The first meeting of the parliamentary investigation committee into former government official Christos Triantopoulos concluded today, with the government majority rejecting a proposal to form a proportionally representative presiding board. As a result, all positions of the committee leadership were filled by members of the ruling New Democracy party.

As a reminder, the parliamentary investigation committee was established in order to examine potential offenses committed by Christos Triantopoulos, who was Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister at the time of the Tempe train disaster. He is allegedly involved in the backfiling of the wreckage site which led to losing crucial evidence for the Tempe case.

The committee’s initial session, chaired by the President of Parliament, Nikitas Kaklamanis, was focused on electing a presiding board. However, the government majority refused to adopt a proportionally representative presiding board, which would have seen opposition members take roles like vice president or secretary. Instead, the government justified its decision using an opinion from the Scientific Committee, which supported a one-party presiding board.

Opposition parties’ reaction

Opposition parties, including SYRIZA, PASOK, KKE, New Left, and Greek Solution, had called for a proportional panel to ensure a more balanced and objective investigation. They argued that this approach would help safeguard the fairness of the process. PASOK MP Nadia Giannakopoulou and SYRIZA MP Thanasis Gavrilos both emphasised the need to focus on the substance of the investigation rather than strictly adhering to legal frameworks.

Meanwhile, according to reports by Open TV, the entire opposition has strongly criticised the government, arguing that New Democracy MPs are reluctant participants in the investigation. Some are reportedly dissatisfied after being overlooked for ministerial positions, while others fear they will be scapegoated for a potential failure at the parliamentary level—particularly following Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ remark that the initial parliamentary inquiry into Tempe was “not the finest moment of Parliament.”

Outcome of the vote

The committee’s presiding board was overwhelmingly dominated by New Democracy members:

  • President: Panagiotis Kappatos

  • Vice President: Maria Kefala

  • Secretary: Alexandros Markogiannakis

With 14 votes in favour and 13 abstentions, the proposal for a government-controlled presidium passed.
The next meeting of the committee will take place on Thursday, where members will discuss the procedures for the investigation and begin working on a shared list of witnesses.

______________________________________________

Are you seeking news from Greece presented from a progressive, non-mainstream perspective? Subscribe monthly or annually to support TPP International in delivering independent reporting in English. Don’t let Greek progressive voices fade.

Make sure to reference “TPP International” and your order number as the reason for payment.