Τhe Greek government ignored calls by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) to take action against two former transport ministers for potential criminal liability in the fatal Tempi train crash of last year, according to a report this morning by Politico.
The report cites a letter sent by EPPO prosecutor Popi Papandreou last June 2 to the Greek authorities.
In Papandreou’s letter she wrote, “suspicions have arisen regarding alleged criminal offences committed by former members of the Greek Government…These alleged criminal offences regard breach of duty committed by the former Minister Christos Spirtzis and misappropriation committed by former Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis.”
The prosecutor said, “We ask for you (Greece) to take your own actions”.
Papandreou said to Politico that the case against Karamanlis involves, “‘the crime of misappropriation against the financial interests of the European Union and the Greek State, from which the damage caused exceeds a total of €120,000’ in relation to repairs and upgrades of rail signals and switches.”
The Politico report explains that according to Greek law, only the Parliament can conduct investigations into allegations of misconduct against former ministers, and that the “Greek government buried the case politically, however, by using its parliamentary majority to dismiss the need for an investigative committee.”
“The EPPO case file on Spirtzis and Karamanlis was referred to the Greek Supreme Court, and from there to the Greek Parliament…In November, Parliament considered whether to set up a preliminary investigative committee for former ministers, including Spirtzis and Karamanlis. The center-left Pasok party referred to EPPO’s findings during the debate and supported the idea. Ultimately, however, the proposal was rejected and the case was archived.”
EPPO has told Politico that the Greek constitution may contravene EU law and that the issue is widely known in the Commission, but it is unclear if anything will be done about it.
Following the train crash, Prime Minister Mitsotakis initially attributed the crash to “tragic human error,” which offended public opinion as independent investigations showed widespread knowledge that the Hellenic railway system was characterized by mismanagement and chronic operational and safety issues.
Since the crash, Spirtzis, who served under the left-wing government of Syriza and was reportedly in favor of opening an investigation into the crash, was not reelected. Karamanlis, meanwhile, resigned after the crash but was reelected in the northern Greece region of Serres.
The Tempi Train Crash
On February 23, 2023 at 11:21pm a head-on collision occurred between two trains in Greece in an area known as Tempi, which resulted in the deaths of at least 57 persons, most of which were students in their 20’s returning to Thessaloniki after a holiday weekend. It was the deadliest railway disaster in the history of Greece.
The accident occurred 27 km north of Larissa when the InterCity62 passenger train heading from Athens to Thessaloniki left Larissa station a bit delayed on the southbound track, which was the same track that a freight train traveling from Thessaloniki to Athens was on.
According to statements by the Greek government, “tragic human error” played a key role in the crash when the stationmaster at Larissa, who was new to the job, allowed the train to travel on the wrong track and even pass through red stop signals.
The place where the accident occurred had double tracks and was equipped with automatic controls, but the process was still being managed manually and the stationmaster had ordered his assistant not to “turn the keys” which would have realigned the track and avoided the collision.
Source: tovima.com
Latest News
Piraeus Port Authority: Net Profits Exceed 70mln€ in Jan-Sep 2024
All indices rise in third quarter of 2024 compared to corresponding period of 2023
Layoffs in Greece on Par with Hires for September: ERGANI
The data is expected as the country's tourist season ended, resulting in an upswing in the number of employees departing as thousands of seasonal workers are left out of the job market
International Xinomavro Day: Honoring Greece’s Premier Grape on November 1st
This initiative was met with an enthusiastic response across Greece and has since been embraced internationally.
Greek Fin. Min. Hatzidakis: Tax Reductions Planned for 2025-2027
“We want to further reduce taxes, not because we want to be agreeable, but because we can,” said the minister.
Athens Metro Extends Weekend Hours to 2 a.m. on Lines 2 and 3
As part of the Strategic Transport Plan, the Athens Urban Transport Organization (OASA) is also preparing significant changes to city bus routes, set to be completed by May 2025.
Greece Needs Reforms for Ratings Upgrade
Fitch is expected to release its evaluation of the Greek economy on Nov. 22, with a possible scenario being an upgrade of the economy from “stable” to “positive”
EFKA Overhaul to Enable Online Access to Social Security Info
Greece's pension and social security system has been so bureaucratic and complex that some citizens hire consultants simply to understand their work credits and benefits.
Greek Authorities Issue Safety Tips After Spike in ‘Phishing’ Scams
According to the Ministry's announcement, unsuspecting citizens were being urged to visit a specific website to check for their so-called "unclaimed benefits"
Greek Construction: €5.3bln Investment in 4 Years, Says Alpha Bank Report
Alpha Bank underlines that despite these drawbacks, the construction building sector has shown positive performance since the beginning of the year, maintaining the growth trajectory of recent years
Faliro Delta Park Set for Construction After Securing Funds
The 54-hectare park to be constructed on the coastal front in Faliro near Athens is scheduled to be handed over to the public by 2028