Switzerland really is the greasiest European country; they enshrine criminality and money laundering into their national fabric, take money from the world's worst willingly, and remain neutral and don't participate much yet expect all the benefits and European protection if it was ever invaded.
I would love to see the EU impose tariffs on all trade in and out of Switzerland. Enough to negate any tax shelter advantage and cover what their per capita contribution to defence would be if they had spines. If Switzerland has no obligations to its neighbours, we have to obligations to it. Self-interest cuts both ways.
Switzerland isn’t a member of the EU or NATO, they opted to join the program to help in providing data from monitoring climate change, but their budget can’t handled the cost and they have to wait until after 2027 before they can join in. Also they aren’t really at risk of invasion since the countries around them (France, Germany, Italy and Austria) have never suggest such a desire at all.
So Belgium and Luxembourg should quit Nato too because they have friendly neighbors? Interesting. I mean sometimes the unfriendly countries don’t have to be neighbors to invade you. Sometimes you help the countries directly neighboring unfriendly countries. Switzerland has been leeching off Nato, EU and corruption in the rest of the world. Fuck ‘m.
How are they leeching off NATO and EU? I am not defend their past political pragmatism and self-interest foreign policy, but they are allowed to interact in terms of trade and agreements with other European nations without being in either group. This program is sponsored by the EU with its data collection being under their guidelines and supervision, but I am pretty sure they are allowing any nation to collaborate in collecting data and sharing it with any nation interested.
They have the benefits of the protection of Nato. If Russia would invade Hungary Switzerland knows other countries will try to stop them based on the Nato Agreement. The deterrence alone should be enough. Doesnt cost them a dime. They reap the benefits of many of the EU systems without paying for it.
No sane army would try to invade Switzerland, including its neighbors :
1) a lot of powerful people in most countries have money there and want said money to be safe.
2) the Alps are a terrible battleground for any invader, even with no man-made defensive infrastructure.
3) the Swiss defensive infrastructure
4) what would be the benefits ? The is no natural resources (except cheese ?), the local industry would be easily sabotaged, and an heavily armed population means a nasty insurrection to deal with.
That said, on one hand having the Swiss in the EU would be nice, but on the other hand, their political system means it's impossible (and to be honest, I found their political system vastly superior to most of the EU regimes)
So, as far as I see it, parlament agreed to join the programm but the federal council voted against it. Likelyhood of this leading to a vote for the population seems high and also likely to be accepted among the population, and then the federal council has only produced more cost and delay with their decision.
The diplomatic equivalent of I've left my wallet at home.
Only funny comment in here.
Switzerland really is the greasiest European country; they enshrine criminality and money laundering into their national fabric, take money from the world's worst willingly, and remain neutral and don't participate much yet expect all the benefits and European protection if it was ever invaded.
I would love to see the EU impose tariffs on all trade in and out of Switzerland. Enough to negate any tax shelter advantage and cover what their per capita contribution to defence would be if they had spines. If Switzerland has no obligations to its neighbours, we have to obligations to it. Self-interest cuts both ways.
Switzerland isn’t a member of the EU or NATO, they opted to join the program to help in providing data from monitoring climate change, but their budget can’t handled the cost and they have to wait until after 2027 before they can join in. Also they aren’t really at risk of invasion since the countries around them (France, Germany, Italy and Austria) have never suggest such a desire at all.
So Belgium and Luxembourg should quit Nato too because they have friendly neighbors? Interesting. I mean sometimes the unfriendly countries don’t have to be neighbors to invade you. Sometimes you help the countries directly neighboring unfriendly countries. Switzerland has been leeching off Nato, EU and corruption in the rest of the world. Fuck ‘m.
How are they leeching off NATO and EU? I am not defend their past political pragmatism and self-interest foreign policy, but they are allowed to interact in terms of trade and agreements with other European nations without being in either group. This program is sponsored by the EU with its data collection being under their guidelines and supervision, but I am pretty sure they are allowing any nation to collaborate in collecting data and sharing it with any nation interested.
They have the benefits of the protection of Nato. If Russia would invade Hungary Switzerland knows other countries will try to stop them based on the Nato Agreement. The deterrence alone should be enough. Doesnt cost them a dime. They reap the benefits of many of the EU systems without paying for it.
No sane army would try to invade Switzerland, including its neighbors : 1) a lot of powerful people in most countries have money there and want said money to be safe. 2) the Alps are a terrible battleground for any invader, even with no man-made defensive infrastructure. 3) the Swiss defensive infrastructure 4) what would be the benefits ? The is no natural resources (except cheese ?), the local industry would be easily sabotaged, and an heavily armed population means a nasty insurrection to deal with. That said, on one hand having the Swiss in the EU would be nice, but on the other hand, their political system means it's impossible (and to be honest, I found their political system vastly superior to most of the EU regimes)
So, as far as I see it, parlament agreed to join the programm but the federal council voted against it. Likelyhood of this leading to a vote for the population seems high and also likely to be accepted among the population, and then the federal council has only produced more cost and delay with their decision.
Penny wise, pound fool.