Latest news with #NikosAndroulakis
Al Jazeera
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Greek government to face no-confidence vote over 2023 deadly train crash
Greek opposition parties have submitted a motion to trigger a no-confidence vote against the government over its handling of a deadly 2023 train crash, days after protesters brought the country to a standstill to press their demands for political accountability. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets across the country on Friday to mark the second anniversary of the crash, demanding justice for the victims. Fifty-seven people, mostly students, were killed in the disaster. Nikos Androulakis, the leader of the socialist PASOK party, said on Wednesday the motion was filed over the government's 'criminal incompetence'. Three left-wing parties supported the decision, including Syriza, New Left and Course of Freedom. The vote will be held on Friday. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, whose government holds 156 seats out of 300 in parliament and is expected to survive the motion, said it would threaten the country's political stability. 'I have an obligation to keep the country steady and safe in this uncertain climate,' Mitsotakis told parliament. He accused the opposition of spreading a 'storm' of misinformation. 'There never was a [cover-up],' Mitsotakis said, referring to the claims as a 'colourful collection of myths, fantasies and lies.' The rail crash occurred on February 28, 2023, when a train from Athens to Thessaloniki carrying more than 350 passengers collided with a freight train near the city of Larissa. The two trains had travelled towards each other on the same track for miles without triggering any alarms. The accident was blamed on faulty equipment and human error. Opposition parties said the government had ignored repeated signs and warnings that Greece's railways were underfunded and accident-prone. Relatives of the crash victims have also criticised the government for not initiating or supporting an inquiry into political responsibility. Last week, the Air and Rail Accident Investigation Authority (HARISA) reported that the crash was caused by chronic safety shortfalls that needed to be addressed to prevent a repeat. On Tuesday, parliament voted to launch an investigation into whether senior official Christos Triantopoulos, who went to the scene of the crash after the accident, authorised the bulldozing of the site, which led to the loss of crucial evidence. Triantopoulos, who resigned on Tuesday, dismissed all allegations and said he oversaw relief efforts. Despite the government refuting claims of a cover-up, opinion polls in the country have found that a large majority of Greeks believe that the government tried to hide evidence.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opposition tables censure motion against Greek government over deadly train crash
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek opposition parties challenged the country's center-right government on Wednesday with a censure motion in parliament over a fatal rail disaster which claimed 57 lives and left dozens injured. The move comes days after a general strike and mass protests, some of which escalated into violence, on the second anniversary of the Feb. 28, 2023 tragedy. Led by the main opposition Socialist party, the censure motion is backed by three smaller left-wing parties. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. A vote is expected late Friday, though it is unlikely to threaten the government, which holds 156 seats in the 300-member parliament. Many of the victims of the head-on collision between a passenger train and a freight train in northern Greece were university students returning from a long weekend holiday, making the disaster a deeply emotional issue. Unions called a general strike last week in support of the mass mobilization led by the victims' relatives. Critics say that politicians should be held accountable for failures that led up to the collision, but so far only rail officials have been charged with any crimes. Socialist party leader Nikos Androulakis on Wednesday accused the government of shielding officials from accountability for the tragedy. 'Why do you remain so unrepentant, continuing down this road of insults and arrogance?' Androulakis asked lawmakers. 'That's why we are submitting a motion of no confidence today.'
