A third postponement has been granted for the debate in the Parliament’s Ethics Committee on motions to lift the parliamentary immunity of Zoe Konstantopoulou, leader of the political party Plisi Eleftherias (Movement of Freedom). The motions relate to incidents connected to the ongoing trial in the Tempi case — a high-profile criminal investigation into the 2023 Tempi train crash that killed 57 people.
Postponement Requested Hours Before Hearing
The committee meeting had been scheduled for today, 18 June 2026. However, just hours before it was due to begin, Konstantopoulou declared a conflict of interest, citing her obligation to attend an event hosted by the Athens Bar Association. She formally requested the session be rescheduled to next Monday — a request the committee accepted.
Unusual Cross-Party Support for Delay
Her request received support not only from opposition members but also from three New Democracy MPs on the committee: Committee Chair Giorgos Georgantas, as well as Vasilis Oikonomou and Vangelis Liakos. In contrast, ND spokesperson Dimitris Kairidis opposed the delay, joined by the remaining six New Democracy members on the panel.
Three Separate Cases Under Review
The immunity-lift requests stem from three distinct legal files tied to alleged misconduct during proceedings in the Tempi trial:
First case: An incident reportedly occurring on 20 March 2026 at the Larissa Courthouse, following a complaint by a court clerk. According to the file, Konstantopoulou allegedly recorded audio or video using her mobile phone inside the clerk’s office. The complaint also references actions attributed to Panos Routsis, another figure linked to the Movement of Freedom.
Second case: A police officer filed a complaint alleging that Konstantopoulou filmed him without consent and later posted the footage on social media. This incident is also said to have taken place at the Larissa Courthouse.
Third case: Three police officers jointly filed complaints regarding an incident at the entrance of the Gaipolis campus of the University of Thessaly — where the main Tempi trial is being held. They allege Konstantopoulou recorded them without permission and published the material online.