Greek parliament begins discussing no-confidence motion submitted by opposition PASOK party

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – Greece’s parliament began discussing a no-confidence motion late Tuesday submitted by the social democratic PASOK party.

Addressing the plenary session on the first day of discussions on the motion, which will last for three days, PASOK’s leader Nikos Androulakis asserted that the government led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis tried to cover up its responsibility over the Tempi train crash last February which killed 57 people.

By doing so, the government undermined the credibility of state institutions and discredited politics in the eyes of the public, he added.

“This time, Mitsotakis has no choice but to come here to apologize. He will apologize for the actions of his government, for the crime of Tempe and for everything else that offends the rule of law and institutions in our country,” Androulakis said.

Responding on behalf of the government, State Minister Makis Voridis maintained that Androulakis represents the interests of a specific media group in reference to recent leaks by the To Vima daily which claimed that recordings regarding the tragic accident were edited to cover up the responsibility of the government.

“Some powerful interest circles want to topple the government, and this is not the first time,” he said, accusing the PASOK leader of taking advantage of people’s pain.

Speaking for main opposition SYRIZA party, lawmaker Nikos Pappas recalled that the party has already urged the government to resign over the “unpreceded level of violations of the rule of law in the country.”

“Snap elections under the monitor of international observers are the only solution,” he said.

Zoe Konstantopoulou, the leader of the Course of Freedom party and co-signer of the motion along with PASOK and SYRIZA, underlined that her party "supports and endorses the censure motion against the government, demanding justice, accountability and an end to impunity."

“This is what the families of the 57 victims, the injured and society are clamoring for, demanding an investigation into the Tempi crime for which the government is responsible,” she said.

On Feb. 28, 2023, a passenger train collided head-on with a freight train near the town of Tempi in northern Greece.

The official death toll stands at 57, including many university students and nine traincrew members