A sovereign Switzerland is best for all – for us Swiss and for the world

Some EU accession turbos want to conjure up a “mercredi noir”. For all friends of a politically independent Switzerland, however, 26 May 2021 is a “jour de fête”: The Federal Council has declared the negotiations with Brussels on a framework treaty to be over, and the day before, FDFA head Ignazio Cassis was able to announce the highly pleasing news that the upcoming summit meeting between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will take place on Swiss territory, in Geneva. No coincidence for any thinking contemporary.

Breakup of the negotiations on the Framework Agreement – A courageous decision by the Federal Council

In the past weeks and months, more and more Swiss people from all political corners and from workers’ and entrepreneurs’ circles have understood that the institutional framework agreement drawn up by the EU bureaucracy simply doesn’t fit the liberal Swiss model of the state based on direct democracy and federalism – whichever way you look at it. Current Concerns has regularly reported on the unsilenced signals from the population. Since the Federal Council began to think aloud about ending the negotiations, the opposing forces began roaring: “Operation libero”, NEBS (New European Movement Switzerland) and all the others tried to dissuade the Federal Council from its commitment to a sovereign Switzerland. They did not succeed.
  Chapeau to the Federal Council! The fact that he has decided to draw a clear line after many years of unsatisfactory negotiations is the best proof of the uniqueness of the Swiss model. Because it became increasingly obvious that the sovereign would never ever agree to the principle of adopting EU law and EU court decisions in the referendum, the Federal Council has shown itself to be a true servant of the people. The disappointed EU turbos in the mainstream media can still bluster that the abortion is a “sign of weakness” and that the Federal Council does not have a plan B.
  Of course, in Swiss style, the Federal Council does not have a single monumental plan B. Rather, it has many plans B ready and will develop more, for research cooperation, for further access of medical technology companies to the EU market and for everything that will come up in the next few years. In cooperation with Brussels, but also increasingly with the individual neighbouring countries or other EU member states. And of course, Switzerland, which is financially strong, is also ready to contribute to meaningful projects in less strong EU states – provided it is not pestered by the Brussels bureaucracy with arbitrary actions.

Russian-American summit meeting in Geneva is in the tradition of Switzerland’s good offices

On 16 June, the presidents Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden will meet in Geneva to discuss “the full range” of pressing issues and restore “predictability and stability” to bilateral relations, said White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki, according to SRF News on 25 May.
  It is a great honour for Switzerland to have been awarded the contract alongside other applicants such as Austria and Finland – but not by chance. “The Good Offices are part of the diplomatic offer of neutral Switzerland. It has experience as a host and, with the international Geneva, has a platform that is predestined for such a meeting. The role of host requires diplomatic and organisational tact.
  The discretion of the Swiss authorities is appreciated, also in this case”. Thus the “Neue Zürcher Zeitung” of 25 May under the title “Biden and Putin meet in Geneva. Swiss diplomacy achieves a spectacular success”. For the Russian government in particular, it is certainly an important aspect for this election that Switzerland is neither an EU nor a NATO member. Let’s stick to it!  •