The ruling New Democracy (ND) party in Greece has submitted a proposal recommending the that former Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Kostas Ach. Karamanlis, be referred to a prelliminary investigation committee of the parliament, but only for the misdemeanour of "breach of duty." This concerns his handling of railway safety in the lead-up to the tragic train crash at Tempe, which claimed 57 lives and left dozens injured. ND’s proposal limits Karamanlis’ possible liability to administrative omissions during his term from September 2021 to February 2023, particularly the alleged failure to ensure adequate funding and staffing for the state railway operator, OSE. This limited scope has sparked fierce criticism from victims’ families and opposition parties.

Victims’ relatives react

Maria Karystianou, who lost her daughter in the crash, accused the ruling party of “whitewashing” and “abuse of power”, stating: “He played, and we lost the embrace of our children forever.” She claims Karamanlis knew about the critical lack of train remote control systems, despite large sums allocated under the infamous Contract 717.

Karystianou also criticised Karamanlis for assuring Parliament shortly before the crash that the railway network was safe – despite reportedly being aware of systemic problems and risks. She denounced ND’s handling of the matter as an attempt to shield Karamanlis and others from criminal accountability, calling out MPs who, in her view, are complicit in ensuring that only lesser offences are investigated.

Nikos Plakias, who lost his twin daughters in the disaster, launched a scathing attack on New Democracy’s proposal to investigate former minister Kostas Karamanlis only for a misdemeanour. “Karamanlis should have already been convicted,” he declared, arguing that in any functioning state of law, accountability would have been swift and firm. Plakias accused the government of “burying” not just the memory of the victims, but also the truth – first to protect Prime Minister Mitsotakis’s image ahead of elections, and now to shield Karamanlis, a key figure within ND. He expressed outrage that while multiple subordinates of Karamanlis face felony charges, the minister himself is treated as if blameless.

“When everyone under him is being prosecuted, how can the one in charge walk free?” he asked.

He criticised ND MPs for ignoring the 90-page case file, which he says contains clear indications of felony-level negligence.

Plakias also took aim at PASOK for acting prematurely in calling for a limited inquiry, arguing that a proper investigation should only begin once the full case file is complete – and should include all political figures potentially involved.

PASOK calls for felony charges

Meanwhile, PASOK is calling for a broader investigation into potential felony charges against Karamanlis and several other former ministers and deputy ministers from both ND and SYRIZA. The party’s request includes figures such as Christos Spirtzis, Michalis Papadopoulos, and others who held positions relevant to rail infrastructure and the 717 contract. PASOK cites possible crimes including endangering public transport safety, criminal negligence, and even manslaughter with possible intent.

According to PASOK, Parliament should establish a Spreliminary investigation committee under Article 86 of the Constitution and other relevant laws to examine these potential felonies.

ND’s position: Limits of ministerial responsibility

In its proposal ND argues that ministerial accountability should be evaluated narrowly. It stresses that the Ministry’s supervision over railway companies like OSE and ERGOSE was administrative, while safety oversight falls under the jurisdiction of the independent Rail Regulatory Authority (RAS).

ND also highlights that both RAS and the European Union Agency for Railways had issued safety certificates to OSE and Hellenic Train, asserting that on the day of the crash, all necessary legal safety conditions were met.

Regarding former Minister Christos Spirtzis, ND argues that any alleged offences tied to him fall outside the scope of prosecution, due to statutory limitations that were in place before the 2019 constitutional revision.

ND further contends that the criminal responsibility attributed to ministry officials in the case – such as directors who failed to inform the minister or propose specific safety measures – cannot automatically extend to Karamanlis. According to criminal law principles, personal culpability cannot be transferred between superiors and subordinates.

No evidence of deliberate or gross negligence, days ND

ND concludes that the documentation submitted by the investigating magistrate does not support accusations of deliberate interference with railway operations, nor do they suggest acts such as sabotage, alteration of signals, or other serious endangerments as defined by the relevant Penal Code article on public transport safety (Article 291).

Moreover, ND argues that political and criminal responsibilities must be clearly separated. Unless there’s evidence of corruption or financial mismanagement, it states, the only potentially applicable charge against a minister would be breach of official duty.

Still, ND maintains that although it sees no strong evidence against Karamanlis, it won’t obstruct justice. It supports the formation of a special parliamentary committee, acknowledging that some questions raised by ministry staff depositions may merit further legal examination.

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