SP party of Lucerne callsfor external enquiry

The SP party of Lucerne is calling for the cantonal government there to initiate an urgent external investigation into the Villiger affair, with particular reference to whether the Zug cantonal government member responsible for public safety and justice was given preferential treatment by the Lucerne Prosecution Service in that they decided not to press charges against him, in particular with reference to alleged falsification of documents relating to the sale of his car to a woman acquaintance.

The call for this external investigation was made on Monday by David Roth, the leader of the parliamentary SP party, as he felt the Parliamentary Supervisory Committee did not have the right means to look into this case, bearing in mind so many of the canton’s authorities have already been involved in it.

The SP party suspects the Lucerne Prosecution Service of giving Villiger undue favour, a matter which is regarded as very serious and which should be subject to further legal scrutiny. “People’s faith in the justice system is dependent on it being applied to everyone,” said Roth.

It is actually only on Monday 3 December that the Lucerne cantonal government (the photograph shows paliament in session there) will decide if it regards this matter urgent enough. If it does, it will be discussed on Tuesday 4 December. If not, it will be discussed only at a session later next year.

Simon Kopp, a spokesman of the Lucerne Prosecution Service, insisted Villiger was not given any preferential treatment.    

As to who disclosed the confidential information to an online journal about the Lucerne Prosecution Service having decided Villiger had no case to answer relating to this matter, this is also still under investigation.