Swiss President Guy Parmelin (left) and Italian President Sergio Mattarella in Rome on May 5, 2026.
Keystone-SDA
Hospital bills for Italian victims of the Crans-Montana fire will no longer be forwarded to victims’ families, Swiss President Guy Parmelin confirmed on Tuesday during a visit to Rome.
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Parmelin met Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, describing the talks as “open, constructive and positive”. Speaking at a press conference, Parmelin confirmed that the Swiss Federal Council would address the issue of cross-border hospital billing in line with existing legal provisions.
Any treatment costs not covered by insurance would be borne by Switzerland’s victim support system, Parmelin said. To avoid further misunderstandings, Switzerland would also stop sending copies of hospital bills to victims’ families. He added that the relevant authorities in both countries would remain in close contact, stressing: “Our goal is to find the best solution for the victims.”
Parmelin travelled to Rome ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of new recruits to the Swiss Guard at the Vatican and is scheduled to meet Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday.
‘A lot of emotions’
“The fire has aroused a lot of emotions on both sides, which I understand,” Parmelin said. “But at the level of bilateral relations and ministerial discussions, there has been no tension. Our objective has always been clear: ensuring that affected families and injured people do not have to bear any costs.”
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Italy seeks compensation from Switzerland in Crans-Montana fire tragedy
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had voiced anger in recent days after hospital bills – and copies of those bills – were sent from Switzerland to Italy for treatment provided to fire victims.
Parmelin said he had already reassured Meloni on Monday, during talks on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Yerevan, Armenia, that Switzerland would not send hospital bills abroad.
+ Switzerland waives hospital fees for Italian Crans-Montana fire patients
Beyond the fire, discussions in Rome also covered the international situation, scientific cooperation, energy prices and their impact on supply chains, as well as migration. Both sides highlighted the strength of Swiss–Italian economic and cultural ties, with weekly trade between the two countries exceeding CHF1 billion ($1.28 billion).
Calls for calmer tone
In an interview with Ticino-based news outlet Ticinonews on Monday, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis commented on what he described as unnecessary tensions linked to the Crans-Montana tragedy, saying the debate had been “endless” and partly fuelled by the Italian ambassador to Switzerland.
Cassis said it was the ambassador’s responsibility to help restore calm and criticised “communication slip-ups” that risked inflaming the situation. “Everyone should moderate their tone and return to more appropriate communication,” he said, while insisting that overall diplomatic relations between the two countries remain good.
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Crans-Montana blaze exposes cracks in Switzerland’s image
Italian ambassador to Switzerland Gian Lorenzo Cornado also described bilateral relations as “excellent in all areas”, except for the handling of the fire disaster, according to Italian news agency Adnkronos. Cornado told the agency that Switzerland tended to adopt a “bureaucratic approach”, though he stressed that it did not lack humanity.
Speaking earlier on Swiss French-language radio RTS, Cornado said he had acted as a spokesperson for the “feelings of the families” affected by the tragedy.
The fire in the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana on New Year’s Eve killed 41 people and injured 115 others, some seriously. Six young Italians were among the victims.
Adapted from French by AI/sb
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