Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the designated Greek nominee for European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, has been grilled over the fatal Tempi train crash in northern Greece in 2023.
About 20 minutes into his European Parliament hearing on November 4, MEPs pressed Tzitzikostas on safety standards, with Left Group MEP Merja Kyllonen insisting that “the correct application” of European Union laws and safety standards “can save lives”.
Tzitzikostas responded firmly, stating: “Safety is my priority, especially because I am from Greece, and we suffered this tragedy,”referring to the Tempi train crash in February last year where two trains collided, killing some 57 people .
Minutes later another left-wing Greek MEP, Elena Kountoura, asked if the commissioner-designate was ready to implement infringement proceedings against the Greek Government, citing a recent report by the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) over safety breaches.
“This is very personal for me,” Tzitzikostas said, adding: “I know three families who lost their children, and my secretary lost a close relative.”
The tragedy was attributed to a defective rail system, where remote control and communication systems — required by EU law — were not operational.
Greek MEPs Maria Zacharia of Plefsi Eleftherias and Kostas Papadakis of the Greek Communist Party highlighted the need for accountability for the disaster.
Tzitzikostas attempted to address the safety issue in his introductory speech. “The issue that comes and must come above all the others is safety,” he said.
“In Greece, we have suffered a tragedy. The Tempi train accident in 2023 should not have happened, such an accident should never happen again anywhere in Europe. Safety will be my number one priority” he added, saying he would be strict on member states that did not respect safety rules.
Despite his grilling, Tzitzikostas did secure enough support for his approval as commissioner from the Transport Committee, as confirmed by the European People’s Party on social media.
Apostolos @tzitzikostas has just been confirmed as the new Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism.
Congratulations! #EPHearing #Tzitzikostas pic.twitter.com/T34pEpM0uF
— EPP Group (@EPPGroup) November 4, 2024
Based on the committee’s recommendation, the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola and the chairs of the different committees in the EP now will conduct a final evaluation.
