Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
Six days after the deadly fire in Crans-Montana, the municipal authorities have addressed the tragedy: what is known so far, which immediate measures have been taken, and how other winter resorts are responding.
We also look at further issues shaping the news agenda – from the suspension of fire-safety reforms to Venezuela’s gold exports and the removal of Al Jazeera Arabic from Swiss television packages.
Six days after the fire disaster in Crans-Montana, the municipal council held a media conference today and published an update on the state of the investigations. The focus is on shortcomings in fire-safety controls and on immediate measures taken in response.
According to the authorities, the bar concerned was last inspected for fire safety in 2019. Checks were carried out in 2016, 2018 and 2019, with “specific changes” requested. No further inspections took place after 2020, despite cantonal law requiring annual controls. “We have no explanation for this today,” said municipal president Nicolas Féraud, adding that the justice system must determine responsibility.
Investigators believe the fire on New Year’s Eve – which killed 40 people and injured 116 – was likely triggered by the use of sparklers that ignited the ceiling. Defects in the installed soundproofing ceiling had not been identified during previous inspections. Emergency exits were present but should have been checked by security staff; whether they were accessible and usable is part of the ongoing investigation. Féraud said the bar operators had been “extremely negligent” and had accepted unjustifiable risks.
Asked about calls for his resignation, the mayor replied: “This is not about stepping down – you don’t abandon a sinking ship.” Féraud spoke of a heavy burden and of carrying the grief of affected families “for a lifetime”. The municipality has banned the use of pyrotechnics in enclosed public spaces and commissioned an external specialist to inspect municipal buildings.
Beyond Crans-Montana, Swiss and international media are reporting on broader consequences of the disaster, which left 40 people dead and more than 100 injured. Attention has turned to safety standards, reactions in other resorts and the implications for national regulation.
Media outlets have highlighted a 2019 video in which a bar employee reportedly warned about soundproofing foam panels at the Le Constellation venue. The use of pyrotechnics indoors is now being questioned beyond Valais.
In Adelboden and Lauterbrunnen, authorities announced additional fire-safety inspections in bars and clubs, particularly ahead of upcoming Ski World Cup events. At the federal level, work on revising fire-safety regulations has been temporarily suspended. The reform had aimed to place greater emphasis on self-regulation by businesses; experts are now reassessing whether cantonal and municipal oversight should instead be strengthened.
The Swiss foreign ministry has invited numerous countries to attend the national memorial service in Martigny. According to the foreign ministry, Friday’s day of mourning is being given an “explicitly international dimension”. Church bells will ring across Switzerland at 2pm.
Between 2012 and 2016, large quantities of gold were shipped from Venezuela to Switzerland, Swiss public broadcaster SRF reports, following the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by the United States. The transfers can be traced through Swiss customs data.
During this period, Venezuela exported 127 tonnes of gold to Switzerland, worth almost CHF4.7 billion ($5.93 billion) at the time. “It is one of the most remarkable gold shipments of recent decades,” Swiss public broadcaster SRF writes, noting that Caracas sought to move part of its reserves abroad. No Venezuelan gold has entered Switzerland since 2017.
Switzerland serves as a global hub for gold trading, SRF adds. The metal was refined in Switzerland and then re-exported, including to the United Kingdom and Turkey. At the time, the imports did not breach any international sanctions.
Facing mounting financial pressure, the Maduro government used gold sales and collateralised loans in an effort to stave off default. Venezuela has been unable to service its debts since 2017. On Thursday, the Swiss government decided, as a precaution, to freeze any assets held in Switzerland by Nicolás Maduro, who was arrested by US authorities.
Telecom providers Swisscom and Sunrise have removed Al Jazeera Arabic from their television offerings, citing potential breaches of Swiss law and the Hamas ban in force since May 2025.
Swisscom said it had received indications that the Arabic-language channel may be violating Swiss legislation and has therefore suspended its broadcast pending further clarification. Al Jazeera English remains available. Sunrise confirmed to Blick that Al Jazeera Arabic has not been carried on its platform since December 10, 2025.
According to Blick, criticism came from the group Fokus Israel, which referred to findings by Israel’s Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Centre, accusing the channel of giving Hamas representatives a platform during the Gaza war. Swiss law prohibits “any form of propaganda” for the organisation.
The issue was raised in the House of Representatives in December. During question time, parliamentarian Erich Vontobel asked Communications Minister Albert Rösti whether the government tolerated Hamas propaganda on Swisscom. The federal government replied that Swisscom is required to comply with Swiss law, while stressing that channel selection ultimately falls under judicial, not political, authority. Swisscom and Sunrise took action shortly afterwards.
Translated from German using AI/amva/ts
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