Greek government survives no-confidence motion over deadly train crash

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – The Greek government survived a non-confidence motion late Friday concerning the Tempi train crash in September 2003, which killed 57 victims.

In voting that followed a three-day discussion in parliament, 157 lawmakers -- 156 of the ruling New Democracy party and one independent -- voted against the motion, while 136, all from opposition parties, voted in favor.

The motion was submitted earlier this week by the leftist opposition parties of Pasok, Syriza, New Left and Course of Freedom as well as nine lawmakers, following a series of revelations and findings by the National Organization for the Investigation of Railway Accidents regarding the crash that exposed numerous defects in the country's railway system.

Since the accident, the opposition has maintained that the government has systematically tried to cover up its failures.