Coming to terms with the events surrounding the Corona crisis - now!

Many breathed a sigh of relief when Federal Councillor Berset announced the end of almost all measures on 16 February. And indeed, since then we have felt a great sense of relief. At last, people can see each other completely again and don't run into hooded people everywhere in the shops. Finally, everyone, vaccinated and unvaccinated, has access to public life again.  

But beware! The politicians and scientists who are responsible for the measures would now like to just look ahead. Gone and forgotten! 

Under the impression of this long overdue return to normality, what has happened for two years must not be lost. Also, there is still a lot wrong: the "normal situation" has not yet returned, the certificate has not yet been abolished and with the millions spoken for the Covid app, further plans seem to be forged past the citizen.   

Parliament must finally wake up from its deep sleep! It has the duty to restore the constitutional order, to serve the people and to fully assume its ancestral responsibility again. And this can only happen with an extra-parliamentary enquiry, because who criticises himself?

Only by recognising mistakes can you do better next time. And the 'next time' is sure to come! But it must not happen again - too much damage has been done.

In a statement, the Committee of Jurists calls for  to the Federal Council's media release on 16 February, an independent commission of enquiry to examine the proportionality of all measures and to provide clarity on these issues:

• How great was the actual threat posed by SARS-CoV-2? The seriousness of the PCR tests must also be looked at. Were autopsies performed to make distinctions as to whether deaths occurred from or with the Corona virus?
• What side effects have the mRNA vaccines caused? Which contracts were concluded with which vaccine manufacturers for the future? How did the Swissmedic approval procedures for the mRNA vaccines proceed?
• Have all treatment options against Covid-19 been sufficiently exhausted?
• What are the total costs incurred during the pandemic response?

It is also essential that the Role of the Covid-19 Task Force be investigated in the management of the crisis. The task force brought itself into play, although a Federal Commission for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (FCP) actually existed. Strangely enough, however, it disappeared into insignificance at the very beginning of the crisis. 

Analogously, a precise analysis of the Role of the media be necessary. The media were willingly devoted to the Federal Council and thus pushed the rhetoric of fear as communicated by the task force about the Federal Council. Will creeping media censorship of critical or questioning voices continue to be accepted?

International organisations such as the WHO, the WEF and the GAVI must also be scrutinised. In this context, the latest WHO efforts to create a legally binding instrument under international law for future pandemic control are worrying. Switzerland would be closely involved in this and de facto subordinate to the WHO.

As soon as the Commission of Inquiry has started its work, we expect a Regularly informing the public about the results and public hearings. 

Last but not least: Provision must be made now for a real emergency in the future. How will those responsible do it better next time?