Jacques Moretti was convicted in Switzerland of employing an illegal worker.Image: keystone
New investigation results into the Crans-Montana fire disaster are attracting attention and increasing Swiss rejection of Donald Trump: this and more can be found in the Sunday newspapers.
January 25, 2026, 08:1801/25/2026, 08:36
Swiss secret service wants to work more closely with Europol
According to “NZZ am Sonntag”, the directors of Europol and the Federal Office of Police have called for significantly closer cooperation between the police, intelligence services and the military. Europol Director Catherine De Bolle said that the police, intelligence services and the military would have to exchange more information in the future than before. Fedpol director Eva Wildi-Cortés said policing must be seen in a broader geopolitical context. However, this must be done within the existing legal framework. Organized crime is spreading rapidly in Europe and also in Switzerland. De Bolle said criminals were recruiting minors “en masse” for contract killings. In addition to a more intensive exchange of information, the two police chiefs called for additional resources for the police. “Police work today is also national defense,” said De Bolle.
Parmelin: Reacting to Italian law that is disadvantageous for Switzerland
According to Federal Councilor Guy Parmelin in the “NZZ am Sonntag”, Switzerland has reacted to a planned Italian law to give preference to European machine manufacturers. Giorgia Meloni’s government’s new depreciation rules disadvantage Swiss producers and, according to Parmelin, are “worrying”. The federal government has held discussions on this in Bern, Rome, Brussels and Davos. Parmelin personally addressed the issue with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and explained: “It doesn’t work that way.” In terms of domestic politics, the situation is delicate because new bilateral treaties with the EU are being debated in Switzerland, the “NZZ am Sonntag” noted. Parmelin said: “This is not pleasant for the Federal Council. Opponents of the agreement will use such examples to criticize the treaties. We don’t have a solution yet, but we are working hard to find one.”
Moretti employed illegal workers from Romania
According to “SonntagsBlick” and “Le Matin Dimanche”, the operator of the bar “Le Constellation” illegally employed a worker from Romania. Investigation files showed that this was the case when the bar was renovated in 2015. During the renovation there was an inspection and Jacques Moretti had to pay a fine. In an interview, Moretti stated that he had already worked with the Romanian between 2008 and 2010 on a house in Corsica. It is unclear whether the man has already been questioned as part of the ongoing criminal investigation. “SonntagsBlick” also reported that the Valais Compulsory Measures Court had rejected an electronic ankle bracelet for Moretti’s wife Jessica. The public prosecutor’s office requested the measure, but the court judged it to be unsuitable. An escape can often only be determined retrospectively, and the device can also be “easily disabled”.
Crans-Montana: “Service door” should have been an emergency exit
According to research by “NZZ am Sonntag”, further discrepancies became known after the fatal fire in Crans-Montana. A door on the ground floor was intended as an emergency exit when the building permit was granted, but was locked. At least one person died behind this door, according to files from the Valais public prosecutor’s office. The side exit should have been marked as an emergency exit. Bar operator Jacques Moretti has claimed since the accident that it was not an emergency exit, but a “service door”. It is not clear from the investigation files whether Moretti was informed about the emergency exits or whether he was aware of relevant documents. There were no complaints about the lack of an emergency exit during a fire safety inspection. The newspaper also reported that the flammable foam on the ceiling had apparently been temporarily supported with billiard cues during ongoing operations weeks before the fire.
SDC director criticizes Israel
According to “SonntagsBlick”, SDC director Patricia Danzi criticized Israeli policy in the Middle East during talks in Jerusalem and Ramallah. She spoke to the Israeli government about the blockade of aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip, the planned ban on non-governmental organizations and the demolition of the UNRWA building in Jerusalem. Israeli police forces entered the UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem with heavy equipment this week and began demolishing it. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini spoke of a “new level of open and conscious disregard for international law”. When asked by “SonntagsBlick”, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (EDA) confirmed that Danzi had represented Switzerland’s position on the situation in the Middle East.
WEF President wants Klaus Schwab back in 2027
According to “NZZ am Sonntag”, WEF co-president André Hoffmann wants the founder Klaus Schwab to be there again in Davos – next year. Not as an organizer, but as a visitor. “The succession process should of course not be reversed,” said Hoffmann in an interview with the newspaper. It could be that Schwab is not interested in such a role. “But he would be someone with a lot of importance because he had a significant influence on the history of the WEF.” In any case, Schwab will receive an invitation, said Hoffmann. How long he will lead the World Economic Forum (WEF) together with Larry Fink is completely open. “But you can assume that next year Larry and I will again lead the annual meeting as co-presidents,” said Hoffmann. Will it be handed over to Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, at the end of 2027? “At the moment there is neither an official nor an unofficial request from the WEF,” the current co-president continued.
Pfister criticizes Parmelin for Trump flattery and suggests an end to customs negotiations
According to “SonntagsBlick”, former Mitte President Gerhard Pfister has questioned the continuation of customs negotiations with the USA. Pfister said in an interview with the newspaper that he asked himself whether this should “really be pushed forward.” “We now have lower tariffs, so let’s leave it at that,” he explained. The arbitrariness of US President Donald Trump will not end, even if Parliament and the people have said yes. At the same time, Pfister criticized Federal President Guy Parmelin for his statement at the World Economic Forum (WEF) that Davos would not really be Davos without Trump. «An unnecessary flattery. But that’s easy to say from the outside,” said Pfister. If Parmelin is right with his statement, he would also disqualify the WEF, which the Federal Council absolutely wants to keep in Davos.
Trump’s main argument for tariffs against Switzerland no longer exists
According to “SonntagsZeitung”, shifts in gold trading are primarily responsible for the turnaround in the US trade deficit with Switzerland. The USA’s plus in September and October was “largely due to gold trade surpluses,” confirmed the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) when asked by the newspaper. “At the beginning of 2025 we had a temporary anomaly,” said Christoph Wild, President of the Swiss Precious Metals Association, in the “SonntagsZeitung”. The reason for this was the uncertainty about possible US tariffs on gold, which temporarily caused the demand for Swiss gold to skyrocket. Gold trading has now returned to “long-term normality”. In October, the trade balance between Switzerland and the USA showed a surplus of $8.8 billion in favor of the USA.
SBB places a million-dollar order with Securitas
According to “SonntagsBlick”, the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) have awarded the security company Securitas a three-year contract worth “a mid-double-digit million amount”. This is what an SBB spokeswoman said to the newspaper about a published award decision. The agreement concerns security services throughout Switzerland. Among other things, Securitas coordinates patrols and ensures a preventive presence on trains. Since the previous contract expires in the spring, the contract has been re-tendered. According to the spokeswoman, Securitas submitted the most advantageous offer and was therefore awarded the contract again. The SBB noted on the Simap platform that the decisive factor was high scores in all qualitative award criteria.
Half of US F-35 jets currently on the ground
According to the “SonntagsZeitung” and “Le Matin Dimanche”, half of the F-35 fighter jets are on the ground in the USA. Due to delivery delays, maintenance teams removed components from jets and installed them in other aircraft to keep the fleet airworthy, according to a report from the US Department of Defense. The Federal Department of Defense (DDBS) told the newspapers that it expects the F-35 to have at least 60 percent operational readiness. Of the 30 F/A-18s currently in use in Switzerland, only “around 40 percent” are available in normal operation for daily flight operations and air police operations, the department admitted. Switzerland originally planned to purchase 36 F-35 fighter jets for around six billion francs. However, faced with additional costs of up to 1.3 billion francs, it decided to buy fewer aircraft. (sda/con)