Six Italian teenagers were among the 40 people killed in the fire on New Year's Eve in an Alpine resort. 14 of the 116 injured were Italians. Two Polish women were also injured.
In a statement from the government in Rome on Saturday, it was reported that Prime Minister Meloni and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani instructed the Italian ambassador to Switzerland, Gian Lorenzo Cornado, to contact the Prosecutor General of the canton of Valais, Beatrice Pilloud, to express on behalf of the Italian Council of Ministers outrage over the decision of the court in the city of Sion to release Jacques Moretti from custody on bail. It amounted to PLN 200,000. Swiss francs.
What were the circumstances of the fire in Crans-Montana?
How many Italians died in the fire?
What did the Italian Deputy Prime Minister do in response to the court's decision?
How many of the injured are still in hospitals?
The statement noted that this decision was made despite the “exceptionally serious gravity of the crime for which he is suspected, the heavy responsibility he bears, the constant fear of escape and the obvious risk of further falsification of evidence against him.”
Tragedy in Crans-Montana. Switzerland responds to Italy's outrage
“This decision constitutes a serious insult and another wound inflicted on the families of the victims of the Crans-Montana tragedy and those who are still hospitalized. “All of Italy is asking loudly for truth and justice and calling for respectful steps to be taken after this tragedy that take full account of the suffering and expectations of the families,” the Italian government said in a statement.
In reaction to this statement, Swiss Vice President Cassis wrote on the X platform: “Like Italy, Switzerland also mourns the 40 victims and so many injured as a result of the tragedy in Crans-Montana. We understand pain because it is also our pain. We want explanations.”
He added: “We are closely following the work of the judiciary of the canton of Valais. I talked about it today with my colleague Antonio Tajani and we repeated that the will of Switzerland and Italy is to support each other in this common tragedy.”
Prosecutor Pilloud, who heads the investigation into the fire, also spoke.
— I do not want to cause a diplomatic incident between Italy and Switzerland, but I will not give in to possible pressure from the Italian authorities – said the prosecutor, quoted by ANSA.
She stressed that it was not her who made the decision to release Moretti from custody and emphasized that it was the court's decision.
Of the 116 injured in the fire, over 60 people are still in hospitals in Switzerland and abroad. Some are in serious condition.
