Switzerland angers Italy by claiming costs of treating Crans-Montana fire victims
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People standing by a makeshift memorial outside the Le Constellation bar in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on Jan 31.
PHOTO: REUTERS
ZURICH/MILAN – Switzerland will charge Rome for the costs its health system sustained in treating Italian nationals wounded in the New Year’s Eve fire at the Crans-Montana ski resort, which claimed 41 lives, the government’s office in charge of social insurance matters said.
The expense claim adds further strain to the relationship between the two countries, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on April 24 describing the move as “disgraceful” following news that the families of the fire victims had been billed.
In a statement to Reuters late on April 25, the Federal Social Insurance Office (FSIO) confirmed plans for Switzerland to recoup the money spent on hospital treatment, though not from the victims’ families.
The FSIO said, under current agreements between the European Union member states and Switzerland, the victims would receive an invoice only for verification purposes and the costs charged “to the relevant foreign health insurer”.
Italy’s PM says it will reject request
A spokesperson later clarified that in Italy’s case, this would be the Health Ministry.
Ms Meloni, in a Facebook post late on April 24, said: “Should this disgraceful request be made formally, I hereby announce that Italy will reject it outright and will not act upon it in any way.”
She added: “I have faith in the Swiss authorities’ sense of responsibility and hope that the report will prove to be entirely unfounded.”
Switzerland is asking for more than 100,000 Swiss francs (S$162,000) in refunds for four Italian nationals treated for just one day at the Sion hospital after the blaze, Italian Ambassador to Switzerland Gian Lorenzo Cornado was quoted as saying on April 25 by news agency ANSA.
Mr Cornado added that Swiss patients wounded in the Crans-Montana fire have been treated for months at the Niguarda hospital in Milan, northern Italy, and that Italy sent a civil protection helicopter to assist with rescue operations without asking for any money. REUTERS