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Greek govt to face no-confidence vote over 2023 train tragedy
Four Greek opposition parties on Wednesday submitted a motion to trigger a no-confidence vote against the government over its handling of the country's worst rail tragedy in 2023, the head of the socialist party said. Pasok party leader Nikos Androulakis said the motion was filed over the conservative government's "criminal incompetence". Three leftist and left-wing parties -- Syriza, New Left and Course of Freedom -- supported the move. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who is certain to defeat the motion, has accused the opposition of peddling "nightmarish" lies about the accident that claimed 57 lives. "I have an obligation to keep the country steady and safe in this uncertain climate," the conservative leader, in power since 2019, told parliament earlier Wednesday as his lawmakers delivered a standing ovation. He accused his opponents of spreading a "storm" of misinformation and seeking to use the tragedy as a "battering ram" to sow discord and destabilise the country. "There never was a (cover-up)," Mitsotakis said, dismissing the claims as a "colourful collection of myths, fantasies and lies." Rival party leaders said the government had ignored repeated signs and warnings that Greece's railways were chronically underfunded and accident-prone. "You are both guilty and useless," Androulakis said. Sokratis Famellos, head of the leftist Syriza party, said Mitsotakis had a motive in covering up the tragedy as he was seeking re-election a few months later. "Society does not trust you. Society does not believe you. You have no legitimacy," Famellos said. "It is our obligation to overthrow this government," he said. Mitsotakis' ruling New Democracy party has 156 lawmakers in the 300-seat chamber, enough to survive the censure motion, expected to be held late Friday after a three-day debate. The rail disaster occurred on February 28, 2023, when a train from Athens to Thessaloniki carrying more than 350 passengers collided with a freight train near the central city of Larissa. The two trains had travelled towards each other on the same track for miles without triggering any alarms. The accident was blamed on faulty equipment and human error. Over 40 people have been prosecuted, including the local station master responsible for routing the trains, but a trial into the accident is not expected before the end of the year. Opinion polls show a large majority of Greeks believe the government tried to cover up evidence into the tragedy. On Tuesday, parliament voted to launch an investigation into whether a senior official dispatched by Mitsotakis to the scene after the accident authorised the bulldozing of the crash site, leading to the loss of vital evidence. The official, Christos Triantopoulos, resigned on Tuesday. He denies any wrongdoing and says he was overseeing relief efforts. Hundreds of thousands turned out at protest rallies nationwide during a general strike on Friday, the second anniversary of the tragedy, to demand justice for the victims, in one of the largest mobilisations recorded in Greece. Another protest will be held Wednesday. A previous parliamentary committee investigating the tragedy concluded last March without assigning blame to senior politicians. Critics noted that the committee, which was headed by a ruling party MP, had not interviewed key witnesses including Triantopoulos. jph/giv
The Independent
05-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Opposition tables censure motion against Greek government over deadly train crash
Greek opposition parties challenged the country's center-right government on Wednesday with a censure motion in parliament over a fatal rail disaster which claimed 57 lives and left dozens injured. The move comes days after a general strike and mass protests, some of which escalated into violence, on the second anniversary of the Feb. 28, 2023 tragedy. Led by the main opposition Socialist party, the censure motion is backed by three smaller left-wing parties. A vote is expected late Friday, though it is unlikely to threaten the government, which holds 156 seats in the 300-member parliament. Many of the victims of the head-on collision between a passenger train and a freight train in northern Greece were university students returning from a long weekend holiday, making the disaster a deeply emotional issue. Unions called a general strike last week in support of the mass mobilization led by the victims' relatives. Critics say that politicians should be held accountable for failures that led up to the collision, but so far only rail officials have been charged with any crimes. Socialist party leader Nikos Androulakis on Wednesday accused the government of shielding officials from accountability for the tragedy. 'Why do you remain so unrepentant, continuing down this road of insults and arrogance?' Androulakis asked lawmakers. 'That's why we are submitting a motion of no confidence today.'
Associated Press
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Opposition tables censure motion against Greek government over deadly train crash
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek opposition parties challenged the country's center-right government on Wednesday with a censure motion in parliament over a fatal rail disaster which claimed 57 lives and left dozens injured. The move comes days after a general strike and mass protests, some of which escalated into violence, on the second anniversary of the Feb. 28, 2023 tragedy. Led by the main opposition Socialist party, the censure motion is backed by three smaller left-wing parties. A vote is expected late Friday, though it is unlikely to threaten the government, which holds 156 seats in the 300-member parliament. Many of the victims of the head-on collision between a passenger train and a freight train in northern Greece were university students returning from a long weekend holiday, making the disaster a deeply emotional issue. Unions called a general strike last week in support of the mass mobilization led by the victims' relatives. Critics say that politicians should be held accountable for failures that led up to the collision, but so far only rail officials have been charged with any crimes. Socialist party leader Nikos Androulakis on Wednesday accused the government of shielding officials from accountability for the tragedy. 'Why do you remain so unrepentant, continuing down this road of insults and arrogance?' Androulakis asked lawmakers. 'That's why we are submitting a motion of no confidence today.'
