By Nick Stamatakis
On June 4, 2025, Maria Karystianou—representing the Association of Families of the Victims of the Tempi Train Disaster (February 28, 2023)—formally submitted a petition to the Hellenic Parliament requesting the establishment of a Preliminary Investigative Committee. The core accusation is high treason against Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, along with other political figures, including former Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, former ministers Christos Spirtzis, and several others.
Karystianou claims that:
Mitsotakis unlawfully intervened in the judicial investigation into the Tempi rail disaster by sending a letter to the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court (Areios Pagos), Isidoros Dogiakos, on March 6, 2023.
In this letter, he allegedly requested the replacement of the investigating judge in order to “upgrade” the trial, an act she and her legal team interpret as an unconstitutional breach of judicial independence.
This act, they argue, violates the separation of powers, a principle enshrined in the Greek Constitution and relevant case law, and thus qualifies under Article 134 of the Penal Code as high treason.
Additional criminal charges proposed in the petition include:
Intentional manslaughter and bodily harm by gross negligence,
Endangerment, obstruction of public transport,
Felony-level breach of duty, fraud against the European Union, and
Concealment of crimes.
Legal Basis
The legal foundation of the petition includes:
Article 134 of the Greek Penal Code defines “high treason” not only as violent acts but also as abuse of power by state officials, particularly in violating the independence of other state powers.
Article 86 of the Constitution, Article 153 of the Parliament’s Standing Orders, and Law 3126/2003 on the criminal responsibility of ministers.
Under the revised 2021 interpretation of the Penal Code, interfering in the judiciary as a state official may constitute high treason, even without the use of force, if it involves undermining the democratic separation of powers.
Political Developments
The motion is backed by 32 MPs from the parties Elliniki Lysi, Niki, Plefsi Eleftherias, and various independents.
Initially, some support appeared from within SYRIZA, but several MPs later withdrew their backing.
The government has dismissed the allegations, calling the initiative “absurd” and accusing the opposition of exploiting a national tragedy for political gain.
The Parliament’s Conference of Presidents is expected to schedule a debate, as this petition will be considered alongside two other related proposals.
Next Steps
If at least 30 valid MP signatures are confirmed, the motion will receive a formal filing number and move to the parliamentary floor for discussion.
If approved, a Special Parliamentary Investigative Committee may be convened.
A finding of criminal liability could potentially lead to impeachment procedures under Article 86.
Conclusion
This petition introduces a serious and unprecedented charge: that the sitting Prime Minister may have engaged in acts amounting to high treason through judicial interference. Whether this results in legal consequences or fades amid political contention depends heavily on forthcoming parliamentary deliberations, legal interpretations of constitutional law, and evolving public sentiment in the wake of the Tempi tragedy.
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Very Significant for the Development of the case is this episode of Evangelos Venizelos speech at the Greek Parliament
The government has engaged in a struggle to discredit the accusation of high treason directed at Kyriakos Mitsotakis for the crime of Tempi.
A speech from the past, however, fully substantiates this specific accusation within a few seconds. The most aggravating thing is that at the time, New Democracy MPs were apologizing to the speaker, when he was precisely analyzing the reasons why Mitsotakis should be prosecuted (today) for high treason.
Shocking news.