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CVP President Gerhard Pfister has spoken out against the framework agreement with the EU. “For years all parties have been reluctant to be the first to say that she is dead,” he says in an interview with the “Tages-Anzeiger”. But the EU framework agreement has never existed. Without substantial improvements in renegotiations, the treaty is insufficient for Switzerland.
Cassis must deliver now
For Pfister, a major weakness remains the proposed dispute resolution mechanism. “At last we have to talk about the fundamental problem: sovereignty. The role of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the framework agreement is toxic ”, says the leader of the CVP party. It cannot be that a unilateral European court decides on the relationship between the EU and a non-member country.
He also criticized the framework agreement with the EU as “the great lie of life” of the Federal Council. “They believed for too long that it could somehow be fixed.” Pfister blames Cassis: “If she fails, it is in her department, which now she has to comply.”
After saying no to the BGI: Is the way clear for the framework agreement?(00:47)
The biggest stumbling block of the EU Citizenship Directive
On the other hand, when it comes to wage protection, which is essential for trade unions, Switzerland will find a solution with the EU, Pfister is convinced. Provided that the above level of protection can be ensured. ‘The biggest stumbling block is the Union Citizens Directive. This would effectively integrate Switzerland into the EU, ”he says.
This directive extends the idea of free movement of people. As a result, EU citizens obtained the right to social benefits and pensions for which they would hardly have made contributions, criticizes Pfister. She had serious doubts about whether the EU would be willing to adapt to Switzerland. “It is very possible that the EU will come to the conclusion that the agreement is dead,” said the CVP president.
Criticisms of the SVP
In the interview, Pfister not only criticizes the Federal Council, but also the SVP. The fact that federal councilor Ueli Maurer has spoken out on the initiative of limitation in the special edition of the SVP and thus the principle of collegiality has been scrapped annoys the National Council. “You can score points with your game that way, but it’s bad for Switzerland. This behavior will fly around his ears when he himself has to represent a proposal to the people. ”
But Maurer’s behavior is primarily an embarrassment to the senior vice president. “If a member of the state government consistently objects, the question arises whether the concordance is still of any use,” Pfister said. He wonders if the SVP even wants to be part of the Federal Council. But he also doubts the potential of the SVP as an opposition party: “An opposition party would have to push the ruling parties to the front. I don’t think the current senior vice president can do that. “(SDA / lha)
