What were your impressions after three days in Moscow? We were interested in the first place in economic cooperation. I felt that there was strong interest, not only on the part of the business people but also and unexpectedly from the official authorities.
For a big economic area like Moscow, Zurich is a small partner. For that reason it is important on this kind of promotional trip to make ourselves known to business firms and enterprises. The fact that the president of the cantonal government accompanied the group conferred a higher status on its task, especially in Moscow where the authorities take an active part in shaping economic development.
What did you expect to get out of the visit? What were your goals? My first priority was to facilitate the contacts between the members of our delegation and their opposite numbers. As President of the canton I can open some additional doors.
Does that mean that politics is to play a more active role in matters of business and promoting Zurich and its canton? That is certainly one of our tasks, which we already perform in fostering and promoting our canton. The role of politics is from time to time to position the city and canton as a “brand”. As politicians we can demonstrate the advantages our canton has to offer, where cooperation with business is already working well, and where it can be improved. I believe in all modesty that we are a profitable partner even for Moscow. Zurich lies at the heart of Europe, has excellent international transport links and a quality of life that few others can match. Today, this last point is particularly important to the Russians.
The city’s Mayor Ledergerber travelled to China, and you to Moscow. The economic representatives are flanked by political heavyweights. Is there some new thinking here? Promoting our canton has always been a major concern; recently however we have realised that we have to give some more concrete support. In addition we have recognised how important is the role of politics in facilitating these contacts.
It is noticeable that you chose to visit two countries in which politics and business are particularly closely interlinked. A strategic point? We realised how close this interlinking is, and tried to react accordingly. In these countries you cannot effectively promote a region like our canton without setting up a suitable framework. This involves our working at home to make the Zurich location more economically attractive, as well as giving concrete on-the-spot support
It was precisely your personal support that prompted reactions in the Swiss media ranging from irony to outright criticism. The hundred thousand franc cost to the cantonal treasury came in for particular criticism. Has the trip already produced results? There was a lot of interest, and our Business Forumhadmany visitors, especially Russian entrepreneurs. We have never had so many, according to the Embassy.
Clearly, Zurich got something moving there. The feedback from our delegates was very positive. In contrast, one journalist reported that we nightclubbed it through Moscow, and that’s just not true. It was tough work, and seriously prepared.
You met Alexander Lebedev, too.What did you talk about? We talked in general about the Zurich region, and not about specific businesses.
We also discussed possible collaborative projects and synergies between Moscow and Zurich. More important, it seemed to me, were the contacts with the city and the regions. These had prepared themselves in detail for our Forum. Russia has been rethinking its definition of small and medium-sized businesses, and has adapted itself to the European guidelines.
We understand a mid-sized firm as having up to two hundred and fifty employees, whereas in Russia firms of an altogether different size than those in Switzerland are to be found. Now efforts are being made to promote small and medium-sized businesses directly, in the hope of improving economic stability by getting wider support and backing for the economy. Switzerland is seen as exemplary in this.
To come back to the promotion of the canton: how do you see your role as President in this connection? As President I am also the public face of the Zurich region, and act as a supplier of information. A constant task of the government is to portray convincingly the advantages of the region. Indeed, we are directly responsible to a large extent for setting the economic framework and conditions.
As I am responsible for ensuring that we offer good conditions as regards taxes, transport and the quality of life, then it’s more convincing if I myself tell people about these. At home I try of course to preserve and consolidate the advantages of the region.
I suppose that contacting the authorities is simpler in Switzerland than in a strongly centralised country such as France? The federal structure certainly facilitates the contact with the authorities, but you have also to consider the reverse side of the coin. Often a firm has to establish contacts with several or even all of the cantons. It is for this reason that we have set up the Greater Zurich Area Organisation, which includes several of the neighbouring cantons that affect business and economics in the region surrounding Zurich.
On the one hand we talk about the proximity and accessibility of the authorities, but on the other they can keep a sharp eye on you. As for example with Vekselberg? In Switzerland we are used to a very cautious and careful way of doing things, and I think that is as it should be. It helps to prevent over-hasty cooperation with negative consequences. Nevertheless, this must not lead to immobility.
As regards flat-rate taxation, much ink has flowed in your canton over the Vekselberg affair as well as the negotiations with Sulzer The latter in particular were interpreted in various ways. On the one hand the results are seen as evidence of the negotiating strength of Swiss advocates, while on the other they could be interpreted as a negative signal for future investors. We are interested in ensuring that the aforementioned firm stays active in Zurich. If the Zurich economy, now independent of Mr Vekselberg, is making its mark on the international scene, with finance houses and takeovers, then we have to reckon with the possibility of this happening in reverse. What we cannot accept is that entrepreneurs with a lot of financial muscle should not respect our laws. In this respect our position is completely clear. The Federal Banking Supervisory Commission is doing its duty. If someone behaves in ways that contravene the law, then he must accept the legal consequences. We can not and will not protect him from that. On the other hand we may not refuse him his legally guaranteed rights. It is quite justifiable for us to use the fiscal instrument of flat-rate taxation to promote the economic interests of our region. As it turns out, flat-rate taxation is only granted in exceptional cases, which I find correct.
Now, last but not least, another subject. This year in Switzerland we have Micheline Calmy-Rey as President of the Confederation, Christine Egerszegi as President of Parliament and you yourself as President of the Government of Canton Zurich: three women in key positions of power. Is something happening? The highest-placed citizen of Canton Zurich, the President of the Parliament, is also a woman, by the way. We’ll only have equal rights when no one even thinks about whether a woman looks after the house or has a job outside, raises her children or makes a successful career.
Neither the one nor the other should be a subject of comment or criticism in our society. I’m doing what I can to ensure that we get to this point. I fight against the idea that only a career woman counts as truly emancipated.
President Putin has expressed the same view. There should be really no point in discussing whether it is a man or a woman that holds some high position. Men often say, and at bottomreally believe, that men are better suited to these high positions. Only when they abandon this idea shall we really have social equality.
Of eighty-six governors in Russia, just one is a woman: the Mayor of Saint Petersburg. What can women contribute in the Russian context? I believe that there’s a lot of catching up to be done, in Russia as elsewhere. In Asian countries especially, women only attain political office as substitutes for their husbands or fathers, thereby sustaining the idea that they merely carry on the work of their great (male) predecessors.
It needs structural change for more women to take high political office or senior positions in commerce and industry.
This can only happen if there is more recognition for women in important positions, and we are at present unfortunately very far from that. We can’t force this recognition; we can only struggle for it.
Just recently two women in Russia were nominated to positions at the level of Minister. What were your impressions of women in Russia? It seemed to me to a bit like it is in Switzerland. Both the highly placed women I met have involved themselves in social matters. That awoke memories for me, because in Switzerland historically, it was considered appropriate for women to be especially active in social matters or in honorary positions. It looks as if it’s a bit like that in other parts of the world too.
