WEBVTT 00:00.001 --> 00:08.181 This neutrality initiative is not a “right-wing” initiative, but rather a solidarity-based, pacifist, and progressive initiative. 00:08.181 --> 00:11.974 Neutrality is not a matter of personal preference. 00:11.974 --> 00:19.201 Neutrality has nothing to do with preferences for a particular country or people. 00:19.201 --> 00:29.427 Neutrality is a principle that has guided Switzerland for 150 years and has served us well. 00:29.427 --> 00:40.412 That is why we demand that the Federal Council, our Parliament, and the media make a clear commitment to a policy that leads to 00:40.412 --> 00:49.581 peace, a commitment to partnership and diplomacy with all nations, a return by Switzerland to active peace 00:49.581 --> 00:54.536 diplomacy, and an end to war propaganda against Russia. 00:54.536 --> 01:03.282 In the short term, there is one simple first step: voting “YES” on the neutrality initiative. 01:03.282 --> 01:08.842 It is the best investment in our children's future we've seen in a long time. 01:08.842 --> 01:16.700 Today, Saturday, August 29, 2026, a national rally for neutrality and peace is taking place here in Bern on Bundesplatz. 01:16.700 --> 01:24.864 Its slogan is: NO to War & Sanctions – YES to Neutrality YES to the “Preservation of Swiss Neutrality” Initiative 01:24.864 --> 01:27.808 Renowned experts present their arguments: 01:27.808 --> 01:32.360 ● Why Switzerland's neutrality is a prerequisite for diplomacy and peace mediation. 01:32.360 --> 01:40.160 ● Why unilateral sanctions and a military alliance with NATO threaten Switzerland's security and sovereignty. 01:40.160 --> 01:45.072 The rally is being organized by the group “Public Eye on Science” in collaboration with 01:45.072 --> 01:47.904 “Neutrality for Peace and Reconciliation.” 01:47.904 --> 01:51.992 The speakers include renowned experts from the fields of politics, the military, law, and 01:51.992 --> 01:55.113 diplomacy—spanning the political spectrum from left to right. 01:55.113 --> 01:58.386 They are all campaigning in support of the neutrality initiative. 01:58.386 --> 02:04.182 On September 27, join us in advocating for a clear “YES” to the Neutrality Initiative—just like the hundreds 02:04.182 --> 02:10.199 of people here on Bundesplatz who are standing up for peace, peace mediation, and diplomacy. 02:10.199 --> 02:18.840 The vote in September is particularly significant and will have far-reaching consequences. 02:18.840 --> 02:32.640 At stake is Switzerland's identity as a neutral state and its credibility as a potential mediator in international disputes. 02:32.640 --> 02:35.899 Actually, it's all about the soul. 02:35.899 --> 02:42.880 This is about Switzerland's security and maintaining its credibility. 02:48.726 --> 02:53.633 Switzerland became a member of the United Nations in 2002. 02:53.633 --> 03:03.026 The UN Charter is regarded as a kind of global constitution, whose principles and objectives are set forth in Articles 1 and 2. 03:03.026 --> 03:10.493 According to this, Member States should promote peace, uphold human rights, and ensure the right to 03:10.493 --> 03:18.803 information, freedom of expression, the right of peoples to self-determination, and the right to development. 03:18.803 --> 03:27.767 Article 2, paragraph 3, of the Charter stipulates the obligation to resolve all disputes peacefully—that is, 03:27.767 --> 03:32.343 through diplomacy, not through threats or economic coercion. 03:32.343 --> 03:42.980 Article 2, paragraph 4, stipulates the prohibition of violence. 03:42.980 --> 03:52.722 Note that not only military aggression is prohibited, but also other forms of violence. 03:52.722 --> 04:00.219 In the modern world of hybrid warfare, the prohibition on the use of force extends to coercive 04:00.219 --> 04:08.163 measures—so-called economic sanctions—that some states impose or implement against other states. 04:08.163 --> 04:15.419 Article 2, paragraph 4, also prohibits threats and provocation. 04:15.419 --> 04:28.323 The technical term is “unilateral coercive measures,” and they are illegal because the only legal sanctions are those imposed 04:28.323 --> 04:34.336 by the Security Council under Chapter VII of the Charter. 