Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s government holds majority in parliament and is expected to survive Friday’s vote.
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.
So far, more than 40 people have been prosecuted for the accident, including the local rail station chief responsible for routing the trains, but a trial into the crash is not expected before the end of the year.
