ND issued a statement declaring, “His comments are not reflective of our party’s principles and values and, thus, have no place within our ranks.”

Tamilos, previously representing New Democracy in the Trikala prefecture, drew ire for his insensitive comments condemning the presence of the Tempi victims’ parents at the March 25 parade in Trikala. He trivialized the tragedy by comparing it to the total deaths in the area, remarking, “1977 people from Trikala died in 2023, three of them children… The city won’t mourn for all of them… Life goes on.”

His remarks, broadcast by Trikalanews.gr, fell under heavy criticism for their lack of empathy towards the bereaved families.

“Each person has their own issues. Some are searching for a job… Others, they lose a child, a wife, etc. These individuals should personally seek out the relevant authorities or the courts where necessary. It’s unreasonable to expect society to share your personal grief. Is there not life beyond this for others? Are the entirety of Trikala to be preoccupied with this matter?” the former ND MP cynically noted.

“No family will be saved by Mitsotakis, Androulakis, or anyone for that matter… It’s up to the relatives alone to uncover the truth. This situation will also come to an end, and life will continue… let’s not overstate the significance of the no-confidence motion,” he remarked, referring to the government’s no-confidence vote as merely a “theater of impressions.”

Tamilos further dismissed the motion of no confidence against the government as mere “theatrics,” downplaying the ongoing struggle of the victims’ families for justice and accountability.

Syriza has urged New Democracy to condemn Tamilos’ “brutally insulting” statements explicitly, stressing that an apology alone is insufficient. He welcomed the expulsion of Tamilos as a necessary step for ND, stressing the scrutiny they keep falling under for their handling of the Tempe tragedy aftermath.

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