(MENAFN- Swissinfo) 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 January 18, 2023 - 10:01 January 18, 2023 - 10:01 Keystone-SDA/SRF/sb عربي
(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 Jan 15, 2023 Jan 15, 2023
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 Jan 1, 2023 Jan 1, 2023
After ten years in government, Berset takes on the rotating role of Swiss president for the second time, starting today.
More
More
a global stress test for freedom of expression
one of democracy's fundamental pillars is under attack, and under scrutiny, across the world.
Articles in this story
swiss president decries 'illegal leaks' implicating his office alain berset: 'i faced unprecedented brutality' a global stress test for freedom of expression