Tempe rail crash to dominate this week’s political scene
The Tempe train collision in February 2023, which killed 57 people and the possible responsibilities of political figures will dominate the agenda this week, as the findings of a parliamentary committee are discussed in the plenary.
Concerns about a state of impunity have also risen after the recommendation of a prosecutor that the main suspect in the case of a 12-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted and pimped to dozens of clients, should be acquitted of the main charge or rape.
Tempe train crash
The findings of a House committee probe into the Tempe train crash will be debated and voted on in the parliament’s plenary on Wednesday.
The cross-party committee looking into the causes of the deadly train collision in central Greece in February 2023, which claimed 57 lives and left scores injured, concluded its sessions on Monday with each party submitting its respective findings.
The report that will be debated is the conclusions of the ruling Conservatives, with opposition parties accusing the government of trying to cover up its responsibilities for the tragedy by limiting the number of witnesses called and the scope of the inquiry.
The atmosphere has been further charged by the European Public Prosecutor’s statements who underlined that the country’s legal framework that grants ministers full immunity blocks investigations and prevents the truth from being found.
“We have brought criminal proceedings against 23 public officials and, in accordance with the stipulations of the Greek constitution, we have not been able to conduct the investigation against former ministers who are possible suspects in the case,” Laura Kövesi, who heads the EPPO, told Kathimerini in an interview last week.
Before the parliamentary debate, the train crash will be discussed on Monday at the European Parliament’s Committee on petitions.
Kolonos case
The trial of the defendants in the case of the serial rape and prostitution of a 12-year-old girl is set to continue.
Last week the prosecutor recommended the acquittal of the 55-year-old Ilias Michos, the main suspect in the case for the charges of rape and coercive pimping, citing insufficient evidence. The prosecutor’s recommendation caused public uproar with thousands of people taking to the streets to protest.
Middle East
Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis will be in Brussels on Monday, where he will take part at the Foreign Affairs Council, with the wars in Middle East and Ukraine being at the top the agenda.
The European Foreign Ministers will discuss the issues, via videoconference, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Over the weekend, the first vessel delivering aid to the battered Gaza Strip has fully unloaded food, water and supplies at the starving enclave, inaugurating a humanitarian sea corridor from Cyprus. A second ship is loaded in the port of Larnaca and efforts and diplomatic talks will carry on this week in order to increase humanitarian aid, as famine is looming.
