The Mario Cavigelli File: Politician and Beneficiary
How a construction cartel operated in Graubünden, how construction contractors allegedly defrauded the public sector and private clients of hundreds of millions of francs over decades — purportedly with the tolerance of the authorities — represented the largest case of price-fixing in the Swiss construction industry.
110’000 Francs Retirement Pension and New Appointments
Former Graubünden Construction Director Mario Cavigelli (58, Centre Party) intends to become Chairman of the Board of Directors of a company that manufactures products for road construction, one and a half years after leaving office.
The company is called Catram, and Cavigelli is set to be elected in June.
Cavigelli, who receives an annual retirement pension of 110’000 francs from taxpayers after twelve years in politics, is now seeking the chairmanship of the board of Catram AG. Last year, Cavigelli already became Chairman of the Board of Directors at Rhätische Bahn, where a hobby hunter made way for him. He also sits on the board of directors of Rhiienerige AG.
This demonstrates, on the one hand, that retirement pensions are no longer in keeping with the times, and above all, the targeted position is highly explosive against the backdrop of Cavigelli's role in the Graubünden construction scandal, according to SVP Graubünden. They promptly launched a popular initiative: «An end to golden parachutes for cantonal councillors».
The scandal shook all of Switzerland
Construction companies in Graubünden had engaged in large-scale price-fixing. They decided who would carry out which project. The damage was borne, among others, by the public sector, which paid inflated prices. The then director of construction Mario Cavigelli served as the key figure who led the settlement negotiations between the canton and the companies involved. He now intends to take over the leadership of a company he supervised as a member of the cantonal government. Such a move raises serious questions regarding potential conflicts of interest and underscores the potential of political office as a springboard to lucrative positions after leaving office.
Cavigelli and the Grand Council
For years there had been indications that wrong-minded influences from the department under the then Mario Cavigelli were making their presence felt across all institutions and keeping them expensively occupied. Time and again, criminal complaints were filed against Mario Cavigelli's department, in particular the Office for Hunting and Nonsense.
As a neutral observer, one could not avoid noting dictatorial, illegal, arbitrary and undemocratic machinations in this Department of Construction, Transport and Forestry led by Mario Cavigelli. Graubünden specialities, so to speak.
Popular initiative declared invalid
In February 2015, the Grand Council of Graubünden declared a popular initiative invalid on account of the animal-cruel hobby hunting practices.
During the parliamentary debate, however, important information had been withheld. The then cantonal councillor Mario Cavigelli (CVP) had deliberately not made public the fact that the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) in Bern had determined that the initiative did NOT violate higher-level law.
Cantonal councillor Mario Cavigelli caused the initiative committee, taxpayers and others a great deal of trouble, inconvenience and expense, and wilfully deceived the entire population. There is no doubt that cantonal councillor Mario Cavigelli (CVP) lied to everyone time and time again.
Now he intends to become president of a company whose owners were involved in price-fixing.
Mario Cavigelli stays true to form and will certainly be able to bring all his talents to bear there as well.
