200-franc initiative aims to guarantee "minimum public service
If the No Billag initiative is rejected, SVP politicians may launch an initiative that could be at least as dangerous to SRG.
According to Schweiz am Wochenende, the planned initiative is based on the counter-proposal to the No Billag initiative, which did not find a majority in parliament. For the SRG critics, the reduction of television and radio fees to 365 francs per year imposed by the Federal Council does not go far enough. They want to limit the media fee per household and year to 200 francs.
Upper limit in the constitution
According to co-initiator and National Councilor Gregor Rutz, this amount should "guarantee a minimum public service without the SRG having an abundance of money and thus destroying the entire market. The 200 francs should not yet be set in stone, says Rutz. "It can also be 250 francs". For him, the most important thing is an upper limit anchored in the constitution - because legally, the media levy is a tax, even if this is repeatedly disputed by the Federal Council.
Support from the trade association and Economiesuisse?
Since the SVP's capacities for referendums and initiatives are fully utilized, Rutz and co-initiator Natalie Rickli are considering a cross-party committee - not least together with the trade association, where, according to Rutz, there are many voices critical of the SRG.
The trade association, however, does not want to comment on this yet - first the chamber of commerce has to vote on the No Billag initiative on Wednesday, says director Hans-Urich Bigler, who, however, "very much" agrees with the thrust of the 200-franc initiative, as he tells Schweiz am Wochenende.
The 200-franc idea could also receive support from Economiesuisse: The business association has already lobbied for the counter-proposal to the No Billag initiative. (hae)
