development of synthetic aviation fuel. “Greater support for air traffic from the public sector can only be envisaged if it is fundamentally realigned,” emphasizes the National Councilor for the Green Party, Marionna Schlatter (40).
To emphasize their demand, the Greens require the Federal Council to introduce a law for this financial injection, which can be discussed in parliament. Your concern has almost no chance. This would not only significantly delay emergency aid. The Federal Council also wants to address climate policy and the crown crisis separately. On the civilian side, the additional demands are also not well received: “It is a misuse of the crown pandemic to restrict air traffic,” said CVP national adviser Martin Candinas (39). quoted in the “Tages-Anzeiger”.
