ATHENS – In his opening statement at Thursday’s cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reiterated his public apology on behalf of all recent Greek leaders, particularly himself. ‘We take responsibility and cannot, should not, and do not want to hide behind a series of human errors,’ he stated.

Mitsotakis expressed regret that the rail telemanagement system would only become operational in a few months, as he had been unable to install it before the tragedy occurred, making his personal grief even greater. He stressed that everyone, including previous governments, administrations, and certain trade unions, should accept blame for the incident. While justice will swiftly apportion responsibility, the Prime Minister emphasized his commitment to transparency in the investigation and to implementing measures to improve railway safety.

Mitsotakis acknowledged feeling anger and shame when listening to the accident dialogues, but pledged to turn these emotions into constructive action. He also pledged to prioritize supporting the victims’ families, implementing a new operating and safety framework, recruiting additional personnel, and enforcing a stricter legal framework for vandalism and theft targeting the railway network. Finally, he promised to do everything possible to complete the rail telemanagement system as soon as possible