The Tempi railway disaster will dominate politics in Greece this week following the massive rallies by hundreds of thousands of people last Friday throughout the country.
Opposition parties will aim to highlight the failings of Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ government in telling the truth about the train collision in February 2023 that claimed the lives of 57 people and expose the alleged cover-up, immediately thereafter.
Greece’s main opposition party, PASOK, has proposed the establishment of a preliminary investigative committee to examine the role of former Deputy Minister Christos Triantopoulos in ordering the rapid restructuring of the Tempi accident site.
The center-left party alleged that Triantopoulos, who resigned in February, ordered the landfilling of the Tempi site before a thorough investigation could take place, which could lead to criminal liabilities.
Critics argue that the decision to clear and cement over the site was a key point of contention in the government’s handling of the tragedy, as they claim it occurred before a thorough investigation had been completed—and before all victims’ remains were properly recovered.
New Democracy is expected to support PASOK’s proposal in an effort to demonstrate transparency. Triantopoulos denies all accusations saying they are “outside of all reality and logic.”
Motion of no confidence against the government over Tempi
A scheduled parliamentary discussion on Tempi is set for Wednesday, following requests from SYRIZA and the Communist Party (KKE).
Meanwhile, PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis has announced plans to submit a motion of no confidence against the government—despite not yet securing the minimum 50 MPs required to bring the vote forward. To reach this threshold, PASOK will need to rally support from other opposition parties. Just last March the New Democracy faced -and survived- a no confidence motion over the Tempi rail disaster.
Androulakis stressed that those responsible be brought to justice. He called for a “state that will respect the citizens and be at their service, and not a state that is a booty for those in authority.”
He added: “Those who from the first hours after the accident invested in the darkness of cover-up and misinformation, are forgetting something. Against the darkness they had imposed, the light of truth and justice always emerges victorious.”
SYRIZA sources have emphasized the urgent need for accountability, stating: “We must respond to the public’s demand for scrutiny of the Mitsotakis government and jointly submit a motion of no confidence, co-drafted and co-signed by all progressive parties, without divisions or rivalry. The goal is clear: to remove this government as soon as possible and establish a progressive path forward.”
Similarly, members of the New Left have stressed the importance of a unified opposition, calling for a joint proposal signed by PASOK, SYRIZA, New Left, and Plefsi Eleftherias (Course to Freedom).
Related: Tempi Train Disaster: Expert Report Points to Possible Flammable Substance