Fierce Debate in Parliament Over Pre-Investigation for Tempy Tragedy: Karamanlis’ Speech and Mitsotakis’ Stance

With the relatives of the victims of the national tragedy of Tempy present in the parliamentary gallery, and with political tensions running high, the Greek Parliament convened today, Wednesday, June 18th, to discuss three proposals regarding the referral to a Pre-Investigative Committee and subsequently to the Judicial Council of former Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis, Christos Spiridis, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and 11 other politicians. The speeches on forming the Pre-Investigative Committee for the Tempy railway disaster will begin at 9:00 AM and continue until 9:00 PM. Following this, a vote will take place involving 14 ballots, one for each accused individual. Based on parliamentary majorities, it is estimated that the proposal by New Democracy (ND), which seeks the referral of only the former Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis, will pass. Reactions have been mixed, with some accusing ND of an attempt to cover up the truth while others emphasize the need for justice. During his speech, Karamanlis is expected to declare his innocence and request a referral to clear his name. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has decided to address the parliament, aiming for a formal and restrained tone. Additionally, former Prime Ministers Antonis Samaras and Kostas Karamanlis engaged in a heated debate during a book presentation, criticizing each other’s foreign policy stances.