Different position from what he claimed until recently about the existence of illegal cargo in the commercial train of the Tempi accident, expressed Kostas Lakafosis in a television interview with Attica TV.

Initially, he was asked about the report of Tasos Dedes, saying: “It is Mr. Dedes’ view that embraces what the State General Chemistry Department says. I don’t believe it, the State General Chemistry Department is incompetent.”

Then, on his references to the existence of illegal cargo and in relation to the EODASAM’s finding, he said: “Where did you see that I am talking about timber, where does that come from? I’m saying that the report of the EODAPO (Independent Family Fact-Finding Committee) is in the file as of August 2024. I am not claiming there is an illegal charge, where did you find that? You are saying it, I have not alleged that.”

When asked about his appearance on a TV show and his plans to make illegal cargo, he said: “It’s not like that, you saw it on Twitter. It’s one thing to show the size we are looking for. We have to have an order of magnitude, these are on record. Look at the writings, we said we’re looking for something in the order of magnitude of 2.5 tons. I didn’t put it on the freight train either, I said we were looking for something that big. I insist there was something beyond silicone oil, you guys called it xylene. Just so you understand something, it’s one thing to have xylene traces and another thing to have xylene. If you take gasoline from the gas station and burn it and see what’s left, you’ll find xylene, benzene.”

Doubts about his professional status

Meanwhile, many questions have arisen about the professional status of Kostas Lakafosis, after yesterday’s revelation by Nikos Plakias that he has never officially practiced the profession of an engineer, while he himself said in an interview that he remains insured in EDOEAP (the fund of journalists and press workers) and has never registered at the Technical Chamber of Greece, in order not to pay contributions to the engineers’ fund!

Justice intervention requested by Nikos Plakias

The intervention of the judiciary is requested by Nikos Plakias, father and uncle of three victims of the tragedy of Tempi, for Kostas Lakafosis.

Mr. Plakias, who through his lawyer Mr. Koumpouras had requested to examine the professional data of the appearing experts, a request that was accepted by the judiciary, after the interview of Mr. Lakafosis, asks for the intervention of the judiciary for misrepresentation of a profession on a repeated basis, the intervention of the TEE, and asks to stop the games “on our dead children”.

The Lakafosis interview

“I didn’t sign up for the TEE to avoid paying contributions to TSMEDE,” said technical adviser to families of victims of the tragedy in Tempi Kostas Lakafosis who responded to those who accuse him of not having the right to sign as an engineer.

Speaking on Friday (4/4) to Thessaloniki’s Status FM 107.7 radio station and journalists Dimitris Venieri and Virginia Dimaresi, he said that “there is no question of formal qualifications, anyone who signs a technical report is evaluated“.

He also stressed that “I have been paid my whole life as an engineer. It’s one thing to do studies for buildings or public works and another thing to do engineering consulting,” and took jabs at those who question his professional competence.

He revealed he is insured with EDOEAP, the press workers’ fund, and never started as an engineer. However, he explained that many engineers make such a choice, even university professors, and that there are five members on the NEDAPO (Independent Family Fact-Finding Committee) committee and there are engineer signatures.