Italy protests release of Crans-Montana bar owner

Italy protests against release of bar owner Moretti Keystone-SDA

The Italian government is protesting the decision by a Valais court to release the owner of Le Constellation car in Crans-Montana from pre-trial detention. It has summoned the Italian ambassador to Switzerland back to Rome.

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The court’s decision represents a serious insult and further pain for the families of the victims, according to a government statement on Saturday. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani have therefore called Ambassador Gian Lorenzo Cornado to Rome to discuss the next steps.

On Friday, the compulsory measures court decided to release the bar’s owner Jacques Moretti on bail of CHF200,000 ($249,000). Meloni had already made her displeasure known immediately after the court decision via social media.

Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana caught fire on New Year’s Eve. Forty people lost their lives and 116 were injured. Many of the victims were from Italy.

Translated from French by AI/jdp

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