Meloni furious after Switzerland asks for money for Italians treated after Crans-Montana fire: 'Shameful'

Switzerland will ask Rome to reimburse the costs incurred by its health system to treat Italian citizens injured in the New Year's Eve fire at the Crans-Montana ski resort that killed 41, the government's social security office said, according to Reuters.

The request for reimbursement adds further strain to the relationship between the two countries, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni calling the move “shameful” after it emerged that the families of the fire victims had received bills.

In a statement to Reuters late on Saturday, the Federal Social Insurance Office (FSIO) confirmed Switzerland's plans to recover the money spent on hospital treatment, but not from the victims' families.

The FSIO stated that, in line with current agreements between EU member states and Switzerland, victims will receive an invoice for verification purposes only and costs will be billed to the “relevant foreign health insurer”.

A spokesman later specified that, in the case of Italy, the competent authority would be the Ministry of Health.

Italy treated Swiss injured in the fire without asking for money

Meloni said in a Facebook post late Friday: “Should this disgraceful request be formally made, I announce as of now that Italy will categorically reject it and will not pursue it in any way.”

“I trust the sense of responsibility of the Swiss authorities and I hope that the information will turn out to be completely unfounded,” she added.

Switzerland is seeking reimbursement of more than 100,000 Swiss francs (109,000 euros) for four Italian citizens treated for just one day at the Sion hospital after the fire, Italian ambassador to Switzerland Gian Lorenzo Cornado said on Saturday, according to the ANSA news agency.

Cornado added that Swiss patients injured in the Cans-Montana fire had been treated for months at the Niguarda hospital in Milan, northern Italy, and that Italy had sent a civil protection helicopter to help rescue operations without asking for money.