EU prosecutor calls on Greece to change law protecting ministers

EU Prosecutor Laura Kövesi has called on Greek politicians to change a law that provides ministers with immunity, saying it goes against the European law and prevented an EU investigation over a deadly train accident that cost the lives of 57 people.

In 2023, 57 people – mainly youngsters – were killed in a train crash in Tempi (central Greece). In the spotlight is also an EU-funded “717 contract” signed in 2014 for reconstructing and upgrading the signalling system and remote control on Greek trains.

Analysts say the accident could have been avoided if these systems had been in place.

Kövesi launched an investigation into why the contract was not implemented by the Greek politicians involved, but she did not manage to go further, as ministers’ immunity is protected by the Greek constitution.

Leftist MEP Kostas Arvanitis raised the issue on Monday at a hearing in the EU Parliament, asking Kövesi about the developments of her investigation.

The EU lawmaker also cited a letter revealed by Euractiv, which was sent by Maria Karystianou, the representative of the parents of the train accident victims, to EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.

The letter criticised von der Leyen’s decision to hand over the transport portfolio of her next Commission to Greece.

In her reply, Kövesi said 23 decision-makers had been indicted, and that collaboration with Greek authorities is improving.

“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. As I told you, this is inconsistent with the European regulation and should be changed”, Kövesi noted.

The Greek parliament’s relevant committee has ruled that the ministers involved had no criminal responsibilities, and therefore, Kövesi could not move forward.

According to Greece’s constitution, only the parliament can prosecute those who are or were members of the Government or deputy ministers for criminal offences committed in the exercise of their duties.

Kövesi, who investigates potential EU funds’ misuse in this case, allegedly found the responsibilities of former ministers from both the ruling New Democracy (EPP) and Syriza parties.

There was a statute of limitations in the case of a leftist Syriza minister, while in the New Democracy minister case, the majority of ruling party MPs in the parliament’s committee voted against his prosecution.

This is not the first time that this law applies. The party with the parliamentary majority usually prevents the prosecution of ministers of his party while saying otherwise when in opposition.

Karystianou will speak at the EU Parliament for the third time on Wednesday and has vowed not to back down on her case.

The issue causes headaches in the ruling New Democracy party and commissioner candidate Apostolos Tzitzikostas, who, although personally having nothing to do with this case, is expected to be grilled by EU lawmakers during the hearing.

[Edited by Alice Taylor-Braçe]

Source link : https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/eu-prosecutor-calls-on-greece-to-change-law-protecting-ministers/

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Publish date : 2024-10-01 07:00:00

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