The Parliamentary spokesman for the New Democracy and MP of Chios was placed in the House of Representatives on Wednesday morning (28/5). Notis Mitarakisreferring, inter alia, to two important issues, the case of OPECEPE and the proposal to set up Pre -trial committee.
On the issue of OPEKEPE, Mr Mitarakis pointed out the “immediate reaction of the government to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office” and stressed that they are already undergoing administrative upgrading measures by incorporating the Organization into AADE. He assured that “where there are criminal or civil liability, they will be fully attributed”.
Concerning the proposal to set up a pre -trial committee against former Minister of Transport, K. Karamanlis, he noted that “for the first time in the postwar period, the ruling party is calling for investigating possible responsibilities of minister”, stressing the political will to transparen and a righteousness of justice for the tragedy in Tempi. “Justice is the only one responsible for attributing responsibilities,” he said.
In closing, he pointed out that the proposal is based on elements of case filewith indications of breach of duty, while noting the need for further institutional changes in the law on the responsibility of ministers through the Constitutional Review.
Watch video from his speech:
The whole speech of Mr. Mitarakis:
“Thank you very much, Mr. President,
Thanks for the excellent execution of the process today.
I will refer to the two issues raised by colleagues, parliamentary representatives. And first of all for the major issue of OPECEPE. The government’s reaction to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office is immediate. OPECEPE’s substantial administrative upgrading measures have already been announced by its absorption by the Independent Public Revenue Authority, wanting to permanently resolve a issue that seems to have been in our country for many years. Obviously the country will fully cooperate with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and with the National Judicial Authorities and any responsibilities that exist will obviously be charged. Where there are criminal liability, they will be attributed. Where there are urban obligations of reimbursement of grants to the state and the European Union, and this will be done.
I will also talk about the issue of the New Democracy proposal to set up a pre -trial committee against the former Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of Mr Karamanlis. And if I remember correctly, Mr President, you are an older colleague, maybe this is the first time in the postwar regime that he has been submitting a proposal to set up a pre -trial committee against a minister coming from the ruling faction. It shows our commitment to the light of plenty of light in this case. A national tragedy that cost the lives of fifty -seven, mostly young people. And the people demand and we demand. Everyone demands that the truth shine. And justice is the right body, it is the only one responsible for deciding where there are criminal responsibilities of either political persons or physical or perpetrators.
We were relying on the case file, as the SYRIZA parliamentary spokesman rightly pointed out, in the data submitted to Parliament by the responsible investigator and from what we read we concluded that there are marginally simple evidence of the former minister’s breach of duty. Issues that will obviously be judged in the investigative process. With what we do as a government we give the Justice the right, which is our obligation, morally, to shine plenty of light.
Obviously, the whole process for the Tempe tragedy has raised many issues procedural. And I think the forthcoming revision of the Constitution is a great opportunity for this parliament, for this parliamentary period, to further improve the law on the responsibility of ministers. A law that has already improved, repealing the early limitation period, the exclusive deadline, which in this case does not allow Mr Spirtzis’ possible criminal liability. Mr Pappas said wrongly that he could go to the pre -trial committee. There is a special procedure that can be used in the event of a limitation period, but this is not the procedure of the pre -trial committee.
So we will see the details of what the officials had received, what actions he did in response to him. As can be seen from the case file, the responsible CEO who, according to the Staff State, Mr Iliopoulos, the Directors of the Directors now have a final signature instead of the Minister. This is a very large reform of the Staff State that has given the jurisdiction to have public administration at the General Manager level. If there were suggestions either by the Railway Regulatory Authority or by the Directors – in particular, on the basis of the Minister’s legal responsibilities – which were not taken into account, which does not appear to exist.
It also appears from the case file that the National Rail System on December 21, 2022 was certified by the European Competent Railway Authority. So the minister had a document from the competent European regulatory authority that the national system is safe. It does not appear from the case file that the Greek system had a legal obligation to have specific new technological systems, which did not work at the time of the critical that the pre -trial committee would take into account. There were efforts to modernize and SYRIZA’s responsibilities in 717 are known, but still these systems were not in 2023 a legal obligation of our country.
Listening to the opposition parties, the opposition has tried to convince us that we should not vote for the proposal to set up a pre -trial committee to infringe that it is legally incorrect. We disagree with it. We believe that the case will be judged for this offense, but the Judicial Council, obviously by law, can broaden the investigation if it considers that there are other issues that need to be investigated.
We have responded legally thoroughly, because Article 291 does not apply in the case of responsibilities of political persons to disturb the safety of rail transport. The article is very specific about what it provides and what it does not provide.
Also two points by closing. First, Mr. Pappas referred to the issue of fireplace. I wait if it triggers or at a subsequent meeting to explain to us how it is linked to a possible breach of the duty of the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport. I also heard from Mr. Iliopoulos and impressed me that he should, he says, a political person to have criminal responsibility for the acts of civil servants appointed in accordance with a procedure, have been certified for their suitability for the position by the competent regulatory authority. I think this is new to our legal system. One minister is responsible for an employee who was hired in the State in accordance with the proceedings in accordance with the competent regulatory authority, and obviously it seems – of course, he is not tried – he is a natural perpetrator for violating the Railway Rules.
What I think remains from the New Democracy proposal, and this is what I want to emphasize, Mr President, dear colleagues, is that the New Democracy is starting the process of having a complete judicial investigation, without any restriction of any responsibilities the former minister may haveยป.