Assistance: Switzerland runs German anger – handelszeitung.ch

The Swiss tax authorities published the names of suspected tax evaders on the Internet – and abroad seems shocked. At least the German public: In the Süddeutsche Zeitung is talk of an “absurd transparency”. The sheet senses a “scandal” – even if federal Bern probably “formally correct” is going on, as it says in the report. Meanwhile, the procedure makes headlines worldwide, and Indian media reports interested.

What happened? According to a report “Sonntagszeitung”, the Swiss Agency for assistance requests is swamped and shows more recently on the Internet portal of the Swiss Federal Journal freely available numerous “releases of the Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA) – assistance”

name from diverse countries. published

It informed that Switzerland will make the tax inspectors from other countries assistance partial date of birth and the nationality of the person concerned in each case, making note of the name, – and that contrast, appeals are possible within a certain period. Also called numerous companies with the name and country of the head office.

are found to next names from Germany, such as from the UK, France, the Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic and Russia, but also India, the US and Israel – in the last two cases, only with initials

criticism from German politicians

With the new feature not only German media, however, are unhappy.. It hails criticism also from the policy: The finance ministers of the German states of Baden-Wuerttemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia stressed on Monday, a naming individual taxpayer is incompatible with tax secrecy. . Unlike in Switzerland are in Germany the names of possible tax evaders remain secret

The Stuttgart Finance Minister Nils Schmid (SPD) told the DPA: “In the fight against tax evasion, it is not about individual to the pillory make, but about creating justice in the sense of the vast majority of honest taxpayers. “The Swiss practice appearing at least surprising, especially since the country was not exactly been known as a haven of transparency.
numbers to process cases and comparative figures from previous years, the Ministry of Finance in Stuttgart initially could not call

“The Swiss Way is specifically”

However, many a German state seems to want to use the Swiss campaign for themselves. North Rhine- Westphalia will check the published by the Switzerland names of potential German tax cheats. “The way is now treading the Swiss tax authorities, specifically in the act. If Switzerland called names of German citizens related to possible tax irregularities, need and our authorities will but look into it “, let NRW Finance Minister Norbert Walter-Borjans (SPD) report on DPA request.

The fact that the Publications have raised with the tax evaders new unrest, “which all previous offers to return to law-abiding behavior have to elapse, is not to be regretted,” Walter-Borjans said. “In Germany, however, tax secrecy and presumption of innocence until proven to the contrary. That will not change. “

(MOH, with AWP)