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Keystone
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1/7
Finance Minister Ueli Maurer has put together a billion dollar package for the economy.
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Keystone
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2/7
The National Council’s finance commission has now approved the billions to combat the consequences of the corona crisis.
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Alessandro Crinari
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3/7
The emergency loan goes over 55 billion.
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Helena Schmid
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7/7
Large item in credit: 2.4 billion reserved for procurement of the army pharmacy.
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The decisions were mostly made unanimously or with large majorities, as the parliamentary services announced on Saturday. Various proposals for cuts failed. However, these should still be discussed in the plenary because various minority motions were made.
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Representatives of the SVP, for example, want to spend less on compensation for loss for cultural companies and creators. They want to delete the emergency aid for cultural workers entirely. In addition, the SVP wants to speak less money for the procurement of medical supplies and the organization of the extraordinary session.
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There is also opposition from the SVP when the National Council finance commission proposed to provide a hundred million francs to support daycare centers and play groups. It is the only majority proposal by the Finance Commission that deviates from the Federal Council. So far, the latter had not decided on an emergency loan for family-related childcare.
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More time for loan repayment
Otherwise, the Finance Commission is satisfied with the government’s work in the Corona crisis. All she sees in the Covid Guarantee Ordinance is the need for adjustment. The Commission would like to extend the fixed repayment period for the loans from five to a maximum of eight years by 15 to 10 votes.
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With 12 to 5 votes and 8 abstentions, she also wants the interest rate to remain at 0 percent after the first year. Finally, with 20 votes to 2 and 3 abstentions, the commissions demanded that the regulation be supplemented in such a way that the guarantee cooperatives were given extended rights of inspection in the accounts of the credit recipients.
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Open questions about consequences
The longer-term consequences of the corona crisis were discussed in the finance committee. This poses enormous challenges for the federal budget. High tax losses are expected in the next few years. According to the Commission, for example, the question of the effects on the debt brake and how it should be applied.
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The first fundamental decisions should soon follow. Prior to this, the Federal Council must, for example, show the Finance Commission what tax relief is conceivable for badly affected SMEs and training companies.
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Proof of trust for the Federal Council
The Finance Commission did not fail to praise the Federal Council and the Federal Administration for their swift and targeted action in the crisis. The fact that not a single loan requested by the Federal Council was rejected is a sign of trust.
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According to the Finance Commission, all people who do extraordinary things every day deserve great recognition, be it in hospitals and homes or in other places where their work is particularly challenging during the crisis.
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Parliament can stop loans
The council of states is on the move next Monday. They can also request acceptance or rejection of the loans. This also applies to loans urgently applied for by the Federal Council, which the financial delegation (FinDel) has approved as advances.
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If the councils reject the advances at the extraordinary session at the Bernexpo exhibition center in Bern in early May, the Federal Council must stop the payment. The Parliament will also decide on further proposals to deal with the Corona crisis. (SDA)
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