BVB Expense Controversy; Mystery Plane At Basel Airport; Drone Surveillance Questioned

News For 8 September 2020

Basel's prosecutor's office has concluded a six year investigation into graft at Basel's public transportation system and has now brought criminal charges against previous management.  Prosecutors allege that Between 2011 and 2013, the former Chairman of the Board of Directors Martin Gudenrath, and Director Jürg Baumgartner and his deputy illegally received expenses of around CHF 300,000. Cantonal financial control authorities had made their misconduct findings public in 2013, resulting in Mr. Gudenrath's resignation, and Mr. Baumgartner and his deputy were dismissed.  At issue are overtime payments made to Mr Gudnrath and Mr. Baumgartner as well unauthorized purchases of luxury cars and travel supposedly for the BVB's benefit.  The criminal trial is expected to take place in March 2021 and last 5 days.

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Last week, a 61 million franc, Gulfstream jet touched down at Basel's Euroairport.  However, there is no record of who disembarked the plane or whom it intended to collect in Switzerland.  What is known is that the plane bears the national colors of the protest besieged country of Belarus.  The president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko is apparently the only one that uses the jet according to sources in the country, though the government denies it owns the jet.  Though Basel airport is known globally for its jet maintenance facilities, people speculate that Mr. Lukashenko may be moving members of his family to safety in Switzerland in the face of rising violence and repression at home.

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The office of data protection of Basel-Stadt is questioning the use of drones by authorities for surveillance purposes. Active surveillance projects are not currently in use by the police according to Toprak Yerguz, media spokesman for the Basel-Stadt cantonal police, however, they are being evaluated. Beat Rudin, from the office of data protection however warns that before any operational plans are realized, the authorities and the public need to grapple with the law, which today disallows covert filming without a corresponding legal basis in Switzerland.