The Greek Parliament has voted to refer former Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis to a judicial council on charges of breach of duty, a move connected to the deadly Tempi train crash.
The vote took place late Tuesday during a contentious session that most opposition parties boycotted. The referral passed 157-6, primarily with votes from the ruling New Democracy party. Opposition parties, including Pasok and Syriza, walked out of the debate, accusing the majority of procedural manipulation.
Mr. Karamanlis himself had requested the referral but was not allowed to participate in the secret ballot.
The session was marked by tense exchanges. The leader of the Freedom Movement party, Mrs. Zoe Konstantopoulou, is expected to be referred to the Ethics Committee for her conduct during a clash with parliamentary leaders.
In his closing remarks, Deputy Justice Minister Mr. Giannis Bougas said the government "respects fully the memory of the victims" and stressed that "justice is not administered… in Parliament but through sober judicial processes."
The case now moves to the judiciary, where a special council will be formed to assess the charges and decide whether to prosecute Mr. Karamanlis.