Greece’s PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis denied a coverup of the railway disaster at Tempi in 2023 that claimed the lives of 57 people during an interview on Alpha TV on Wednesday.
Following the mass protests in Athens and other cities in Greece and abroad in the weekend he admitted that it was premature of him to stress soon after the accident that the freight train which collided with the passenger train was not carrying anything suspicious.
“I had been assured by those involved: Hellenic Train, in response to a parliamentary question, the Fire Department, and OSE that there was no suspicious cargo on the train. A year later, however, I stated that all possibilities remain open. So, I am just as interested in finding out whether there was something illegal,” he added.
When asked what the government would do if it were proven that something illegal and flammable was on the train, he replied: “I will turn the world upside down to ensure that this never happens again. And unfortunately, this is not the only case. Because this issue is particularly sensitive—if what you say is accurate, and if even one person died who could have been saved—I will do exactly what I just told you.”
When asked if he had been misled, he replied: “They told me what they themselves knew. I will not use such an expression. We said what we knew at the time. Over time, this discussion intensified, and we still do not have a clear answer…One expert might say one thing, while another might say something else. I am not a scientist, I am not a chemist, and I am not the one who can form an opinion on this issue. But I do know that I, too, want to learn the truth.”
Mitsotakis denies Tempi coverup, blames justice for being slow
Responding to criticism that “the government is not handling this issue correctly” and to those accusing it of “a cover-up,” the Prime Minister noted that he has also heard criticism that “justice is moving too slowly.”
Mitsotakis stated that the judiciary has proceeded at its own pace but is certain to leave no question unanswered.
“I would also like to refer to statements made by relatives and parents who have said that the investigating judge is right to address all the questions posed by the victims’ families and their lawyers. However, I believe we are now reaching the conclusion of this process, and, you know, I think that after the parents, I am the one who wants to know the truth the most.
“And I don’t think anyone can claim to be more traumatized, saddened, or outraged by this case than I am. This, then, concerns the handling of the matter by the judiciary itself,” he stressed.
The Prime Minister emphasized that only the judiciary can provide answers, adding that the government had given the courts access to all of those involved mobile phones.
“There are multiple expert reports on the key unanswered question: what happened at the moment of the collision, and how can we explain the explosion that everyone has seen?” he continued, underscoring: “Therefore, to address discussions about a ‘cover-up’ or a ‘government trying to sweep things under the rug’—we would not have taken these actions, nor would we have established an independent organization with European support.”
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