Our Swiss Minister, Moritz Leuenberger

Being minister in a government is not always easy. In Switzerland you do have a very close contact to the government. It is a small country, most of the ministers are known and are always in the public eye. Moritz Leuenberger is no exception, as he noticed last week. A word to his person - he is member of the social (labour) party and is responsible for the department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications. He can be found in his official job here.

Moritz Leuenberger is a likeable person - he does his job well and he BLOGS, but he had a bit of bad luck on his last blog. A translation from me in English (it is only otherwise available in German and French)

"Alarmed by enquiries from the Swiss television and the Blick newspaper I noticed a story in the newspaper called 20 Minutes. It seems that a policeman filled a parking meter with his own money, that I had forgotton to do, to avoid that I would received a fine.

First of all I could not remember this episode, but then I realised what happened and I do not want to keep silent about the truth on this Blog.

In the Summer holidays I parked my car in front of a museum, to be able to pick up a book I had ordered (it was called "Art and Politics" and I needed it for my own book about lies and deceit). When I returned to my car a few minutes later a friendly gentleman spoke to me and said that I should have put money in the parking meter, but he had done this for me. Perhaps in return he could have a chat with me. A further friend arrived on the scene and we spoke about God, the world, and Zürich. As already mentioned it was Summer, no-one on the streets, also no cars. I found that during the conversation I did not have to pay any further parking dues as I was now carrying out a freight transport. No, said the friendly gentleman, transport of a book is not a freight transport, and a political book not at all. Then a lady came out of the museum and said "Mr. Leuenberger your wife has ordered two large paintings from us, could we perhaps put them in the boot of the car?". This was actually a mistake as my wife actually wanted to surprise me with these paintings. However in spite of this we put the paintings in the car and I said to the friendly gentleman " You see, it is now a freight transport". "That is true" he replied "but I have already paid the parking meter taxes for you, and the town of Zürich now has the money. By the way I am a policeman".

I kept this meeting a a good memory, even more as I must confirm that as driver I am not spared and have paid many fines in Zürich. I hope this confession does not give another story for the television

Until the next time

Moritz Leuenberger"

I sort of half watched the tv programme, my husband watched all and added that Moritz Leuenberger naturally refunded the money to the policeman that had filled up his parking meter. Here is a link to the blog in question. My comment is also included (the one mostly in English with a bit of German and Swiss-German),

That is one of the things I like about Switzerland - just one big happy family (nearly always)

reporting from Walt Disney land in the Alps