Keystone-SDA
This content was published on
May 30, 2024 – 1:19 p.m.
(Keystone-ATS) Sustainable financing of the SBB must be guaranteed. The Council of States supports, like the National, the payment to the railway company of 1.15 billion francs to reduce its debt. But he wants to subject certain loans to the debt brake.
The Council of States adopted on Thursday, by 23 votes to 18, an amendment to the law on Federal Railways (CFF) presented by the Federal Council. The government wants to strengthen the financial situation of the CFF which remains fragile. In 2022, the net debt of the CFF was 11.4 billion francs, practically the level of 1999.
It proposes a one-off capital contribution of 1.15 billion francs corresponding to the losses suffered on mainline traffic during the Covid-19 pandemic. The PLR, the UDC and certain elected officials from the Center tried to halve this amount, arguing that the financial situation of the company has already improved significantly. Without success: the decision to support the 1.15 billion passed by 21 votes to 20.
Another sticking point concerned the conditions relating to the financing of CFF investments, namely whether or not they should be subject to the debt brake from a certain level. A compromise solution was found.
