Markopoulos reiterated his readiness to apologise for any missteps, lamenting what he described as political vilification and labelling it as “political cannibalism.”

He highlighted the challenges the committee encountered. He went on to acknowledge the profound sorrow and distress of the affected families, yet he criticized the depiction of committee members as figurative monsters by some critics.

He criticized certain factions for treating the investigation into the train crash as an opportunity for retribution, accusing them of indulging in irrationality and conspiracy theories. He also addressed those suddenly appealing for European intervention, reminding them of their previous desire to distance Greece from Europe in 2015, while he and others strived for unity. “In this chamber, no one has a monopoly on grief; we are all affected,” Markopoulos asserted.

Zoe Konstantopoulou, the president of the Course of Freedom party, sharply rebuked, accusing the New Democracy MP of deflecting blame onto the victims. Markopoulos countered, questioning her exclusive claim to grief and labelling her a “merchant of pain.” He broadened his critique, suggesting that grief was not confined to any single political spectrum, and directly attacked Konstantopoulou, calling her a “political hooligan” and accusing her of disrespecting the parliamentary space.

In response, Konstantopoulou condemned Markopoulos’s statements as “disgraceful,” accusing him of resorting to insults and aggressive tactics.

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