“I am not hiding and I told the Parliament in the clearest way, I am not hiding behind any parliamentary immunity. Whether I was or was not a member of parliament, the procedure falls under article 86. If there is an indictment, let’s look at it and I am at the disposal of all the authorities. They accuse me without any accusations” said the former Minister of Transport, Kostas Ah. Karamanlis, on the “Today” show of SKAI.

“I have given explanations for 717. I am accused of contradictory things. Remote control is a system that must be ready in 2030. This is the European directive. The contract was received broken and with a thousand efforts we managed to finish it, unfortunately three months after the accident. No one can say with certainty whether the accident could have been avoided,” he added.

They are accusing me of contradictory things, Mr. Karamanlis emphasized, and explained that “the European prosecutor says that we should have denounced her. I had to either run her or break her up. They come after the opposition parties and tell me that we are responsible for not finishing the contract”.

Responding to the opposition’s request for a preliminary investigation, Mr. Karamanlis emphasized that “the opposition says to do a preliminary investigation like this and promise to vote for it. We brought a preliminary investigation for 717. The preliminary investigation for 717 concerned a financial contract and had nothing to do with Tempi.”

Then he added “let’s wait for the investigator to do his job and if the prosecutor says there are specific charges then like all citizens I will stand up. Even if I waive my immunity now, it does not mean that I will be tried. There is a process. If someone thinks there’s evidence that I have criminal responsibilities, there’s a process they have to go through.”

Referring to the criticism of SYRIZA, the former minister said that “I cannot listen to the ridiculousness of SYRIZA that says we will not even draw up a conclusion, we won’t even draw up a proposal for a preliminary investigation because you don’t vote for it. When these things lead to the collapse of all institutions, then we do not become a serious democracy.”

Regarding the criticism leveled at him for his decision to run again, Mr. Karamanlis said that “it was not an easy decision to be a candidate again. I entered politics at forty and it is not an end in itself. I decided to go to the voters and let them make the verdict. The real target is the prime minister himself.”

Asked if he would meet the parents, the former transport minister said “I’m ready to meet anyone. At the examination committee I gave answers to everything and when they asked me why I have not met with the parents and I answered that if I were in their position I would not want to meet. Some parents called me and I spoke to them. I want to talk to people with whom we can do it calmly, exchange views. Yes, I have no objection.”