The political parties SYRIZA, PASOK, KKE, and the New Left staged a walkout from the meeting of the parliamentary investigating committee into the handling of the Tempe train disaster, accusing the government of manipulating the process to avoid a thorough investigation. The opposition parties condemned the ruling majority for rejecting their request to summon additional witnesses before hearing from former Deputy Minister Christos Triantopoulos, effectively curtailing the inquiry before it even properly began.

Opposition walkout over witness rejections

The walkout occurred ahead of a vote on summoning Triantopoulos, a proposal put forward by MPs from the ruling New Democracy party. The government majority had earlier dismissed opposition requests to call other key witnesses first, including PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis. As a result, all opposition parties—except for the Spartans and Course of Freedom—chose to abstain from the vote, citing the ruling party’s “anti-democratic” approach. Ultimately, Triantopoulos is set to appear before the committee on Monday, 24 March, solely on the basis of votes from the government MPs.

Triantopoulos had previously requested that the case concerning the alleged cover-up of evidence at the Tempe crash site be sent directly to the judicial council, bypassing the parliamentary inquiry altogether. This move had already sparked outrage among opposition parties, who accused the government of shielding PM Mitsotakis from scrutiny.

SYRIZA: “A complete mockery of the constitution and the law”

SYRIZA MPs Vasilis Kokkalis and Giorgos Gavrilos denounced the proceedings, stating, “This is a complete mockery of the Constitution and the law. The ruling party refused to summon the witnesses we proposed, including the PM, and even denied access to the Tempe case file from the prosecutor’s office in Larissa. Instead, they are selectively calling Mr Triantopoulos while ignoring legal procedures. We refuse to participate in this pretence of an inquiry.”

KKE: “Another government cover-up of the Tempe crime”

Greek Communist Party MP Nikos Karathanasopoulos accused the government of orchestrating yet another cover-up regarding the causes and accountability for the Tempe train disaster. He highlighted the government’s efforts to limit the scope of the inquiry to minor offences, ignoring the larger issue of why two trains were allowed to travel on the same track, leading to the fatal crash.

He argued that beyond investigating Triantopoulos for dereliction of duty, the inquiry should also examine potential obstruction of justice (a more serious offence under Greek law). Karathanasopoulos further asserted that PM Mitsotakis should be held accountable for his interventions in the judicial process, including a letter he sent to Greece’s Supreme Court prosecutor on 6 March, 2023, which could be interpreted as undue influence.

Karathanasopoulos warned that the government’s real goal is to prematurely shut down the inquiry to prevent crucial witnesses, experts, and officials from testifying, thereby burying evidence. He also criticised the current legal framework, which he claimed provides excessive protection for government ministers, allowing them to escape accountability. He called for the abolition of Article 86 of the Greek Constitution, which governs ministerial responsibility and often leads to lenient treatment of political figures.

New Left: “Mitsotakis’ tactics undermine constitutional legitimacy”

Dimitris Tzanakopoulos, representing the New Left, accused the PM of undermining constitutional legitimacy. “Today’s session confirmed our worst fears. The supposed self-criticism by Mitsotakis regarding the Tempe investigation was nothing more than a sham. Instead of allowing a proper inquiry, the government is accelerating the cover-up, effectively dismantling constitutional oversight.”

He went on to criticise the committee’s chairman, New Democracy MP Mr. Kappatos, for overseeing what he described as a “pre-planned shutdown” of the committee’s work.

“No witnesses are being heard, no documents are being reviewed, no investigative actions are being taken. This deliberate obstruction could even lead to the cancellation of the criminal prosecution. The government MPs on the committee have acted as mere executors of Mitsotakis’ plan. Their role in this cover-up makes them politically complicit—and potentially legally liable. More developments will follow.”

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