Change of plan: the Swiss government has decided to waive “exceptionally” the reimbursement of medical expenses incurred for the treatment of Italians injured in the New Year’s Eve fire in Crans-Montana. Six young Italians died in the fire, while another 14 suffered serious burns (the overall toll was 41 dead and 116 injured). In the weeks following the tragedy, Switzerland presented Italy with the “bill” for the care provided for approximately 1.5 million francs. A decision that sparked controversy and hit the wall of the Italian government. Now the step back.
The “bill” of care
Initially, Switzerland received a bill for 1.5 million Swiss francs, equal to approximately 1.6 million euros, for the treatment provided to the injured Italian children. The result was a legal dispute between Italy and Switzerland. Rome immediately said it did not intend to pay the bills, while Bern claimed responsibility for the international agreements governing medical care abroad.
Today, November 4, 2026, the step backwards. President of the Confederation Guy Parmelin informed the President of the Italian Council of Ministers Giorgia Meloni of the decision. “The Swiss government is fully aware of the immense pain that weighs on the families of the victims and on the people who will suffer throughout their lives from the sequelae of the serious injuries suffered”, explains Parmelin.
For the Swiss Federal Council, the decision to renounce the reimbursement is part of “a perspective of reciprocity and expresses a gesture of gratitude from Switzerland for the solidarity received. Immediately after the fire, Switzerland – it continues – benefited from rapid, unbureaucracy and free help from Italy and several European countries for the care or transport of the injured abroad, within the framework of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM)”.
Meloni: “Confirms the solidity of the relationships”
“I welcome with great satisfaction the news, communicated to me by President Guy Parmelin, of Switzerland’s refusal to request reimbursement of the medical expenses of the Italians injured in the Crans-Montana tragedy treated in Swiss hospitals. I thank President Parmelin for the sensitivity shown. This decision confirms the solidity of the relationship between our nations”, commented Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in a statement released by Palazzo Chigi.
“It is a gesture of great solidarity and closeness, which we deeply appreciate, as a Government and as the Italian people. In the face of a tragedy that has shattered lives and marked the future of many innocent children, concrete solidarity and collaboration between countries take on an even more important value. My sincere thanks go to Switzerland and my friend Cassis”, comments the deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Antonio Tajani in a post on
The Foreign Minister @ignaziocassis informed me that Switzerland will cover the costs of healthcare for the young Italians involved in the Crans-Montana tragedy. It is a gesture of great solidarity and closeness, which we deeply appreciate, as a Government and as the Italian people. Faced with a tragedy that has shattered lives and marked the future of many innocent children, concrete solidarity and collaboration between countries take on an even more important value. My sincere thanks go to Switzerland and my friend Cassis.
— Antonio Tajani (@Antonio_Tajani) November 4, 2026