Sunday, January 26, 2025 Press Highlights – Zonebourse Analysis

Recent reports indicate that Switzerland is facing rising healthcare costs, particularly in elderly care, with significant expenses related to end-of-life treatment. Federal accounts for 2024 project a deficit of 2.6 billion Swiss francs, better than expected, while political campaigns are underway ahead of Federal Council elections. Additionally, controversies arise over government spending on podcasts and luxury accommodations, alongside a planned conference featuring controversial figures, raising security concerns.

Healthcare Costs and Aging Population in Switzerland

Bern (awp/ats) – Recent reports highlight the rising costs associated with elderly care within Switzerland’s healthcare system, alongside better-than-expected federal accounts for 2024 and the upcoming Federal Council elections. Here’s a summary of the key points, which have not been verified by Keystone-ATS:

According to Le Matin Dimanche, the aging population is not the sole reason behind the significant increase in healthcare expenses. Citing various studies, the publication reveals that while individuals under 18 incur costs approximately ten times lower than those aged 76-80 (1,388 Swiss francs compared to over 10,000 Swiss francs in 2023), it is the costs associated with end-of-life care that truly escalate bills. One particular study shows that expenses reimbursed by health insurers surged dramatically in the final year of life, averaging 32,500 Swiss francs. Notably, young patients diagnosed with cancer bear the highest costs. Another analysis from 2012 to 2021 indicates that the aging factor accounts for merely one-seventh of the overall increase in mandatory health insurance costs.

Federal Accounts and Political Campaigns

In an announcement made to Le Matin Dimanche, Swiss Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter revealed that the 2024 federal accounts are projected to show a deficit of 2.6 billion Swiss francs, which is better than initially feared. She explained that a one-time contribution of nearly one billion requested by Parliament for the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) will now be disbursed in 2025 instead of the previous year. However, she cautioned that it remains challenging to predict additional revenue streams. The St. Gallen PLR party has warned that the financial situation will not improve in the coming years, foreseeing an extra burden of around 2 billion Swiss francs by 2026.

Meanwhile, National Councilor Markus Ritter (Center/SG) is actively campaigning for his candidacy to succeed Viola Amherd in the Federal Council, as noted by NZZ am Sonntag. The president of the Swiss Farmers’ Union (USP) has scheduled two significant television interviews for the upcoming week and has engaged a prominent public relations firm. The USP has already begun to prepare for Ritter’s succession, identifying National Councilor Martin Hübscher (UDC/ZH) as a potential successor. Ritter has assured that he will continue to advocate for farmers, emphasizing the importance of a smooth transition within the USP.

In other news, Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin has expressed his discontent with the United States’ classification of Switzerland, which limits access to artificial intelligence computer chips. He described this classification as perplexing and mentioned that initial discussions have commenced to rectify the situation, arguing that Switzerland’s innovative contributions are also beneficial to the U.S.

SonntagsBlick reports that Roberto Cirillo, the director of Swiss Post, who has announced his resignation effective at the end of March, will receive his full salary until the end of July. With an annual salary of one million Swiss francs, this amounts to over 330,000 Swiss francs for just four months. When questioned, Swiss Post confirmed that this practice is in line with the provisions of the code of obligations, and the chairman of the board, Christian Levrat, defended the decision, stating that Cirillo will remain available to the company until the end of his notice period.

Furthermore, SonntagsBlick has revealed that the head of internal audit at the Federal Roads Office (OFROU) and her deputy incurred excessive hotel expenses during work workshops. They reportedly spent three nights at a luxury hotel in Leukerbad at a cost of 1,190 Swiss francs during an online seminar. A week later, three employees stayed at a 4-star hotel in Thun (BE), exceeding the regulatory accommodation limit of 250 Swiss francs per person. Both expenditures were approved by OFROU’s director, Jürg Röthlisberger, who stated that the seminars aimed to foster professional collaboration, despite acknowledging that the spending limits had been exceeded.

Additionally, NZZ am Sonntag reported that the federal administration has invested one million Swiss francs in podcasts in recent years, most of which have garnered minimal listenership. Notably, the podcast from the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), titled ‘A Plus for Humanity,’ stands out for its 300,000 Swiss francs expenditure and an average of only 300 listeners per episode. The Swiss army’s podcast, however, is noted for reaching a more substantial audience, although NZZ am Sonntag criticized all podcasts for being uninformative, lacking critique, and incurring high production costs.

Lastly, SonntagsBlick highlighted an upcoming conference featuring controversial Muslim speakers scheduled for February 1 in Biel (BE). Organized by Swiss Muslim Travel, which promotes pilgrimages and community experiences, the event will include prominent figures such as Islamist influencer Shoaib Hussain, known as ‘The Sunnah Guy,’ and two preachers associated with institutions linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. The presence of Imam Samir Raadouan Jelassi, whose naturalization was denied due to extremist ties, raises significant concerns. The Federal Intelligence Service (SRC) has warned that Jelassi poses a long-term threat to Switzerland’s security. The city of Biel has assured that the event will be closely monitored.

Note: This information remains unverified by ats.

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