Konstantopoulou pushes Tempe investigation committee
In an incident during Monday’s parliamentary investigation into the Tempe rail crash, Zoi Konstantopoulou, leader of the Course of Freedom party, sought to put pressure on the commitee despite being excluded from speaking due to a conflict of interest.
The Tempe train collision in February 2023 resulted in the loss of 57 lives and left numerous others injured.
The parliamentary committee investigating the incident had established a protocol stating that individuals who served as defense counsels or testified as witnesses could not assume roles as prosecutors or judicial officers in the case.
Konstantopoulou, representing one of the victims’ families as a lawyer, was thus prohibited from participating in deliberations but was permitted to attend committee meetings.
During Monday’s session, she asserted that she had submitted an application to exclude the current committee president, Dimitris Markopoulos, a member of the ruling New Democracy party.
“This is a cover-up; Markopoulos must be excluded,” Konstantopoulou insisted.
Markopoulos had previously made statements deemed offensive to the Tempe victims, prompting strong reactions from committee members and the public, culminating in his apology.
Markopoulos clarified during Monday’s meeting that for Konstantopoulou’s application to be considered, she would need to gather at least 50 signatures from other MPs.
Following Konstantopoulou’s interventions, Lazaros Tsavdarides, a New Democracy MP, denounced the Course of Freedom party leader for “obstructing the committee’s work.”
The proceedings were temporarily halted. When the meeting resumed, Konstantopoulou persisted in her interventions, claiming during Tsavdarides’ speech that the committee was attempting to remove her from her rightful position in the meeting room.
