Karamanlis: I will not hide behind any parliamentary immunity, whoever has proof bring them – His speech in Parliament

The former Minister of Transport opened his papers to the House on Tembis in the debate on the anti-government opposition parties. Kostas Karamanlis began his speech saying that “I would like to bend down with total respect to the memory of those who were lost in Tempi, but also to all those who were in the cars on the fatal night and their families. None of us, let alone me, can feel pain and emptiness of their loss. Absolute respect means conscious abstinence from the exploitation of human suffering and there is no one in the room who wishes the truth to shine more than me.” The Tempes tragedy becomes a daily subject of micro-party exploitation (…) We never sought the natural extermination of our political opponents, in cases like those with the tragedies with Mandra and the Eye” The opposition accuses me of having contract 717 completed in September 2023 and not earlier. When did the contract have to be completed? In 2016. After we’ve been able to pull it off, we’ve completed it. This New Republic government. If some were delayed they were the ones responsible in 2016-2017-2018 (…) If the government of the New Democracy interrupted 717 the Greek public would return money (…) There were many fatal mistakes, not one, unfortunately (…) On fateful night there was accumulation of errors.” We would not only have completed work, we would not have signaling and telemanagement but not even a contract. Decide what’s wrong with the government and talking. The contract has been completed or the contract has not been completed and both cannot apply. Just to be clear. When it came to my hands the contract had to go on and finish it. Because otherwise I’d face the audit conference. As of October, I had asked those who criticised me to request a pre-interrogation committee, to draw up a specific indictment and come here to see if and how much basis it has. Here, not in the folk courts. The fateful night was an accumulation of mistakes. And there was a confession. You accuse me of cover-up while I resigned immediately. I took political responsibility. See live You think I don’t hurt like any Greek? How am I not considering the drama these families are going through? Wouldn’t I do anything to make these people live? From the first moment I was both the Prime Minister at the point of tragedy. We didn’t play theater like others in Matty. I resigned immediately, which is unusual for political things in our day. I can’t say we did everything right. The opposition who attacked from the first moment. They attacked Serres, too. They said I wanted the seat to have parliamentary immunity while they know that doesn’t matter. I have no political immunity for the Tempes. We should all be aware that the issue of the Temples falls under Article 86 of the Constitution. Your goal is not me, it is Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his government. It’s the New Democracy government. Fifty years after the establishment of our party that established the Republic, this party will not hand the country over to the lobbyists of interests. I look you in the eye, with absolute respect for the memory of the people who have been lost. Anyone who has proof against me can bring them.