04:34.336 --> 04:40.993 The EU's economic sanctions and financial blockades are weapons of war that run counter 04:40.993 --> 04:44.803 to the spirit and letter of the UN Charter. 04:44.803 --> 04:53.475 According to reports by several UN special rapporteurs, “unilateral coercive measures” cause 04:53.475 --> 04:59.662 humanitarian disasters: hunger, misery, death, and migration. 04:59.662 --> 05:07.420 They have repeatedly been condemned as human rights violations in the reports of the UN Human Rights Commission, 05:07.420 --> 05:15.256 the Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, and the High Commissioner for Human Rights. 05:15.256 --> 05:23.236 I am dismayed that the Federal Council has issued a recommendation against the Neutrality Initiative. 05:23.236 --> 05:26.869 I consider this to be a disastrous mistake. 05:26.869 --> 05:32.531 It seems as though Switzerland is deliberately acting in defiance of the annual resolutions of the 05:32.531 --> 05:35.660 UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council. 05:35.660 --> 05:42.358 The Federal Council is also ignoring the documentation and analyses published in the British medical journal 05:42.358 --> 05:49.610 *The Lancet*, which document the hundreds of thousands of victims of “unilateral coercive measures” worldwide. 05:49.610 --> 05:57.888 As a Swiss citizen, I believe that Switzerland, as a member of the UN, should and must follow UN recommendations. 05:57.888 --> 06:04.189 In addition, according to Article 103 of the UN Charter, the Charter takes precedence over 06:04.189 --> 06:08.020 all other agreements, treaties, and protocols. 06:08.020 --> 06:17.600 – Even before the Treaty of Lisbon, before EU regulations, and before extrajudicial enforcement measures disguised as sanctions. 06:17.600 --> 06:25.001 As a professor of international law, I insist on respect for the goals and principles of the United Nations, on a commitment 06:25.001 --> 06:28.783 to diplomacy, and on the peaceful resolution of conflicts. 06:28.783 --> 06:37.260 As a neutral country, Switzerland has a mission to promote peace through, among other things, its good offices and diplomacy. 06:37.260 --> 06:46.560 In the past, Switzerland enjoyed a worldwide reputation as an impartial, neutral authority—an “honest broker.” 06:49.376 --> 06:57.963 Unfortunately, many countries no longer view Switzerland as neutral, because its gradual rapprochement with the EU and 06:57.963 --> 07:03.730 NATO has effectively brought Switzerland into the Western bloc. 07:03.730 --> 07:10.384 Countries that, since the end of the Cold War, have adopted an aggressive policy toward many countries, including 07:10.384 --> 07:14.256 Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Russia, and Belarus. 07:14.256 --> 07:21.008 Switzerland’s proximity to the EU and NATO also implies a certain degree of complicity in violations of international law committed 07:21.008 --> 07:24.410 by these organizations and could render Switzerland liable. 07:24.410 --> 07:34.863 Unfortunately, many Swiss media outlets—particularly the NZZ, Le Temps, and the Tribune de Genève—engage in 07:34.863 --> 07:44.168 disinformation, warmongering, and what I would describe as obscene Russophobia and Sinophobia. 07:44.168 --> 07:51.586 A smear campaign that violates the spirit and letter of the UN Charter and, in particular, Article 20 of the 07:51.586 --> 07:55.568 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 07:55.568 --> 08:03.647 Switzerland should invite all parties to a conflict to engage in negotiations and diplomacy. 08:03.647 --> 08:12.248 Neutrality is not a matter of left or right. 08:14.279 --> 08:23.295 And it is absurd—it is absurd of the Social Democratic Party to reduce this very important issue to Vladimir Putin today. 08:23.295 --> 08:28.028 We must insist—on both the left and the right—that we have this debate. 08:28.028 --> 08:40.961 Whatever happens on September 27, we need this national discussion about how we want to define the concept of neutrality. 08:40.961 --> 08:43.798 It concerns us all. 08:43.798 --> 08:48.741 And it's outrageous that this initiative is now being disparaged like this. 08:48.741 --> 08:52.569 There are very strong left-wing arguments in favor of the initiative. 08:52.569 --> 08:59.121 Neutrality stands in opposition to this capitalist “expansionist behavior.” 