Federal councillor (Minister) of Johann Schneider-Ammann will visit Moscow from July 9 to 12 on an official visit. The Minister of economy had already planned to do this trip in 2014, but cancelled it in connection with the Ukrainian conflict. Then he noted that “relations between Moscow and Kiev should first calm down.”
This year he decided to visit Russia, despite the fact that the situation with Ukraine has not changed, given the fact that in the last two years many EU countries have made efforts to normalize at least economic relations with Moscow, reports the national Swiss news Agency sda/ats.
Visit of the Minister of economy will be held from 9 to 12 July, said the Federal Department of Economics for journalists. It is not limited to Moscow: the Minister, accompanied by members of the economic delegation will visit Ekaterinburg. Its composition is not yet specified, writes the German newspaper “Neue Zürcher Zeitung”.
In Switzerland between government and citizen trust relationship exists.
It is interesting that the Minister’s visit at the invitation of Russia was planned for the end of the year, but instead will be held before his visit to Vietnam, whose government chose to focus on his participation in the G20 summit in Hamburg in early July.
Tensions with the EU: migration and Crimea
The current visit of Johann Schneider-Ammann does not represent a qualitative change in the position of the Swiss government, Federal Council, said the speaker of the Federal Department/the Ministry of economy Eric Reimann (Erik Reumann). Three years ago, the trip was postponed, given the EU’s position on the conflict around Ukraine. Switzerland, according to Eric Reumann feared, after visiting Russia, lead to dissatisfaction and criticism of Brussels.
Indeed, relations of Switzerland with the EU as a whole beginning in 2014 has entered a difficult phase, which was approved in February 2014 the Swiss people’s legislative initiative “Against mass immigration”, directly affecting the interests of EU citizens that would like to work in Switzerland. In addition, the Swiss government is not joined then the EU sanctions against a number of companies and individuals from Russia, introduced in connection with the annexation of Crimea.
Recall that in an exclusive interview with the Minister of our portal Johann Schneider-Ammann said: “Russia is a European country and an important trading partner. Russia took the Crimea. Switzerland, like other countries, did not recognize this step. Many States have imposed sanctions. We decided not to join them. But we have taken a number of measures so that Switzerland does not abuse as possible ways to bypass these sanctions.
We continue to develop with Russia the political, economic and cultural contacts. I hope for a speedy normalization of the international situation. However, the negotiations on the conclusion of a free trade agreement, we stopped, and it will continue as long as the existing international legal order will not be restored.”
After Russia, the head of the Ministry of economy of Switzerland is going to visit from 12 to 15 July Indonesia, and on July 16, he is expected in Saudi Arabia.
