Crans-Montana: Italy to join civil action in Swiss proceedings

The Italian government is ready to join the civil action in the court case for the Crans Montana massacre where 40 people, including six young Italians, died in the fire that broke out in the Le Constellation nightclub on New Year's Eve. A summit at Palazzo Chigi with the relatives of all six Italian victims and their lawyers served to establish a common line.

"The Avvocatura dello Stato is taking action with a view to becoming a civil plaintiff in proceedings in Switzerland, obviously becoming a point of reference for the state and the government with respect to all those who intend to make their case in the proceedings in Switzerland," announced the undersecretary to the presidency of the council Alfredo Mantovano at a press conference after the meeting. "We intend to propose to the EU nations a sort of coordination to support, in compliance with Swiss law but consistent with the needs and rights of the injured parties, the Swiss judicial authority and we will use all the tools available, starting with Eurojust," the undersecretary continued, adding that the executive's intention is also to ask "the EU Commission to join the civil action in the proceedings opened in Switzerland.

Meanwhile, the next steps are already being considered. "We have received news that the Rome Public Prosecutor's Office has opened a file against unknown persons for the crimes of fire and aggravated manslaughter: rogatory letters will be requested from the Swiss authorities to find out all the circumstances useful for the reconstruction of the event,' said Justice Minister Carlo Nordio. 'The criminal code also provides for a request from the Italian Minister of Justice to possibly proceed against these people, a request that we intend to make as soon as the conditions are in place. "The cooperation between the Italian and Swiss judicial authorities and between the Italian and Swiss governments is good, the difficulties are essentially of a regulatory nature," the guardasigilli added, recalling the differences also linked to the fact that Switzerland is not part of the EU. The government's objective is to ensure that on the judicial front 'Italy, in all its institutions and also through its families, has a single voice'.

A wish that was echoed by the families: 'The meeting was very important and, I believe on behalf of the victims' relatives and colleagues, I can only thank the government for its declared and proven support and for its closeness,' commented lawyer Alessandro Vaccaro, legal counsel for the relatives of one of the Crans Montana victims and speaking on behalf of everyone. Convinced that 'speaking with a unified voice will bring us results', the lawyer specified that it is not a question of compensation but 'of ascertaining the facts: there is still a long way to go and the support of politics, the state and the government helps us to make our voice heard, which will be unified'.

The State Advocate General Gabriella Palmieri Sandulli also pointed to the need for coordination: 'We want to give meaning to the State's presence, not only formally, but also in terms of helping the families'. If the Italian ambassador to Switzerland,Gian Lorenzo Cornado, recalled that 'the Canton of Valais has decided to allocate 10,000 francs for each victim and injured person' and that there is the possibility of also asking other cantons for help, Civil Protection Chief Fabio Ciciliano recalled the mobilisation, right from the start, for the injured.