Kokkalis to Staikouras: “Can our children trust the Greek railway today?”

A series of relentless questions was raised by the Standing Committee of Production and Trade Head of Department for Rural Development and Food and Member of Parliament for Larisa of SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance Mr. Vassilis Kokkalisto the Minister of Transport, Mr. Christos Staikouras, on the occasion of the tragic situation of the Greek railway, one year after the deadly crime in Tempi.

Questions concerning safety, infrastructure and of course whether the railway operates legally in our country based on Community legislation.

In more detail, Mr. Kokkalis said: “The meeting – briefing by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, which is certainly welcome, comes 14 months after the crime of Tempe. For us it is a crime.

The central question is whether the Greek railway is safe today and whether the state, the state, has done everything required by Greek and European legislation.

You will allow me, after listing some obligations of the Greek state based on a European Directive, to formulate specific questions and I will wait for your answer.

With Law 4632/2009, in articles 13, 14, 59 and 60, the Directives of the European Union were incorporated, the first 2016/97 and the second 2006/798. These provisions impose when there are gaps in the safety systems established by the accepted ERTMS interoperability model, i.e. the ETCS GSMR combination, as well as in the case when we have accidents – accidents to immediately establish national safety rules. This obligation of our country stems from articles 13 paragraph 2. Specifically, article 13 of the Directive, which says that the national rules for implementing the basic requirements apply in the following cases: when the technical interoperability specifications do not cover or do not fully cover certain aspects, when a special case requires the application of technical rules that are not included in the relevant technical specifications for interoperability, in the case of networks as an urgent temporary preventive measure especially after an accident.

Subsequently, by decision of the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, which is issued

following a proposal from the infrastructure manager and an opinion from the regulatory authority, new national rules are established if the rules concern existing safety methods not covered by the common safety methods as an urgent preventive measure especially after an accident or incident.

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport submits new plans for consideration

national rules to the agency and the European Commission in time and within the deadlines referred to in paragraph 1 of article 25.

I will not quote all the legislation. Her obligation arises directly

state to establish national safety rules, precisely when the safety systems required by interoperability have not been installed.

As far as I know, national safety rules even today, after the unthinkable

crime, have not been enacted, as mandated by European and Greek legislation and especially after an accident, the adoption of new national safety rules is mandated, in accordance with Article 7 of Directive 2016/798. Fourteen months later and the national safety rules are still not in place.

It is indicative that until a few days ago on the website of the Regulator

Authority of Energy, the word “under construction” appeared. Wich one; Certification and approval and safety, safety management systems,

common security methods. The Safety Regulatory Authority, that is, RAS, is in the process of forming, the national safety rules.

Following this, I ask, Mr. Minister. Are there gaps in the safety systems established by the accepted interoperability model, ie the combination of ETCS and GSMR?

Are there single tracks and a complete lack of safety systems on approximately 100 kilometers of the railway network route, resulting in traffic being conducted under the responsibility of a single station master?

Are new incidents constantly happening that demonstrate the complete absence of safety guarantees on the railway, fires, bars that are not controlled?

Fourth, in a recent television interview on March 12, 2024, the Prime Minister in the question “Is the railway safe at the moment?” he replied “Right now the railway is as safe as it can be”.

What exactly does it mean in your opinion?

Is this statement compatible with European law that a year after the crime the Prime Minister cannot guarantee the safety of passengers?

Does he agree, is the statement consistent with the value of man and the need to protect human life?

Does it not in practice negate the meaning and objectives of the rule of law?

In view of the tourist season, European citizens will travel with the Greek railway.

Have you taken all the appropriate measures? Last question: can our children, Mr. Minister, trust the Greek railway today?” concluded the Larissa MP.

You can see Mr. Kokkalis’ speech here:

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