Those who derailments and deviations of trains that have been noted are due to the responsibility of the owner of the infrastructure, i.e OSEthe managing director of Hellenic Train Maurizio Capotorto.

When asked by the chairman of the committee, D. Markopoulos, whether he knows of other train drivers with brain or heart problems in the company, Mr. Caporto said that he is not aware of any statistics relating to similar or other cases. “It is something that we also learned just a week ago regarding the specific train driver” Mr. Caporto pointed out and reiterated that the medical evaluation is done by certified doctors and is not a subjective evaluation of Hellenic Train. “Certified doctors evaluate whether a serious health problem suffered by an employee makes him capable or incapable of continuing, after a period of hospitalization, to perform his duties” he added. Also, when asked by Mr. Markopoulos if he or his children would travel with a train driver with strokes, he said that if the driver is deemed competent, we have no reason to have a different opinion. “Of course (I would travel)” said Mr. Capotorto.

SYRIZA MP V. Kokkalis proposed the transmission of Mr. Capotorto’s testimony to the appeals prosecutor’s office that is conducting the investigation into the accident, for the possibility of committing the offense of perjury, a request with which the representatives of other parties also agreed. Outrageous, insulting and demeaning to Parliament and the victims ND MP L. Tsavdaridis characterized the testimony of Mr. Caportos, noting that (the managing director of Hellenic Train) he didn’t apologizewhile attributing the accident only to the stationmaster, refusing to refer to the mistakes of the train drivers and the responsibility of his company.