Just over a year ago, two trains collided in Greece. 57 people died. The search for those responsible is ongoing – also in politics. The government has now rejected the request for a vote of no confidence.
The Greek parliament has rejected a vote of no confidence in the government of conservative Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. As the parliamentary presidency announced, 159 MPs voted against the opposition’s motion. 141 parliamentarians voted in favor. This means that the government under Mitsotakis remains in office. The social democratic party Pasok requested the vote of no confidence and was supported by all opposition parties.
The focus was on the serious train accident just over a year ago. At that time, a freight train collided with an Intercity near the central Greek city of Larisa. 57 people were killed. The Larisa station manager confessed to the judiciary that he had directed the Intercity onto the wrong track.
Allegation of tampering with evidence
The opposition accused the government of manipulating evidence. Immediately after the accident, radio conversations between the train drivers and a station master were leaked to the press, which were manipulated in such a way that the accident was solely due to mistakes by the responsible station manager, i.e. human error, was the accusation.
Representatives of the opposition parties complained that this was done to cover up deficiencies and omissions in the entire system of the Greek railways and those responsible in the Ministry of Transport. Prime Minister Mitsotakis admitted that the state also bears part of the blame for the poor functioning of the railway safety systems and the accident.
“But if the station manager had done his job correctly, the accident would not have occurred,” said the Greek head of government. The judiciary has determined this and that is why the station master is in custody. Mitsotakis also said, according to the AFP news agency, that there had “never been any instructions to conceal” political responsibility.
Judicial investigation open
The motion of no confidence introduced by the social democratic Pasok party was also supported by the other opposition parties. It was considered almost certain that he would fail because the conservative government had an absolute majority in parliament.
Shortly before the vote, demonstrators gathered in front of parliament and displayed, among other things, a banner that read “We forget nothing – We demand justice.”
The train accident late in the evening on February 28, 2023 shocked the country. Many of the victims were young people returning to college after a holiday. The investigation showed that the condition of the railway network was desolate and the safety precautions were poor. It is still unclear when the incident will be dealt with in court.