Costas Karamanlis Referred to the Criminal Court: The Triantopoulos Model Applied

The government’s decision to refer former Transport Minister Costas Karamanlis directly to the criminal court, following the ‘Triantopoulos model,’ marks a significant development in investigating potential criminal liabilities linked to the Tempi train disaster. This approach was determined after an extensive investigation by special prosecutor Sotiris Mpakamis, who examined evidence implicating both former Infrastructure and Transport Ministers Christos Spiritis and Costas Karamanlis. The detailed dossier has been forwarded to Parliament under laws governing ministerial responsibility. Parliament will now examine potential criminal liabilities for inadequate oversight of railway safety agencies and the failure to implement modernization projects, including telecontrol systems and staffing shortages. For the government, this is a delicate process requiring careful handling to avoid accusations of cover-ups while preventing opposition exploitation for political gain. New Democracy (ND) lawmakers will review the voluminous dossier, and if they find evidence of offenses, the government majority may propose the ‘Triantopoulos model’ to send the case directly to justice. This would involve forming a Pre-Investigative Committee where Karamanlis could request trial by his natural judge—a move he is expected not to oppose. Following committee meetings, the majority would draft a resolution referring Karamanlis to the Judicial Council, which determines if an extraordinary court should be convened. Whether ND itself proposes the Pre-Investigative Committee depends on the nature of any offenses alleged by PASOK or other opposition parties. Government sources stress they won’t obstruct justice, echoing the precedent set with Christos Triantopoulos. However, there are warnings that delaying parliamentary investigations could lead to statute expirations post-October, potentially erasing Karamanlis’s liabilities. High-ranking officials from the Ministry of Transport, dismissed before Easter, have implicated both former ministers in neglecting safety oversight and failing to implement critical agreements like contract 717. Internal memos sent in September 2021 warned Karamanlis about infrastructure decay and staff shortages impacting railway safety.