Greece holding EU Commission transport portfolo criticised at home

Relatives of the victims of the deadly 2023 train accident in Greece have expressed their strong disagreement with the country holding the transport portfolio in the next European Commission.

In February 2023, 57 people, mainly university students, were killed in a train crash in Tempi. Since then, victims’ relatives have claimed that the government is trying to cover up the case, which is now being investigated by the judiciary. 

The “Tempi 2023” Accident Victims Association has expressed strong concerns about Greece holding the transport portfolio in the next Commission in a letter sent to the EU executive’s President, Ursula von der Leyen, and Roberta Metsola, President of the European parliament.

Apostolos Tzitzikostas, a close ally of right-wing Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, would be the one to helm the portfolio.

The President of the victim’s association denounced the choice of the Greek Commissioner-designate and that of Greek MEP Eliza Vozenberg as chair of the Transport Committee of the European Parliament during a meeting of the LEFT political group in Brussels, arguing that these choices aim to reduce accountability for the rail tragedy.

“What we want to stress is that these particular portfolios that are given to Greeks who are also members of the ruling party, for a case that is ongoing and concerns the government, is completely inappropriate,” Maria Karistianou whose 20 years old daughter died in the train crash told Euronews.

“We do not understand why, and we believe that there is also a conflict of interest.”

“What concerns us – perhaps it is well known – is that in Greece there is no rule of law. The people have no confidence in justice. I wish things were different. We hope that the Tempi case will be the beginning of changing this situation. And the European Public Prosecutor spoke about the big problem, which basically perpetuates corruption and does not allow us to have confidence in the judiciary, and that is the issue of the immunity of politicians.

“I would add, of course, the well-known fact that Supreme Court judges are appointed by the government. As you can see, the judiciary is too controlled to be able to really and effectively do its job,” she added.     

Eliza Vozenberg denied these allegations, telling Euronews that the case is being used by the opposition for political purposes.  

“Alas, we can’t leave any accusations that either I or Mr Tzitzikostas, if he is approved after the hearings, will assist the government in a cover-up or in a blackout of the data that must be made public. I am not claiming that the government is doing that either. There is an independent judiciary in our country,” the MEP told Euronews. 

The president of the “Tempi 2023” Association met in Brussels with both the Commissioner-designate and the chairwoman of the TRAN committee of the European Parliament to express the concerns of the relatives. She also met with the representatives of the democratic parties of the EP. 

The European Parliament will start the hearings of the Commissioners-designate to approve or reject them on 4 November.