08:59.121 --> 09:05.796 She is trying to keep Switzerland on track toward an international, humanistic 09:05.796 --> 09:10.340 Switzerland that stands up for all victims of war. 09:10.340 --> 09:14.188 And we are opposed to war, not to a country. 09:14.188 --> 09:18.997 We stand in solidarity with the victims, but not with the warring parties. 09:18.997 --> 09:23.730 And that, too, is a left-wing stance. 09:23.730 --> 09:30.822 In December 2025—less than a year ago—a study was published in *The Lancet*, the world’s leading 09:30.822 --> 09:35.507 public health journal (i.e., for scientific articles). 09:35.507 --> 09:42.129 They examined the 50-year period and the impact of unilateral coercive measures taken by the U.S. and the EU. 09:42.129 --> 09:47.973 Result: Half a million people die each year as a result of unilateral coercive measures. 09:47.973 --> 09:52.705 They are not just a means of warfare. They are a weapon of mass destruction. 09:52.705 --> 09:58.741 And as Swiss citizens, we certainly must not participate in mass destruction. 09:58.741 --> 10:00.440 We have to stand up to that. 10:00.440 --> 10:07.118 And we must insist on pursuing a humanistic neutrality—one that actually wins us friends. 10:07.118 --> 10:11.199 The idea behind neutrality is to remain friends with everyone. 10:11.199 --> 10:16.123 And then you also have to stay friends with those who just aren't being friendly right now. 10:18.672 --> 10:22.568 Well, we mustn't stoop to that level of "sensationalism." 10:22.568 --> 10:24.226 Neutrality is far too important. 10:24.226 --> 10:31.757 We must reach out to our fellow citizens and explain to them the left-wing reasons, the right-wing reasons, 10:31.757 --> 10:38.257 the simple reasons, and the complex reasons why Switzerland must return to full neutrality. 10:38.257 --> 10:43.926 Neutrality—not just militarily, but also economically—and a neutrality of thought that 10:43.926 --> 10:46.220 doesn't mean, "I don't care about anyone." 10:46.220 --> 10:48.542 On the other hand, I take care of everyone. 10:48.542 --> 10:55.182 I want the Ukrainians to be well, and the Russians to be well, and the Chinese and the Iranians, too. That's what we want. 10:55.182 --> 10:59.020 We want a humanistic Switzerland. Thank you. 11:01.941 --> 11:08.963 There are enough countries determined to drive a wedge between nations, and Switzerland’s contribution to this is insignificant. 11:08.963 --> 11:12.080 We don't set ourselves apart by doing what everyone else does. 11:12.080 --> 11:18.592 On the contrary: By using our neutrality to build bridges, we can play a role that is not only more 11:18.592 --> 11:22.698 visible but also more constructive and honorable. 11:22.698 --> 11:25.120 Let's maintain our neutrality! 11:25.120 --> 11:29.820 Long live Switzerland! Long live the Swiss people! Thank you! 11:36.902 --> 11:45.005 In the first few days and weeks after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, I was asked: 11:45.005 --> 11:50.326 “Linder, how can you still remain neutral?” 11:50.326 --> 12:00.903 When a large country attacks a small one, you have to show your true colors. 12:00.903 --> 12:12.125 I understood the outrage; I understood that mindset, and yet it isn't enough. 12:12.125 --> 12:17.991 After all, neutrality isn't something you do out of sympathy. 12:17.991 --> 12:26.204 Neutrality has nothing to do with preferences for a particular country or people. 12:26.204 --> 12:36.892 Neutrality is a principle that has guided Switzerland for 150 years and has served us well. 12:36.892 --> 12:54.180 And neutrality doesn't simply follow our sympathies and feelings, but rather asks, "What are the consequences?" 12:54.180 --> 13:03.127 And these are the positive outcomes that neutrality seeks: namely, no war, no involvement in wars, 13:03.127 --> 13:09.100 and the attempt to resolve conflicts peacefully. 13:13.670 --> 13:18.260 I will now turn to my main topic: sanctions. 13:18.260 --> 13:24.512 – An important and controversial issue in the Neutrality Initiative. 13:24.512 --> 13:32.160 Our opponents say it is a fair way to punish Russia. 13:32.160 --> 13:38.976 They say it is an instrument of peace that we use to bring about peace. 