EU Prosecutor Laura Kövesi urged Greek politicians to change a legislation granting immunity to ministers, Euractiv reported.
Kövesi said the law contradicted European regulation and prevents an EU investigation over a deadly train crash in Tempi, central Greece. The incident killed 57 people in 2023.
The bloc will also review the EU-funded “717 contract” signed in 2014 to revamp and modernise signalling and remote-control systems on Greek trains. Analysts argue that the accident could have been avoided if the systems had been in place.
The prosecutor launched an investigation into why the contract was not honoured by the Greek politicians involved. However, she was unable to continue, as the integrity of ministers was protected by the Greek constitution.
However, according to the Constitution of Greece, only a parliamentary committee can investigate such cases. This provision is directed against the regulation of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. So, we could not proceed because the part of the case that corresponded to us would have to be sent to this parliamentary committee.
The relevant committee of the Greek parliament ruled that the ministers were not criminally liable and therefore Kövesi could not move forward. EU prosecutor, who is investigating possible misuse of EU funds, has allegedly found former ministers from the ruling New Democracy and Syriza parties responsible. However, a majority of ruling party MPs on a parliamentary committee voted against prosecuting the minister.
The issue is causing headaches for the ruling New Democracy party and commissioner candidate Apostolos Tzitzikostas. He is expected to be questioned by EU lawmakers during the hearing, although he is not involved in the case.
