Swiss PostBus company claimed millions in illegal subsidies
A PostBus battling the conditions in central Switzerland
Keystone
The Swiss Federal Office of Transport reports that the Swiss PostBus company has claimed almost CHF80 million ($85 million) in excessive federal and cantonal subsidies over the past decade by manipulating accounts. Two PostBus company heads are leaving their positions as a result, and the company will have to refund the money.
A regular audit by the Transport Office revealed that between the years 2007 and 2015, the company known for its bright yellow buses that carry passengers throughout the Alps deliberately kept its profits low in order to receive more support money from the government.
The CEO of the post company, Susanne Ruoff, promised on Wednesday that the matter will be fully investigated. The PostBus director and the chief finance officer were dismissed without notice.
“The accusations weigh heavily,” said Ruoff before the media. “I regret that these longstanding, illegal payments took place.” She assured representatives of Swiss federal and cantonal governments that the unlawful compensation funds would be paid back to them.
Hans-Peter Wessels, the president of Swiss public transport directors, called it “highly disconcerting that such irregularities, some of them going back ten years, are only being discovered now,” saying the issue reflects badly on the oversight system currently in place.
The exact motives behind the systematic accounting tricks remain unclear. Several politicians expressed outrage and demanded a thorough investigation.
The Federal Office of Transport announced that it will file a formal complaint over the matter with the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland.
Popular Stories
More
Foreign affairs
Go to war or stay put? Ukrainian men in Switzerland face fresh dilemmas
Is reforming the Swiss pension system still possible, and if so, how?
Solutions still need to be found to meet the challenge of an ageing population and to improve the pensions of low-paid workers, the majority of whom are women.
New European space tech centre in Switzerland launches its first project
This content was published on
The European Space Deep-Tech Innovation Centre (ESDI), launched in collaboration with the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), is to be located in the immediate vicinity of the PSI in northern Switzerland.
Swiss Federal Railways launches campaign for safety on public transport
This content was published on
The Swiss Federal Railways is launching a campaign for greater respect and safety on public transport, with posters to go up in stations and on trains starting next week.
Swiss scientists to use AI for improved weather and climate forecasts
This content was published on
MeteoSwiss and the Swiss Data Science Center have signed a four-year agreement to make greater use of AI in meteorology and climatology going forward.
This content was published on
Prices of owner-occupied homes rose in the third quarter of 2024 by 0.5%, with inflation affecting both apartments and single-family houses, says the Federal Statistical Office.
This content was published on
The honey harvest is projected to be lower than usual this year, as Swiss beekeepers report harvesting an average of just 16kg of honey per bee colony.
More young refugees in Switzerland following vocational training
This content was published on
More than half of young refugees and temporarily admitted persons between the ages of 16 and 25 are now in training. This is significantly more than five years ago.
One in five Swiss children suffers psychological abuse at home
This content was published on
In Switzerland, one in five children suffers psychological violence, and one in three has witnessed psychological violence between parents, says the association Kinderschutz Schweiz.
Swiss government minister breaks silence over Trump remarks controversy
This content was published on
Transport Minister Albert Rösti explained himself in a television interview on Sunday evening, after being called out for expressing support for Donald Trump.
Swiss Covid expert calls for caution on vaccination recommendations
This content was published on
The head of the vaccination commission would be “even more cautious today” when it comes to Covid-19 vaccination recommendations.
British double-deckers start new life in Switzerland
This content was published on
The buses, which are 13 metres long and four metres high, are particularly well-suited to curvy stretches like that from St Gallen to Heiden in canton Aargau.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.