The pre-budget plans announced on Wednesday come as a response to some CHF2 billion ($2.18 billion) in new spending decided by parliament, and which the government is worried could create a deficit in state coffers.
One such spending spree decided last summer by parliamentarians was a progressive boost in annual military spending, from CHF5.6 billion to CHF7 billion by 2030.
Coming after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, this decision aimed to raise the army budget gradually to reach at least 1% of Swiss gross domestic product.
The government now wants to cut the planned expansion by CHF300 million in 2024, CHF500 million in 2025, and up to CHF800 million in 2026. For ministers, this still represents an increase of some 3% annually compared to current spending.
More debates to come
People’s Party politician Werner Salzmann told SRF public radioExternal link on Thursday that the government’s decision followed the “path of least resistance and did not in any way take into account parliament’s decision”.
Salzmann, who oversees the security policy commission in the Senate, said the decision would delay the army’s modernisation plans, and that it’s procurement plans for the next years would all have to be reevaluated. He said the government should make cuts elsewhere.
The government will present further details of the budget in February and March this year; parliament yet has the last word on approving it.
Horizon Europe savings
The government’s cost-cutting plans also foresee the removal of an annual CHF600 million payment to the European Union’s Horizon Europe research programme from 2024. After talks on a framework agreement with the EU stalled in 2021, Swiss participation in Horizon has been frozen. The government said money to mitigate the non-participation would be budgeted, and that research funding would not lose out.
More
More
The Swiss army: your questions answered
This content was published on
A top Swiss army spokesman answers readers’ questions on the role of the forces.
What do you think Switzerland’s Alain Berset can bring to the Council of Europe?
The former interior minister is to become the first Swiss Secretary General of the Council of Europe – which issues should his five-year term focus on?
How is your country dealing with the return of stolen artifacts?
Western nations like Switzerland often have to deal with the process of recovering or returning looted artifacts which have been illegally imported. What’s the situation like in your country?
Norwegian zombie film wins main prize at Swiss festival NIFFF
This content was published on
More than 55,000 people celebrated the fantastic film at the International Fantastic Film Festival in Neuchâtel (NIFFF) - fewer than last year.
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.