13:38.976 --> 13:45.960 And they say that without sanctions, the Federal Council is powerless. 13:45.960 --> 13:50.848 All three of these statements are incorrect. 13:50.848 --> 13:53.480 Sanctions are unfair. 13:53.480 --> 13:58.880 They are not an instrument of peace, but an instrument of war. 14:02.970 --> 14:10.546 And the restrictions on sanctions imposed by the initiative amount to a renunciation of 14:10.546 --> 14:14.490 violence that is consistent with neutrality. 14:14.490 --> 14:18.570 I will now turn to the effects of sanctions. 14:18.570 --> 14:30.592 First of all, they don't achieve what their goal is—namely, to move from a bad government to a better one. 14:30.592 --> 14:36.261 Regime changes are extremely rare when sanctions are imposed. 14:36.261 --> 14:46.327 But what's important is this: It's not the governments that are affected, but the people. 14:46.327 --> 14:56.608 This leads to poverty, as well as shortages of water, food, medical care, and so on. 14:56.608 --> 14:59.920 It is the people who are suffering. 14:59.920 --> 15:08.000 And it is rarely the case that a conflict is resolved; rather, it is prolonged. 15:09.634 --> 15:17.440 The best example of this is Cuba: 60 years under U.S. sanctions. 15:17.440 --> 15:20.840 The people are growing poorer, but the government remains in power. 15:20.840 --> 15:27.726 And generally speaking, one can say that the effects of the sanctions are devastating. 15:27.726 --> 15:34.286 500,000 deaths per year as a result of sanctions. 15:34.286 --> 15:39.726 Just imagine: 500,000 people. 15:39.726 --> 15:45.423 That's more deaths than the number of people who die in wars each year. 15:45.423 --> 15:50.776 That's why I always say: Sanctions kill. 15:50.776 --> 15:59.296 Conclusion: Sanctions mean death. Sanctions are not an instrument of peace, but an instrument of war and violence. 16:05.960 --> 16:08.386 I'll wrap things up now. 16:08.386 --> 16:14.600 The partial waiver of sanctions is intentional and sensible. 16:14.600 --> 16:18.566 It is a renunciation of violence in the name of peace. 16:18.566 --> 16:23.833 Instead—instead of sanctions—peace mediation. 16:23.833 --> 16:32.520 And this will continue to make it possible to provide helpful service rather than taking sides. Thank you. 16:37.180 --> 16:47.826 Against this backdrop, neutrality is not a matter of Swiss foreign policy, but a matter of basic intelligence. 16:47.826 --> 17:01.252 Anyone who's too stupid to follow the pied pipers from Brussels and Berlin—anyone who's stupid enough—should go ahead and do so. 17:01.252 --> 17:12.636 But anyone who isn't foolish enough to let others make a fool of them ends up being labeled a "Putin sympathizer" afterward. 17:12.636 --> 17:20.815 Switzerland brokered a peaceful solution—specifically in the Ukraine conflict—through the Minsk Agreements and, as 17:20.815 --> 17:29.160 chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), established an observer mission. 17:29.160 --> 17:34.770 That has cost European taxpayers 100 million euros annually. 17:34.770 --> 17:42.050 But that was probably money better spent than the billions spent on military spending and corruption. 17:42.050 --> 17:51.424 But those in power in Kyiv, Brussels, and elsewhere thought that a little war might help them secure a better deal. 17:51.424 --> 17:58.856 That's why they now have to go out of their way to drag Switzerland and its good offices through the mud. 17:58.856 --> 18:09.457 I am not aware of any monitoring mission in war zones that has been treated with as little respect as the OSCE Special Monitoring 18:09.457 --> 18:15.076 Mission in Ukraine, of which I was also a member for a time. 18:15.076 --> 18:23.243 Our employees were verbally abused, threatened, and shot at, and two of them were literally blown up. 18:23.243 --> 18:25.740 I witnessed it myself while I was there. 18:25.740 --> 18:31.430 How could NATO possibly protect Europe anyway? 18:31.430 --> 18:40.616 I have participated in numerous exercises with NATO, at command centers, and at NATO academies. 18:40.616 --> 18:45.856 I intervened in Sweden—on paper, at least. 18:45.856 --> 18:49.120 I have suppressed uprisings in Madagascar. 18:49.120 --> 18:54.256 I practiced the military deployment against Iran in Georgia. 