ZURICH (Reuters) – The head of Switzerland’s armed forces and the chief of the neutral country’s intelligence services have both resigned their jobs, Swiss media reported on Tuesday.
Thomas Suessli handed in his resignation as head of the armed forces at the end of January, public broadcaster SRF and newspaper Neue Zuercher Zeitung reported, citing sources, although he would remain in office until the end of 2025.
Christian Dussey, who heads the Federal Intelligence Service, has also resigned but will remain in office until the end of March 2026, the publications reported.
Priska Seiler-Graf, the president of the security committee of the lower Swiss house of parliament, confirmed the departures to Swiss news agency SDA.
The defence department declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.
The departures come at a sensitive time for the Swiss defence establishment, which has come under fire for delays to key projects as it aims to build its defence capacities following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Earlier this year Suessli said he was concerned about the delays of various projects, including military drones from Israel.
The defence department is also waiting for a new civilian head, after Minister Viola Amherd resigned in January, with her successor in the Swiss cabinet still to be decided.
In another blow for the defence establishment, the Swiss Federal Audit Office on Monday revealed suspected cases of fraud at state-owned Swiss armaments group Ruag MRO and estimated financial damages “in the high double-digit million range.”
(Reporting by Ariane Luthi, editing by John Revill)
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