By Penelope Galliou

In the shadow of the tragic accident in Tempe and the undeniable need to identify, articulate and address the causes that led to it, the Minister of State Giorgos Gerapetritis having also assumed responsibility for Transport and Infrastructure, today opens the cycle of the parliamentary debate around the issues that emerged in the most painful way and resulted in the death of 57 people.

At one o’clock in the afternoon, Mr. Gerapetritis, having assumed his new duties just a few days ago, will cross the threshold of the Parliament and inform the members of the Production and Trade committee about the train accident in Tempe. An update that follows the autopsy carried out by special teams, both at the scene of the tragedy in Larissa, as well as in transport infrastructure in the Thessalian capital and in Thessaloniki. Mr. Gerapetritis, after a series of previous contacts and meetings and having a comprehensive picture of the problems, shortcomings and omissions as well as the required first actions, is expected to inform the representatives of all the parties participating in the parliamentary committee about the initiatives he has taken the government already announced yesterday itself as well as those that the government is expected to undertake in the near future.

“Her update Production and Trade Committee of the Parliament from Mr. Gerapetritis is the first step”, said the chairman of the parliamentary committee, ND MP Giorgos Vlachos, about today’s update in relation to the accident in Tempi, foreshadowing the continuation of the parliamentary investigation of the case, as Mr. .Vlachos, if deemed necessary, then either the Production and Trade committee of the Parliament or some other committee, can call any person it deems necessary to give answers.

After all, the Production and Trade committee is already handing over the “baton” on Monday morning to the Parliament’s Institutions and Transparency committee, where the resigned Minister of Transport, Kostas Ah, will be present later, with a rich background. Karamanlis.

The decision of Mr. Karamanlis to choose the institutional route of his answers through the Parliament and to finally attend the committee in question, was taken after repeated messages but also after telephone communication with Herodos of Atticus and its executives and then directly urging of the government representative, both during the briefing of the political editors and during his interview on SKAI TV, during which he showed Mr. Karamanlis the way to the Parliament. “We consider it self-evident that all people, primarily politicians, who have had any role in this process in recent years, must speak and answer the questions and, in principle, be at the disposal of all those conducting the investigations. At the time that we say that it is not possible for Mr. Spirtzis to be “disappeared” or to come out and say, without a counter-argument, things that do not stand, to support the argument that the previous and the following are to blame and the SYRIZA, it goes without saying that Ministers of our own Government must, must – and I am personally sure – say what they must. The Government does not hide behind its finger” said the government representative, sending a clear message.

However, he himself Kostas Ah. Karamanlishaving “received” the “blue” messages, he contacted the president of the Parliament, Costas Tasoula, who informed him that he is willing to attend and if he provides answers to the questions raised, at the Committee on Institutions and Transparency.

At the moment, the question of the candidacy of the former Minister of Transport remains pending, with him claiming that he has not changed his opinion and he expects the answer to be given by the citizens of Serres in the upcoming elections.