18:54.256 --> 18:56.476 I know what I'm talking about. 18:56.476 --> 19:02.020 And that has nothing to do with national defense. 19:06.603 --> 19:14.503 Within NATO, we have consistently intervened far beyond the alliance's territory. 19:14.503 --> 19:22.830 And that cannot be—nor should it ever become—the Swiss Army's mission. 19:27.816 --> 19:30.869 Dear friends of neutrality! 19:30.869 --> 19:47.160 With regard to Russia, the Federal Council effectively abandoned our neutrality on February 28, 2022, without our consent. 19:48.720 --> 19:59.143 Four days after the war began, the Federal Council announced that it would adopt the EU’s economic sanctions against Russia. 19:59.143 --> 20:06.976 – Just four days later, as if Switzerland itself had been attacked. 20:06.976 --> 20:13.596 Dear friends, this has absolutely nothing to do with neutrality. 20:13.596 --> 20:25.190 Consequently, on March 7, 2022, Russia added Switzerland to its list of unfriendly states in response. 20:25.190 --> 20:33.577 This entire sanctions regime has far-reaching consequences, especially for companies and 20:33.577 --> 20:40.603 individuals who have absolutely nothing to do with this war. 20:40.603 --> 20:44.180 It's the famous case of shooting oneself in the foot. 20:44.180 --> 20:54.160 And that means the stated goal—to persuade Russia to withdraw—cannot be achieved. 20:54.160 --> 21:01.686 In this conflict, neutrality was lost for the first time in history. 21:01.686 --> 21:07.705 The President of Ukraine has already been invited twice to address the Swiss Federal Assembly and, on one 21:07.705 --> 21:12.300 occasion, to speak to the public here on Bundesplatz. 21:15.996 --> 21:28.032 The President of Russia, on the other hand, was not even invited to the peace conference at Bürgenstock on June 15, 2024. 21:28.032 --> 21:34.345 Something like that must never happen to a neutral country. 21:34.345 --> 21:47.232 This shows how Switzerland has operated with double standards from the very beginning. 21:47.232 --> 21:55.749 While the Federal Council and members of Parliament maintain close contact with Ukrainian officials, the Federal Council has 21:55.749 --> 22:00.550 abandoned diplomatic efforts with Russia from the very beginning. 22:00.550 --> 22:06.410 We're no longer talking to Putin. That's the motto. 22:06.410 --> 22:16.464 Dear friends of neutrality, can anyone here still see even a spark of neutrality when a neutral Switzerland—supposedly 22:16.464 --> 22:22.939 neutral—talks only to one side and not to the other? 22:22.939 --> 22:30.972 I am convinced that, ever since the ancient Greeks, our entire Western civilization and our progress have 22:30.972 --> 22:35.722 been based on curiosity and the desire to understand. 22:35.722 --> 22:43.505 And ever since the time of the ancient Romans, the principle has applied even to alleged serious criminals: the 22:43.505 --> 22:49.002 other side must also be heard—“audiatur et altera pars.” 22:54.076 --> 23:02.031 And that means that no matter how much seems to separate us at first glance, we must listen to 23:02.031 --> 23:06.402 and understand the other side, and talk with them. 23:06.402 --> 23:13.376 And that is especially true for a country that calls itself neutral, like Switzerland. 23:17.920 --> 23:27.964 Our goal must be to listen to the other side, to understand it, and to foster dialogue through diplomatic means, 23:27.964 --> 23:38.880 for only such understanding is consistent with our neutrality and our fundamental civilizational values. 23:44.940 --> 23:54.606 That is why it is absolutely essential to restore diplomacy and understanding with Russia as well, rather than rashly 23:54.606 --> 24:00.980 joining the warring parties in imposing harmful sanctions. 24:06.528 --> 24:14.341 Unfortunately, the fourth estate plays a rather inglorious role these days. 24:14.341 --> 24:23.641 The proponents of the neutrality initiative, as well as those gathered here in this square, are being defamed as “Russia 24:23.641 --> 24:30.461 sympathizers,” “Putin sympathizers,” “old communists,” “radical Christians,” “critics of 24:30.461 --> 24:35.968 COVID-19 measures”—in short, as the dregs of society. 24:35.968 --> 24:47.170 But as we all know, personal attacks are never valid arguments. 