Alain Berset, who holds the rotating Swiss presidency this year, says he is ready to face parliamentarians’ questions over allegations of leaks from his office to the media during the Covid-19 pandemic.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/SRF/sb
العربية
ar
الرئيس السويسري في مواجهة ضغوط بسبب “تسريبات مزعومة” من مكتبه
Berset, who is the minister in charge of the Federal Office of Public Health, told reporters that he was ready to be interviewed by parliamentary management committees over allegations.
“When a question arises, it must be settled within the framework of the institutions,” he told the Keystone-ATS news agency on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Tuesday evening.
Parliament said on Monday that it would look into the alleged leaks revealed by the press at the weekend. Parliamentary management committees will decide next week on the exact procedure.
The Schweiz am Wochenende newspaper reported on Saturday that Berset’s former head of communications had repeatedly passed confidential information about Covid measures planned by the government on to Ringier, one of the major media houses in Switzerland.
More
More
Swiss president decries ‘illegal leaks’ implicating his office
This content was published on
Health minister Alain Berset, who holds the rotating Swiss presidency this year, refused to comment on information from an “illegal leak”.
In addition to the parliamentary oversight, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland has also reportedly requested a special prosecutor to look into the alleged leaks to Schweiz am Wochenende.
Berset said he did not wish to comment on the proceedings.
“There is an ongoing procedure which does not concern me, but which is running against other people, against third parties. It is very unfair to them that everything is being discussed openly in the media,” said Berset. “This is not really the idea of a democracy.”
He said he was not too worried about the controversy, which comes during a parliamentary election year.
“I have experienced a lot in these three years [since the arrival of Covid-19]. I’ve really given everything so that we can get out of this very difficult situation with the pandemic,” Berset toldExternal link Swiss public television, SRF, in an interview on Tuesday.
“I’m used to pressure and the fact that there are always questions, including legitimate questions.”
More
More
Alain Berset: ‘I faced unprecedented brutality’
This content was published on
After ten years in government, Berset takes on the rotating role of Swiss president for the second time, starting today.
Is artificial intelligence an advantage or a disadvantage for workers?
What is your experience with AI at work? Have you already used it? Has it helped you work better? Or has it caused you more stress, more work or caused you to lose your job? Tell us about your experiences!
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
Swiss government photo for 2023 paints united front
This content was published on
Switzerland's president for 2023 Alain Berset said that "in a period of uncertainty and crisis" the photograph had to be both reassuring and sober.
Fresh faces, old formula: Swiss government gets new ministers
This content was published on
Switzerland’s seven-member cabinet, which got two new members on Wednesday, is composed according to the ‘magic formula’ of political consensus.
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.