05.03.2025 23:00
In Greece, a motion of no confidence has been submitted against Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' government by lawmakers from the main opposition center-left PASOK party and other leftist parties. A confidence vote for the Mitsotakis government will take place on Friday.
A motion of no confidence was submitted against Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' government by lawmakers from the main opposition center-left PASOK party and other leftist parties due to the deadly train accident in Greece in 2023. The motion was signed by 85 lawmakers, and a confidence vote for the Mitsotakis government is expected to take place on Friday.
'EVIDENCE WAS COVERED UP' CLAIM
Lawmakers claimed that the government has evaded responsibility for the accident, failed to address critical safety deficiencies, and covered up evidence, stating that "the government has lost the support of the public." The Mitsotakis government, however, rejected all allegations and stated that it expects to receive a vote of confidence due to holding 156 seats in the 300-seat parliament.
"THREATENING GREECE'S INTERNAL POLITICAL STABILITY"
In a speech in parliament, Mitsotakis stated that the opposition's claims "threaten Greece's internal political stability in a time of international turmoil," and added, "As a government, we will modernize the railway network managed by the state enterprise by 2027 and will sign a contract with a foreign company to take over its maintenance."
REPORT HIGHLIGHTED VIOLATIONS
The passenger train carrying 352 people from Athens to Thessaloniki collided head-on with a freight train in the Tempi region on the night of February 28 to March 1, 2023. It was revealed that the accident, which resulted in the deaths of 57 people, occurred due to negligence. Following the accident, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis resigned. A report published yesterday by the Hellenic Authority for Railways and Accident Safety and Investigation (HARSIA) indicated serious personnel shortages in Greece's railway system, a lack of appropriate safety measures, and critical level violations spanning years. The judicial investigation related to the accident is expected to be completed by the end of this year.