24:47.170 --> 24:52.686 On the one hand, there’s the evil Kremlin, which constantly interferes in our 24:52.686 --> 24:56.930 democracy and allegedly manipulates our elections. 24:56.930 --> 25:02.751 And on the other hand, there is the good, rule-based West, which stands united in 25:02.751 --> 25:08.467 upholding the high values of democracy in Ukraine. 25:08.467 --> 25:12.806 – What a despicable double standard. 25:12.806 --> 25:21.243 If it were up to the editor-in-chief of the *NZZ*, even the drones at the Leipzig airport—about two weeks ago—would be the 25:21.243 --> 25:25.620 ultimate proof of a Russian war of aggression against Europe. 25:25.620 --> 25:33.317 And so, from the comfort of his safe armchair on Falkenstraße, this Swiss man calls out: “Yes, when 25:33.317 --> 25:38.000 is Germany finally going to declare war on Russia?” 25:38.000 --> 25:56.810 Mr. Gujer, as peace-loving citizens of this country, we are disgusted by this war propaganda. 26:02.784 --> 26:06.144 Moscow has no intention of attacking Switzerland. 26:06.144 --> 26:13.400 Russia isn't a threat to Switzerland as long as we don't keep sending drones to Moscow. 26:13.400 --> 26:18.804 And the neutrality initiative is not a pro-Putin initiative. 26:18.804 --> 26:26.560 What a load of nonsense from the pens of qualified journalists at a Zurich newspaper. 26:29.660 --> 26:39.076 What we want is the most normal and fundamental thing in the world: We want peace. 26:39.076 --> 26:47.043 We do not want to ally ourselves with warring parties—not even through sanctions. 26:47.043 --> 26:58.130 We want our government to talk to both sides, just as it has consistently done since 1815, since the Congress of Vienna. 26:58.130 --> 27:03.812 We want the Federal Council to pull out all the stops in its diplomatic efforts to promote peace 27:03.812 --> 27:08.390 and bring both sides back to the negotiating table. 27:10.463 --> 27:18.934 If Switzerland were to align itself with active belligerents such as NATO and the EU, it 27:18.934 --> 27:24.763 would lose both its independence and its security. 27:24.763 --> 27:38.635 And that is why, dear friends of neutrality, that is why we demand from the Federal Council, our Parliament, and the media a 27:38.635 --> 27:50.828 clear commitment, a policy that leads to peace, a commitment to partnership and diplomacy with all nations, a 27:50.828 --> 28:03.403 return by Switzerland to active peace diplomacy, and an end to the war propaganda against Russia. 28:14.600 --> 28:23.453 There is still a very, very long way to go. And that is why the Neutrality Council was founded—because the road ahead is so long. 28:23.453 --> 28:28.093 But in the short term, there is a simple first step. 28:28.093 --> 28:32.593 And that's a "yes" vote on the Neutrality Initiative. 28:32.593 --> 28:38.049 It is the best investment in our children's future we've seen in a long time. 28:38.049 --> 28:40.809 Thank you all for your attention. 28:44.482 --> 28:47.662 I am one of the lucky diplomats. 28:47.662 --> 28:57.803 Yes, there are diplomats—or perhaps there were until 2020—who were able to use neutrality as a key element of 28:57.803 --> 29:07.820 Switzerland’s “soft power” and as a means for Switzerland to act in support of peace and justice. 29:07.820 --> 29:12.100 That's the new term: "flexible neutrality." 29:12.100 --> 29:15.556 What does “flexible neutrality” mean? 29:15.556 --> 29:22.279 That means that when certain influential foreign countries tell us, “Yes, you have to impose sanctions here,” 29:22.279 --> 29:28.064 we say, “Yes, yes, yes, yes, let’s impose sanctions.” 29:28.064 --> 29:34.342 If they say, “No, please don’t impose sanctions in this case,” then we won’t impose sanctions. 29:34.342 --> 29:44.659 This flexibility in neutrality, ladies and gentlemen, is a double standard; it is arbitrary, and it 29:44.659 --> 29:52.483 has undermined the credibility of our neutrality. 29:52.483 --> 30:01.020 Switzerland has tried—under Federal Councilor Burkhalter and also at the beginning of this war, when I was in 30:01.020 --> 30:05.509 Ankara—we have made efforts to bring this war to an end. 30:05.509 --> 30:12.460 We have made every effort to contribute to peace. 