Italian Ambassador Defends Diplomacy During Crans-Montana Fire Dispute.

The Italian ambassador to Bern has defended his diplomatic approach after criticism from Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis during tensions linked to the deadly Crans-Montana fire tragedy.

Italian ambassador Gian Lorenzo Cornado stated in an interview with the newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung that he openly expresses his views as part of his diplomatic style.

“I speak my mind, that’s my style,” Cornado said while responding to criticism surrounding the handling of the bilateral dispute.

The diplomatic disagreement emerged following a fatal New Year’s Eve fire in Crans-Montana that reportedly killed 41 people and injured more than 100 others, including several Italian citizens.

Tensions increased after Italian authorities objected to Swiss hospital invoices being sent to Italian victims and their families following the disaster.

According to Cornado, he acted in line with the expectations of the Italian government and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who requested special attention to the hospital billing issue.

Earlier, Ignazio Cassis criticized the ambassador during an interview with Ticinonews, saying the prolonged public discussions had worsened the situation instead of helping calm relations between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Guy Parmelin assured that similar problems would not happen again and confirmed that Swiss authorities are reviewing legal procedures related to cross-border medical billing.

Cornado later indicated that both sides are now close to reaching a solution and described ongoing discussions as positive.

The incident has drawn wider attention to diplomatic coordination, emergency response procedures, and international healthcare cost management following cross-border tragedies in Europe.