ATHENS, Greece — A Greek opposition celebration Tuesday submitted a movement of no-confidence in opposition to the federal government, saying that it tried to cowl up its accountability over a lethal rail catastrophe final yr that shocked Greece.
The Socialist Pasok celebration challenged the federal government following a newspaper report suggesting that audio leaked to the information media of rail officers had been chosen selectively to misleadingly point out human error within the crash.
The three-day debate in parliament is because of finish with a vote late Thursday.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ center-right New Democracy celebration holds a cushty majority of 158 seats within the 300-member parliament, which means that the movement is unlikely to move. However it may improve stress on the federal government, whose critics accuse it of attempting to sidestep accountability for the circumstances of the crash.
The crash within the Tempi space of central Greece occurred on the evening of Feb. 28, 2023, when a passenger practice smashed into an oncoming cargo practice put onto the identical observe and heading in reverse instructions. It was Greece’s deadliest railway catastrophe. Lots of the 57 folks killed have been college college students heading again to class after a public vacation.
Renewed public consideration on the catastrophe has dented Mitsotakis’ majority in latest opinion polls, a bit of over 10 weeks earlier than the European Parliament election in June. The crash highlighted long-standing issues with Greece’s rail security monitoring methods, and kinfolk of the crash victims have been vocal in alleging a cover-up by the federal government of failures to implement safeguards that might have prevented the tragedy.
Nikos Androulakis, head of the center-left Pasok celebration, submitted the no-confidence movement on Tuesday following a Sunday newspaper publication that alleged that transcripts of conversations between the station supervisor and the practice driver leaked to the media within the instant aftermath of the crash had been closely edited.
“In each scandal, in each authorities failure, you make the political alternative to cover the reality, as a substitute of taking the tough street of accountability,” Androulakis stated in parliament as he submitted the movement.
To Vima newspaper stated that the leaked audio of the stationmaster’s dialog with the practice driver additionally contained unrelated conversations, which rendered it deceptive.
The principle opposition Syriza celebration, which is lefists, stated that it might again the no-confidence movement. Authorities officers Tuesday denied claims that they have been behind the leaks and described the parliamentary movement as a political stunt. ___
Derek Gatopoulos contributed to this report.
