The government is attempting to make up for lost time in the railway sector with swift steps, a move expected to be reflected in the upcoming Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. This is because the new Deputy Minister of Transport, Konstantinos Kyranakis, is expected to present a draft law introducing immediate reforms to the operation of the rail network as well as the corporate structure of “Hellenic Railways S.A.”, the new company resulting from the merger of OSE, ERGOSE, and GAIAOSE. The new entity, shaped by the model that will be unveiled to the Cabinet, is expected to begin operating in April, with infrastructure works also scheduled to begin that month after receiving the go-ahead from the Court of Audit for the “Daniel” project file.

According to “Proto Thema” sources, immediate government interventions were discussed in a Friday morning meeting at Maximos Mansion attended by Mr. Kyranakis, Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis, and the Prime Minister’s Secretary General Stelios Koutnatzis. Following the model of PPC post-2019, Hellenic Railways S.A. is expected to operate with increased flexibility for its new leadership – once approved by Parliament in a few weeks. A key element is attracting market executives, which requires a special salary framework for top executives, as not many are eager to “stick their necks out” in the current climate. Kyranakis is reportedly in contact with Greek executives working in European railway companies and has already drafted a short list.

Immediate interventions

The first interventions won’t be limited to corporate restructuring, but will also focus on the actual operation of the railways, aiming to reinforce public confidence in safety. The new political leadership places emphasis on the “visibility” of safety, since citizens are not expected to know what security systems are in place or their roles. As such, digital data will become accessible, allowing the public to be more informed about the state of the railway network and its safety environment.

Over the past days, Kyranakis has conducted on-site inspections at critical railway infrastructures, including the SKA and the Remote Control Center, as well as Larissa Station, where another theft incident was recently recorded. Note that new wagons for the suburban railway, funded by the Recovery Fund, will be delivered in the coming months.

Additionally, Kyranakis has met with leadership from OSE, ERGOSE, former OSE President Giannos Grammatidis, and the head of EODASAAM, Christos Papadimitriou, who recently issued a report assessing the state of Greek railways. Kyranakis’ draft law will incorporate some of the safety and staffing recommendations made by EODASAAM.

Further safety measures are also being rolled out. The position of “train supervisor” will be legally reinstated, requiring all companies operating on the Greek railway network to include this role. A nationwide traffic control center is also set to be established, operating as a secondary control hub above existing remote control centers, housed in an OSE facility (though not at its central offices on Karolou Street).

A critical issue for railway safety is the restoration of remote control systems between Lianokladi and Larissa. By the end of March, the project’s contract is expected to be approved by the Court of Audit, where it was submitted by the previous government. If approved, construction will take a maximum of 15 months, though the ministry hopes to speed up the process and complete it within a year.

Additionally, another urgent matter is protecting rolling stock from frequent thefts – especially by Roma gangs. OSE’s drone patrols have already shown results, and further fencing of key network points is planned, particularly areas near Roma settlements where thefts have been reported.

The Preliminary Investigation Committee

At the same time, the government believes it has caught the opposition off guard with the Triantopoulos case, following his request to be referred directly to the Judicial Council, thus opening the door to a Special Court. Maximos Mansion sees PASOK as particularly exposed, as the party had previously supported sending political figures with prosecutorial decisions to their “natural judge,” but now resists the conclusion of the Preliminary Investigation Committee’s work.

The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled for Friday, when Christos Triantopoulos is set to testify. It’s considered unlikely he will appear in person, as testifying would undermine the basis of his request and necessitate calling other witnesses. Therefore, it is likely he will submit a memorandum instead, although he told “Proto Thema” he has not yet made a final decision. The aim is to move forward with party reports and bring the matter to a vote in Parliament, where it will be decided whether the Magnesia MP will be referred to the Judicial Council.

Throughout the past days, government officials have sharply criticized PASOK for inconsistency. Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis set the tone, citing recent comments by PASOK’s own spokesman Kostas Tsoukalas, who had argued for referring politicians directly to their natural judge. Even from Brussels, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reiterated his commitment to leading the debate on significantly limiting the scope of Article 86, in preparation for the constitutional review expected after the summer.

Still, the government acknowledges that Triantopoulos’ “counter-move” may set a precedent for other political figures facing prosecutorial decisions over potential criminal liability.