Parliament: Only ND MPs in the Preliminary Committee for Karamanlis – Stavros Keltsis as President

The presidency of the Committee investigating possible misconduct by former Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis regarding the Tempi train tragedy will be exclusively ‘blue’ and single-party. The ND MPs, who are members of the committee, rejected the opposition’s proposal for a bipartisan presidency. With 14 affirmative votes—all from ND members—Stavros Keltsis was elected president of the Preliminary Committee for Karamanlis, Konstantina Karampatsolee as vice-president, and Ioanna Lytrivi as secretary. The 12 opposition MPs voted ‘white.’ During the session to form the committee and elect its presidency, PASOK’s Milena Apostolaki reportedly requested a bipartisan presidency, arguing that while it may not be explicitly outlined in parliamentary rules, the gravity of the case and the extensive work required warrant objectivity and cooperation. However, Parliament Speaker Nikitas Kaklamanis stated that bipartisan presidencies for Preliminary Committees are neither prescribed by the parliamentary regulations nor supported by precedent. The next session is scheduled for Friday at 9 a.m., focusing on procedural issues.