Former Deputy Minister Christos Triantopoulos has requested to bypass the parliamentary investigative committee and have his case regarding the Tempe train crash directly referred to the judiciary, citing fears of political bias. While the government defends his move as a step toward impartial justice, opposition parties condemn it as an attempt to avoid accountability. Some of them argue that bypassing the committee undermines constitutional procedures. Tempe victims’ families’ advocate, Maria Karystianou, called it a "cowardly move" to evade the truth.

Former Deputy Minister to the PM and MP Christos Triantopoulos has requested that his case regarding the alleged cover-up at the Tempe train crash site be referred directly to the judiciary, bypassing the parliamentary investigative committee. In a letter to the committee, he emphasized his innocence and argued that in the current climate of political polarization, any committee findings would be contested and could unfairly damage his reputation. He insisted that only an independent judiciary, rather than a politically influenced committee, should assess the case.

As a reminder, the parliamentary investigation committee was established in order to examine Triantopoulos’ involvement in the backfiling of the wreckage site which led to losing crucial evidence for the Tempe case.

Government’s defense of Triantopoulos’ decision

Government Minister Akis Skertsos defended Triantopoulos’ decision, stating that “a clear conscience fears nothing” and that the legal process should be transparent without political interference or public trials. He added that courage is needed to ensure such tragedies never happen again.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also endorsed Triantopoulos’ move, calling it “a bold step with no modern precedent.” He argued that this decision ensures an impartial judicial review, free from “toxic political disputes.” Mitsotakis went on to criticize the opposition, claiming they had “pre-judged both Triantopoulos’ supposed guilt and an alleged government cover-up” despite the evidence. He challenged them to support this judicial process rather than “hide behind technicalities and excuses.”

Mitsotakis links case to constitutional reform

Furthermore, Mitsotakis linked this case to his broader push for constitutional reform, specifically revisiting Article 86, which governs ministerial accountability. He highlighted past efforts to separate legal prosecution from political conflicts, emphasizing the need to “restore public trust in the political system” by further limiting Parliament’s role in prosecuting ministers.

Government blocks cross-party leadership in parliamentary inquiry

Before Triantopoulos’ request, political tensions escalated when the ruling New Democracy party rejected opposition demands for a cross-party presiding board in the investigative committee. Opposition MPs condemned the decision, arguing that it compromised the committee’s neutrality and signaled the government’s reluctance to ensure a fair and transparent process.

Opposition parties condemn Triantopoulos’ move

The opposition strongly criticized Christos Triantopoulos’ decision to bypass the parliamentary investigative committee and go directly to the judiciary, calling it a government attempt to shield PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis and avoid political accountability.

PASOK: Government manipulating legal procedures

PASOK argued that Triantopoulos should be referred based on constitutional and legal procedures, not in a way that serves New Democracy’s political strategies. They reminded that their initial call for an inquiry was dismissed by the government as political exploitation. They also pointed out the inconsistency of the government, which had previously protected former Minister Kostas Karamanlis—serving as Minister of Infrastructure and Transport at the time of the Tempe disaster—from investigation.

SYRIZA: A “one-day inquiry” to avoid scrutiny

SYRIZA claimed that Mitsotakis orchestrated a “one-day inquiry” to avoid testifying as a witness. They accused the government of trying to silence parliamentary scrutiny and ensure that crucial witnesses are not examined. According to them, Triantopoulos is merely following orders, and the real goal is to block a thorough investigation into the Tempe tragedy.

Kostas Arvanitis, MEP for SYRIZA, stressed that the special parliamentary committee must fulfill its duty as an investigative body by examining witnesses, gathering documents and evidence, and exercising its full authority as prescribed by law. He argued that the committee does not have the discretion to refer Triantopoulos directly to the judicial council, regardless of his personal wishes.

“We will not allow any circle of Mr. Mitsotakis’ trusted allies to attempt to erode every notion of institutional correctness and constitutional legality, or to crudely undermine the rule of law in our country once again,” Arvanitis stressed.

KKE: An implicit admission of guilt

The Greek Communist Party (KKE) saw Triantopoulos’ request as an “implicit admission of guilt” and condemned what they called a rushed effort to shut down the inquiry before it even begins. They warned that avoiding parliamentary examination prevents the exposure of key evidence and shields not just Triantopoulos but also other officials from accountability.

New Left: Violating constitutional oversight

The New Left raised legal concerns, arguing that parliamentary oversight is constitutionally required before judicial proceedings. They questioned how the case could be properly prosecuted if Parliament does not first define the charges. They warned that if the investigative committee fails to fulfill its role, it could even be considered an abuse of power.

Karystianou criticizes Triantopoulos’ request: “A cowardly move to bypass the weakened investigative committee”

Maria Karystianou, President of the association of Tempe victims’ families, described Triantopoulos decision as “a cowardly move,” adding that it was motivated by a fear of the truth being revealed.

In her online post, Karystianou emphasized:

“They want to bypass even the weakened investigative committee to avoid a process of collecting evidence and calling witnesses, which could uncover even part of the truth.”

She condemned Triantopoulos for not respecting the millions of citizens who took to the streets to protest, calling out his arrogance for assuming that the public could not see through his maneuver.

She concluded with a strong message: “We will not allow this impunity to continue. Enough with the mockery!”

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