European Parliament approves Tzitzikostas’ candidacy for transport portfolio

The European Parliament approved on Monday night the candidacy of Apostolos Tzitzikostas for the portfolio of Sustainable Transport and Tourism for the next five years.

According to unofficial information, the confirmation was approved by the required 2/3 of the Parliament’s Transport and Tourism Committee, as well as the MEPs from the Environment Committee, who were invited to participate in the hearing process. Only the MEPs of the far-right Europe of Sovereign Nations Group (ESN) voted against, while the MEPs of the Left chose to abstain.

In his almost three-hour hearing, Tzitzikostas emphasized two main pillars of the new Commission: strengthening the competitiveness of the European economy and tackling climate change, where the Transport and Tourism sectors can contribute to the “sustainable prosperity” of the Europe.

He prioritized the creation of high-speed rail interconnection networks of major cities and European capitals, as well as a unified system for booking and purchasing tickets.

“Railway safety will become my first priority,” the Commissioner-designate said in his introductory speech, adding that “I will be strict with all member states.” Asked about the train collision at Tempe, central Greece, last year, the country’s deadliest, Tzitzikostas said “it should never have happened” and “should never happen again in Europe.”