Today was the first day in the highly anticipated pre-trial investigation into former Deputy Minister Christos Triantopoulos in connection with the Tempi train disaster of March 2023.
Christos Triantopoulos, who resigned when the investigation was voted on, maintained his innocence during the committee’s first hearing, offering his defense not in person, but through a one-page memorandum. “I repeat for the umpteenth time that I am innocent and did not commit any criminal or illegal act of breach of duty or any other, on 3 to 6-3-2023 or at any other time,” he declared.
Fractious interventions came from the opposition parties, with both SYRIZA and PASOK raising concerns over the procedural integrity of the investigation.
SYRIZA took issue with the fact that Triantopoulos’ memorandum was being presented before any witnesses were called to testify. They argued that such a process violated constitutional principle.
“It is not possible to hear the memorandum of the person under investigation before the witnesses testify. We ask that the request for the witnesses to appear be put to a vote. Otherwise, the procedure violates the Constitution, the Ministerial Liability Law and the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament,” stated SYRIZA representatives. They contended that the decision to proceed with the memorandum reading before witness testimonies would undermine the foundation of the investigation, potentially making the entire process invalid.
PASOK echoed this sentiment, arguing that the failure to allow a vote on calling witnesses was an attempt to bypass due process. They requested the investigation call further witnesses, including Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Minister of Foreign Affairs Giorgos Gerapetritis.
PASOK also described Triantopoulos’ move to send a brief memorandum instead of appearing before the committee, as “raw expediency and cowardice.”
“If the government majority believes that Mr Triantaopoulos has no responsibility, as he himself claims, but nevertheless decides to prosecute him, then an abuse of power is being committed,” PASOK stated, also calling for the examination of further evidence before proceeding with Triantopoulos’ defense.
In a related development, Maria Karystianou, president of the Tempi Victims’ Association, presented a list of 17 individuals she believes should be called to testify, including Prime Minister Mitsotakis, former Deputy Minister of Transport Michalis Papadopoulos, and several former ministers. She stated that investigation into Triantopoulos has been limited and does not fully address the larger systemic issues behind the train disaster.
Karystianou expressed her frustration with the investigation, alleging that “The aforementioned actions, which are under criminal investigation [..] which resulted in “the blocking” of the truth about the circumstances of the accident and the mechanism of death of the victims, one of which was my beloved daughter Maria, establish criminal responsibility,”
As the investigation unfolded, the committee chairman, Panagis Kappatos, aligned with the New Democracy majority’s stance, accepting Triantopoulos’ memorandum without allowing a vote on witness testimonies. This move was met with strong reactions from opposition parties, who withdrew from the session in protest.
SYRIZA’s Giorgos Papailiou condemned the decision, accusing the government of deliberately obstructing the investigation and promoting a political cover-up. “It is obvious that the ruling majority is promoting and completing the cover-up operation, which continues and is being completed, not through methodologies, but by wanting it that way,” he stated.
The investigation is set to resume on April 7.
