2023-04-26 18:47:01
updated
Planned runway extensionOnly the EVP was no longer happy following the donations from Flughafen AG
This year, the cantonal council is voting on the extension of the runway. Zurich Airport donates money to parties – on request, as emphasized.
The airport is apparently donating larger sums to “airport-friendly parties”, but according to its own statement not to push through the runway extension.
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Airport spokeswoman Bettina Kunz emphasizes that the donations are common practice.
Zurich Airport/ Screenshot
That’s what it’s regarding
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The Zurich Cantonal Council will vote this year on extending the runway at the airport.
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Apparently, the airport is now distributing money to parties who are positive regarding the initiative.
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Money went to the EVP, the SVP and the FDP. Only one of the parties returned the money.
Zurich Airport regularly makes donations to various parties – including those who act as decision-makers in the event of a possible runway extension. As research of the «Tages-Anzeiger» show that several «airport-friendly» parties have received sums of several thousand francs.
At the end of 2022 alone, the EPP received a donation of 20,000 francs, and another 40,000 francs were promised for 2023. That would have been CHF 5,000 per party member. Apparently, the party itself did not feel comfortable accepting the donations in the course of the upcoming vote. The party therefore returned the money to Flughafen AG and waived donations for this calendar year.
The FDP also receives “allowances”, the SVP is silent
Other parties, on the other hand, have fewer concerns. The FDP confirmed that it had received money from the airport on a regular basis – partly at its own request. In contrast to the EPP, however, the party does not disclose the exact sums involved. If you calculate once more with 5000 francs per party member, you would get 150,000 francs for the FDP for the year 2023. Also noteworthy: The FDP is represented several times on the airport board of directors.
Meanwhile, the SVP is keeping its finances a secret. “We do not comment on our donations,” said party president Domenik Ledergerber when asked by the “Tages-Anzeiger”. This is less regarding comment than regarding transparency. In general, Ledergeber sees no problem with the “support amounts” and the fact that they are not made public.
There is great outrage on the left
Representatives of the SP and the GLP are extremely critical of the grant. SP Canton Councilor Rosmarie Joss says: “It’s extremely dirty and totally wrong.” She calls for a transparency regulation in which each party would have to disclose donations of more than 10,000 francs. This is already common practice in national politics. On the other hand, GLP co-president Nicola Foster sees the participation of the FDP in the airport board of directors as problematic.
Zurich Airport, on the other hand, sees its “support” as totally normal. “We support parties that are committed to competitive Swiss aviation and airport infrastructure,” says spokeswoman Bettina Kunz. In election years, donations tend to be a bit more generous. The airport emphasizes that the donations have nothing to do with the runway extension.
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