Important headlines of the Sunday press in unverified reports:
Thousands of new mobile phone antennas must be deployed in Switzerland to quickly introduce the new 5G standard. (Archive)
Source: KEYSTONE / PPR / ALADIN KLIEBER
https://www.bluewin.ch/de/news/wirtschaft-boerse/sonntagspresse-uber-5g-atomstrom-und-dna-212320.html
«NZZ on Sunday»:
A rapid introduction of the new 5G mobile radio standard in Switzerland is at risk, according to the "NZZ am Sonntag". Switzerland needs for it once more so many mobile phone antennas, as it already exists. "We expect that around 15,000 additional mobile sites will need to be rebuilt without adjusting the plant limits," said Christian Grasser, managing director of the industry association Asut, to the newspaper. The existing facilities were reaching their performance limits because mobile data consumption was rising sharply and transmission power was unlikely to increase as a result of strict radiation protection regulations. "Around two-thirds of all locations in Switzerland and well over 90 percent of locations in cities and agglomerations do not have enough reserves to use 5G efficiently," Grasser continued. He also doubted that it would be possible within a reasonable time to set up the additional required new antennas.
"SonntagsZeitung": According to the SonntagsZeitung, the nuclear lobby brings a return to Switzerland's nuclear power into play. The first is Hans-Ulrich Bigler, President of the Nuclear Forum and Director of the Swiss Trade Association SGV. He demanded that, in the medium term, the newly-opted nuclear phase-out be lifted again. The Zurich FDP National Council just felt the tailwind from the climate debate. "If the CO2 reduction targets are set high or if the Glacier Initiative is adopted, it will be necessary to seriously consider lifting the nuclear ban and entering new nuclear technologies," Bigler told the newspaper. The readiness to invest in a nuclear power plant is still lacking. "New types of reactors that ensure safety and solve the problem of waste will, however, lead to the return of investors," he said. Bigler's point of view is shared by politicians from the civic camp. The supporters of nuclear energy would also be legitimated by the intervention of Bill Gates. The Microsoft founder said recently that nuclear power is the only solution to the climate problem and he called for more investment in new nuclear technologies.
«Le Matin Dimanche»:
According to the French-speaking newspaper "Le Matin Dimanche", around 191,600 people are already stored in a database with their DNA profile, which is administered by the federal police Fedpol. In 2001, when the database was established, there were only 1854 DNA profiles stored. Thereafter, the numbers of entries would have increased explosively. At the end of 2017, they rose to over 191,000 entries. In view of this strong increase, cantonal police are suspected of routinely ordering DNA analyzes. Parliamentary administrative control has therefore already criticized the fact that the security authorities would carry out DNA analyzes even for minor infringements.
"SonntagsBlick":
For jobseekers, according to the "SonntagsBlick" regional employment agencies offer language courses abroad. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs Seco has given an order for about 1.7 million francs to a Berlin language school. The costs for each graduate from Switzerland would be 5900 francs, whereby the participants would have to pay 1600 francs out of their own pocket. The measure is aimed at well-educated people who already have German language skills and could go abroad for three months, said a Seco spokesman to the newspaper. The advantage of these language courses would be that the participants would take intensive courses and would also be confronted with the language in everyday life. The learned can be applied directly in school, in host families as well as in everyday situations.
«Central Switzerland on Sunday» / «Eastern Switzerland on Sunday»:
The Swiss ambassador to the United Kingdom, Alexandre Fasel, has stated in interviews with Central Switzerland on Sunday and Eastern Switzerland on Sunday that Switzerland is well prepared for a Brexit. "We were indeed the first country to regulate its post-Brexit relationship with the United Kingdom," the diplomat said. The legal basis of the relationship is thus secured. The agreements with the British government made it clear that there would be no changes for Swiss already based in the UK. In addition, Fasel can see no trend on the basis of numbers that the country has lost its appeal to Swiss people.
«NZZ on Sunday»:
In Switzerland, according to the "NZZ am Sonntag", never before have so many Sans-Papiers received a residence permit as last year. The Confederation and the cantons approved 840 corresponding hardship applications. 716 concerned persons without residence papers; 124 rejected asylum seekers. The newspaper relies on figures from the State Secretariat for Migration SEM. This is also the highest number in the past ten years. On top of that, she had risen by almost twenty percent on top of that. Most foreigners without papers had received a residence permit in 2018 in the cantons of Geneva and Vaud. In addition, the canton of Zurich in particular had approved an above-average number of hardship applications from rejected asylum seekers.
"Sonntagszeitung":
The former president of the EFTA Court, Carl Baudenbacher, has written a legal opinion according to the "SonntagsZeitung" for the Economic Commission of the National Council (WAK), which gives the Framework Agreement a miserable testimony. According to Baudenbacher, "Switzerland subjects itself to the court of the opposing party, which lacks impartiality". He does not consider the arbitral tribunal, which is commended by the Federal Council as a concession of the EU, worthless. Switzerland is also weakening its position in future negotiations with the framework agreement. From a comparative law point of view, it is an inadmissible tinkering when a procedure developed for association agreements of EU accession candidates is imposed on a country that wants to leave, such as the UK or a non-accession country such as Switzerland.
«NZZ on Sunday»:
The "NZZ am Sonntag" writes about questionable Kickback practices from labs to doctors. The newspaper refers to various incidents in Geneva and describes a prime example. For annual commissions worth 166,000 francs, a doctor would receive a repayment of 10 percent of sales. According to the experts, so-called retrocessions are only allowed if they were given to patients as discounts, the paper continues. The industry association Santésuisse estimates that the burden of kickback contracts for premium payers is around ten million francs.
"SonntagsBlick":
The former head of SBB passenger transport, Jeannine Pilloud, is, according to the "SonntagsBlick", a member of the board of directors of a company that also received orders from the SBB. In June 2018, she joined the board of directors of the IT company Innovation Process Technology IPT, which works closely with SBB. A spokesman for the SBB told the newspaper that it was not uncommon for members of the SBB Executive Committee to also hold supervisory board mandates with third-party companies. Pilloud also stated that in her role as SBB public transport delegate, she has no control over IT sourcing. The strict compliance requirements were rigorously adhered to.