It is very odd, since he was heading for Rome anyway.
Once in Rome, he could go wherever he wanted in the EU with a valid passport.
Could have taken a train to Geneva.
Could simply have requested asylum in Rome.
“It is very odd, since he was heading for Rome anyway.”
Exactly — I think he must have suffered a nervous breakdown and/or literally lost his mind, over some pressures.
The Swiss aren’t in EU. Their asylum laws are different and for some reason he preferred them.