30:12.460 --> 30:29.476 On the other hand, I see a trend toward integration into NATO that could almost lead to a kind of creeping integration into NATO. 30:29.476 --> 30:43.680 And that makes you wonder: With interoperability and all these measures we're taking, can we still stay out of a European war? 30:43.680 --> 30:53.740 This initiative, ladies and gentlemen, also gives us the opportunity to tell the VBS : “Stop—not like this.” 30:53.740 --> 31:01.380 "We need clear boundaries when it comes to cooperation with NATO." 31:01.380 --> 31:16.616 Ladies and gentlemen, these wars in Iran and Ukraine—they are not our wars! 31:16.616 --> 31:21.823 These are not wars between good and evil. 31:21.823 --> 31:25.380 These are power struggles. 31:25.380 --> 31:34.606 And our founding fathers—the founding fathers of Switzerland—warned us back then not to get 31:34.606 --> 31:40.630 involved in the power struggles of the great powers. 31:40.630 --> 31:43.390 And that is neutrality. 31:43.390 --> 31:47.200 And that's what we need today. 31:47.200 --> 32:01.160 Because today, Europe and the world need countries like ours that stand outside the fray. 32:01.160 --> 32:05.180 That is Switzerland's role. That has always been Switzerland's role. 32:05.180 --> 32:13.600 And we must rediscover this essence, this ADN —this identity. Thank you for being here. 32:16.096 --> 32:21.473 Member of the Grand Council, Communist Party of Ticino] Neutrality is not a political claim like any other. 32:21.473 --> 32:28.224 Without neutrality, there is no national sovereignty, and we end up in NATO. 32:28.224 --> 32:32.950 Without national sovereignty, there is no popular sovereignty. 32:32.950 --> 32:39.753 So, ultimately, we will comply with laws that are enacted in the EU. 32:43.640 --> 32:49.320 And without popular sovereignty, there is no direct democracy. 32:49.320 --> 32:55.070 I say this to the leaders of the “Social Democratic” and “Green Left” parties: 32:55.070 --> 33:02.320 Without direct democracy and without national sovereignty, social reforms are not possible. 33:02.320 --> 33:12.825 The neoliberal elites will force Bilateral Agreements III upon us through an EU that cannot speak of peace, but only 33:12.825 --> 33:24.056 drives the arms race, sabotages negotiations with Russia, and turns our country into a military target. 33:24.056 --> 33:34.622 These irresponsible people, who bow to the dictates of the EU and NATO, want to drag us into war. 33:34.622 --> 33:40.693 This initiative—the Neutrality Initiative—is not a “right-wing” initiative, but rather a 33:40.693 --> 33:46.056 solidarity-based, pacifist, and progressive initiative. 33:51.863 --> 34:01.609 The original Swiss “Left”—the one linked to the labor movement, not the one that follows “woke” ideology and 34:01.609 --> 34:11.050 American trends—the “Left” represented by the Communist Party supports this initiative. 34:12.770 --> 34:22.976 That was the Swiss communism we defend—within a democratic, pluralistic, federalist Switzerland that respects all ideas 34:22.976 --> 34:34.940 and identities, but is also proud of its independence, its sovereignty, its direct democracy, and its non-aligned status. 34:38.116 --> 34:48.373 And we must educate diplomats, intellectuals, workers, farmers, and military personnel who are not mere parrots of the slogans of 34:48.373 --> 34:55.927 the warmongering powers, but rather spokespeople for our spirit of solidarity and independence, 34:55.927 --> 35:01.880 which forms the foundation of the Swiss Confederation. 35:06.390 --> 35:12.276 We are all against NATO, but above all, we are for peace. 35:12.276 --> 35:15.220 We are people of peace. 35:15.220 --> 35:18.536 And you have to keep that in mind in everyday life. 35:18.536 --> 35:25.376 We must not respond to this spite with more spite. 35:25.376 --> 35:31.620 We need to understand that people have allowed themselves to be driven by fear. 35:31.620 --> 35:39.190 And we must stand firm for peace and neutrality, even after the vote. 35:39.190 --> 35:47.809 And above all—and this is the most important thing—take the spirit of today, of this place, 35:47.809 --> 35:53.216 of August 29, 2026, and take it home with you. 35:53.216 --> 35:55.292 Keep that spirit alive! 35:55.292 --> 36:01.875 And stay active and come together for peace and neutrality. Thank you.