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Former Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras sharply criticized the current government Thursday, condemning its handling of the Tempe train disaster, the phone tapping scandal and its broader governance.<\/p>\n
In a speech at the \u201cRule of Law: Democracy and Justice\u201d Conference, hosted by the Alexis Tsipras Institute on Thursday, he described the Tempe train crash as a tragedy that never should have occurred.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are talking about a catastrophe that should not have happened, and unfortunately, it was worsened because of the government\u2019s indifference,\u201d Tsipras said. He also criticized the government for failing to provide answers to the victims\u2019 families, stating, \u201cThey were left without answers, while a government that should have been responsible for their protection remained silent.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Tempe train disaster, which occurred on February 28, 2023, near Larissa in central Greece, resulted in 57 deaths. The collision between a passenger train and a freight train is under ongoing investigation.<\/p>\n
On the phone tapping scandal, Tsipras said, \u201cThe attempt to spy on the entire opposition is not a political mistake. It is a violation of the very essence of democracy.\u201d He criticized the government\u2019s silence on the issue, adding, \u201cThis government has brought the institutions into an unimaginable crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n
The scandal surfaced in 2022 when it was revealed that illegal spyware had been used against multiple Greek politicians, including main opposition PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis, as well as journalists and businessmen.<\/p>\n
Tsipras also expressed concerns about the political climate, accusing the government of prioritizing its own survival over the country\u2019s welfare. \u201cThe government is leading us into a political dead-end, where its own survival is prioritized over the country\u2019s welfare,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He called for the formation of a \u201cunified front\u201d among progressive forces to defend democracy, emphasizing, \u201cEither we unite to save democracy, or we risk losing it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n