Ex-PM Tsipras slams gov’t over Tempe tragedy and phone tapping scandal

Thursday, condemning its handling of the Tempe train disaster, the phone tapping scandal and its broader governance.

In a speech at the “Rule of Law: Democracy and Justice” conference, hosted by the Alexis Tsipras Institute on Thursday, he described the Tempe train crash as a tragedy that never should have occurred.

“We are talking about a catastrophe that should not have happened, and unfortunately, it was worsened because of the government’s indifference,” Tsipras said. He also criticized the government for failing to provide answers to the victims’ families, stating, “They were left without answers, while a government that should have been responsible for their protection remained silent.”

The Tempe train disaster, which occurred on February 28, 2023, near Larissa in central Greece, resulted in 57 deaths. The collision between a passenger train and a freight train is under investigation.

On the phone tapping scandal, Tsipras said, “The attempt to spy on the entire opposition is not a political mistake. It is a violation of the very essence of democracy.” He criticized the government’s silence on the issue, adding, “This government has brought the institutions into an unimaginable crisis.”

The scandal surfaced in 2022 when it was revealed that illegal spyware had been used against multiple Greek politicians, including main opposition PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis, as well as journalists and businessmen.

Tsipras also expressed concerns about the political climate, accusing the government of prioritizing its own survival over the country’s welfare. “The government is leading us into a political dead-end, where its own survival is prioritized over the country’s welfare,” he said.

He called for the formation of a “unified front” among progressive forces to defend democracy, emphasizing, “Either we unite to save democracy, or we risk losing it.”

Kathimerini