Deputy Transport Minister Konstantinos Kyranakis expressed his confidence in a television interview on Open that remote control systems on Greek railways will operate at 100% capacity by summer 2026. The minister was also questioned about flammable seats reportedly found on the train involved in the Tempi tragedy according to the latest report, providing his explanations about their danger and how authorities will identify them. Kyranakis stated that all lines on the Athens-Thessaloniki route will have complete remote control systems, adding that signaling and braking systems, which were not included in contract 717, will also be implemented. He commented that railway.gov.gr ensures that train collisions in Greece will be impossible in the future, regardless of which government or administration is in power.
Konstantinos Kyranakis: The “fatal” B4 carriage
While the report on flammable seats in the train that collided on the last day of February 2023 at Tempi is certainly concerning, Konstantinos Kyranakis denied any discussion of flammable seats in the carriage containing the canteen, as they were not fabric-based. However, he emphasized that two types of fabric were discovered in carriage B4: an old-type and a modern-type fabric. The latter contained polyester in one of its layers – specifically the middle layer – making it flammable.
However, he stressed that there were no fatalities in that carriage. Nevertheless, he claimed that all those responsible for the seats have been summoned to provide explanations to the judiciary and that the company that manufactured them bears responsibility.
Referring to carriage B2, he explained that it contained old-type seats. “According to the data available to us, it appears to be a 1999 carriage with very old seats that had been deteriorating for 30 years. In 1999, it seems a carriage was procured with seats that met neither the specifications of that time nor current ones.” “We have 17,000 seats in active carriages. The first thing I requested to be checked are the seats that have been replaced, particularly by this specific supplier. Hellenic Train has been asked to indicate which seats have been replaced so that the substrate can be inspected,” said Kyranakis, noting that these seats may currently be in trains. The deputy transport minister noted that installing security cameras in tunnels is very important. “New Democracy installed cameras,” he emphasized.
“The truth will emerge, that’s a promise”
“I have given my promise that whatever the truth may be, it will emerge,” he said regarding Tempi, noting that “any criticism of a cover-up is refuted, everyone acknowledged that very systematic work has been done by EODAASAAM.” “We have a report that states specific things, recognized by both relatives and experts,” he argued. Additionally, he emphasized that the report reveals something very important and dangerous regarding flammable seats in train carriages. “I want to make a correction because Mr. Papangelis was heard saying that the German laboratory was paid after closing the case file to avoid inclusion. This is not true. I spoke with him personally and gave him the dates.”
He explained that the specific laboratory refused to deliver results without first receiving payment, while the state ministry is required to pay after delivery. At this point, he emphasized that he personally ordered “EODAASAAM to overcome any formal obstacles and make the payment.” Thus, he claimed, payment was made in summer and the results arrived before the case file was completed.
