The Italian media is deliberately stirring up outrage against Switzerland. Former Councilor of States Lombardi hardly had a say during an appearance. And Rai 3 went to the village of a national councilor until the police came.
02/06/2026, 06:4402/06/2026, 06:44
Othmar von Matt / ch media
As Filippo Lombardi on the show last Friday “Dritto e Rovescio” (forehand and backhand) of the Italian private broadcaster Rete 4 about Crans-Montana, moderator Paolo Del Debbio is not interested in questioning the Lugano city council in the most balanced way possible. On the contrary. The former Council of States is obviously intended to be exposed – as a representative of a rich and empathic Switzerland. The dialogue makes this clear:
Rete 4 presenter Paolo Del Debbio demonstratively turns away and lets the raging Filippo Lombardi go nowhere.Image: rete 4
Filippo Lombardi tries to get through to Crans-Montanta with his arguments, but Rete 4 presenter Paolo Del Debbio is not at all interested in his answers.Image: rete 4
Moderator: Valais has awarded compensation of 10,700 euros for each injured or deceased person – with waiting periods of 10 to 15 years. (Pause) 10,700 euros. (Draws a line with his hand)
Lombardy: You are not well informed…
Moderator (ironic): Ah… sure.
Lombardy: They are spreading fake news. Please let me clarify this.
Moderator: Say which number is correct.
Lombardy: The number is correct, but it doesn’t represent what you say.
Moderator (ironic): Secure.
Lombardy: Normally, victims have to submit a request to the authorities. But here the canton reacted immediately, actively contacted the victims and their families and provided unconditional emergency aid.
Moderator: This is scandalous.
Lombardy: Let me finish…
Moderator: This is scandalous. This sum is a pittance. The canton should keep this sum, we will take care of it ourselves. (Applause in the studio)
Lombardi (His face flushes with anger, he clenches his fists and speaks louder and louder): You are talking nonsense. They talk nonsense. The canton spends 10 million on immediate expenses.
Moderator: Yes. Secure. Alms.
Lombardy: A foundation will also be established. There are already numerous private donors. The federal government has also announced its willingness to pay. It’s about hundreds of millions of francs.
Moderator (ironic): Bravo! Bravo! (Demonstratively turns away from Lombardi)
The problem with the pasta all’Amatriciana
The Ticino FDP National Councilor Alex Farinelli has had similar experiences with Italian television journalists. When the Italian government demanded in a media release on January 26th that there must be a joint Italian-Swiss investigation in Crans-Montana so that the ambassador Gian Lorenzo Cornado, who had been appointed to Rome, could return to Switzerland, he responded “60 Minuti” on the Ticino station RSI 2 unusually clear. “You have to react clearly to this frontal attack,” he emphasizes. «We will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed by another country. If the Italian ambassador has to stay in Rome, I think he can continue to eat pasta all’Amatriciana.”
With Pasta all’Amatriciana he is referring to a classic Roman specialty that came to Rome from Amatrice in Abruzzo in the 19th century and spread into the kitchens there. The sentence about the pasta was discovered by Rai 3, the third channel of Italy’s public broadcaster. The 30 seconds sparked outrage among viewers. Rai 3 therefore wanted Farinelli to be on presenter Massimo Giletti’s talk show. But he canceled. With consequences.
Two journalists from Rai 3 traveled to Farinelli’s home village of Comano and spent two days looking for the National Council. Until the police showed up and asked them what they were doing here. In a report on Rai 3, the journalists said it was Farinelli who called the police.
The Ticino FDP National Councilor Alex Farinelli.Image: keystone
He denies that. “I didn’t call the police,” he emphasizes. “But when two unknown people just stand around in a small Ticino village for two days, the population asks themselves: What do they want here?” It is quite common for someone to call the police.
The journalists came to Ticino “without any prior notice” and only sought contact with him on site, emphasizes Farinelli. With this approach, Rai 3 “lost proportionality”. This action simply goes too far. “I’m not the mayor of Crans-Montana.”
However, Farinelli admits that the sentence with the Pasta all’Amatriciana was “not particularly clever”. At the same time, however, he emphasizes: “It is unacceptable that a friendly state treats us like this. This is about the Italian election campaign.”
Filippo Lombardi, on the other hand, defends Farinelli, but also says: “He uttered the quip about the pasta all’Amatriciana at the worst possible time. The Italian broadcasters have been repeating these 30 seconds for two weeks now and people are getting it wrong.” He himself would have phrased the quip differently: “I’m looking forward to eating pasta all’Amatriciana with the Italian ambassador in the Luce restaurant in Bern as soon as he gets back here.”
Lombardi wants to help Switzerland
Lombardi himself appeared on Italian television three times at Crans-Montana: twice on Rete 4 and once on Rai 3. He once traveled to Rome specifically for this. He did this of his own accord. “If your own country has made mistakes and is in a difficult situation,” he emphasizes, “someone from Swiss politics has to show their face.”
Centrist politician Filippo Lombardi.Image: KEYSTONE
He didn’t experience his appearance on Rete 4 and presenter Paolo Del Debbio as traumatic. As a journalist and chairman of the board of Teleticino, Lombardi is too weatherproof for that. Nevertheless, he says: “Unfortunately it seems absolutely impossible to explain the situation in Italy from a Swiss perspective. Emotions and polemics constantly prevail, and that is very frustrating.”
In his own analysis, Switzerland doesn’t come off well either. “The Swiss system seems to have failed, starting with the municipality and the Valais public prosecutor’s office,” says Lombardi. His conclusion: “We have to adapt our system.”
Lombardi also criticizes the country’s lack of compassion. “Switzerland must show more empathy towards the victims, including Swiss victims,” he says. In such a case, years are “not a problem” for lawyers. Things are completely different for the victims: “For them, every day that passes is an eternity.”
Parmelin travels to Milan – but only for the Olympics
Surprisingly, the Rome public prosecutor’s office did not ask for the establishment of a joint investigation team in its request for legal assistance. This is what the Federal Office of Justice writes. In mid-February there will be a first technical meeting between the criminal authorities of both countries. “As part of this meeting, the possibility of a joint investigation team will also be discussed.”
Federal President Guy Parmelin has already traveled to Milan for the Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina 2026. There he will take part in a reception by the International Olympic Committee, attend the opening ceremony, meet with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and meet Swiss athletes.
Federal President Guy Parmelin, here at the memorial service in Martigny, will soon have the opportunity to visit Italian fire victims.Image: keystone
At least not included in the official program is a visit to the Ospedale Niguarda Ca’Granda in Milan. The Italians who were seriously injured in the Crans-Montana fire lie there.