Nikos Androulakis, leader of Greece’s opposition PASOK party, has accused the government on Thursday of covering up key details related to the Tempi train disaster, claiming that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis orchestrated efforts to conceal evidence from the judiciary. In an interview with Alpha TV, Androulakis criticized the government’s handling of the tragedy and alleged a deliberate attempt to mislead the public.
He pointed to Mitsotakis’ initial statements, in which the prime minister attributed the explosion to engine oils. "If the investigation proves this was false, he will be deeply exposed, as he maintained this narrative for two years before suddenly changing course," Androulakis said. He also criticized the handling of forensic evidence, arguing that in any other European country, experts would have immediately secured the site and collected samples to determine the cause of the explosion. Instead, he claimed, the government’s failures left critical questions unanswered.
Androulakis accused the government of strategically spreading misinformation, particularly in the lead-up to last year’s elections. "Just hours after the tragedy, they leaked falsified conversations of the stationmaster to friendly media outlets," he said. He further alleged that evidence was hidden from the judiciary, pointing to the burial of key materials at the crash site and the involvement of government official Christos Triantopoulos in a controversial meeting. "Had the site not been tampered with, the judiciary would have more evidence about what caused the explosion," he added.
He also accused Mitsotakis of shielding political figures from legal scrutiny, arguing that New Democracy lawmakers were actively blocking investigations. "Either we have an alarmingly incompetent government or one that is dangerously capable of anything to stay in power. I believe it’s the latter," he stated.
Androulakis announced that PASOK will propose a no-confidence motion against the government, citing widespread public distrust. However, he said the party is waiting for the full investigative reports to be released before moving forward.
He also dismissed attempts to link PASOK to the anarchist group Rouvikonas, calling the accusations absurd. Responding to concerns about his trust in Greece’s judicial system, Androulakis admitted that his faith in both the government and the judiciary had been shaken. "Judges, like politicians, are accountable for their actions. The judiciary could be doing a much better job," he concluded.
