Greek lawmaker Christos Triantopoulos announced on Tuesday that he will not stand as a candidate for New Democracy in Magnesia in the upcoming national elections after the Judicial Council referred his case to the Special Court over allegations of altering the Tempi train crash site.
Triantopoulos said he informed Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of his decision, explaining that preparing his legal defence for the tribunal cannot be combined with the demanding effort of an election campaign.
He confirmed that he will remain a Member of Parliament until the end of the current legislative term and pledged to continue supporting the ruling party ahead of the national vote.
Response to the Special Court referral
Triantopoulos stated that he learned of the Judicial Council ruling through the press and expressed full respect for the judges, while disagreeing with the published finding of their indictment decree.
He said he will refute the evidence during proceedings at the Special Court, where he firmly believes an in-depth evaluation will clear all issues and prove his innocence.
The Judicial Council ruling comes 17 months after the Greek Parliament voted in April 2025 to refer the case to the judicial system for evaluation.
Triantopoulos noted that after stepping down from his government post, he immediately requested that Parliament place him at the disposal of justice, describing his action as an unprecedented choice in Greek political standards.
Allegations of political exploitation
Triantopoulos defended his public record since entering politics in 2019, stating that he has consistently acted with honesty, dignity, and respect for citizens while taking responsibility when needed.
He criticized what he described as conspiracy theories and political schemes aimed at exploiting the Tempi railway tragedy against the government and Prime Minister Mitsotakis, adding that those theories collapsed when scientific evidence was presented.
He stated that he avoided toxic confrontations and chose to speak institutionally through Parliament, maintaining that truth and light are the only proper response to political exploitation.
He added that there will be further opportunities in the future to discuss the substance and handling of the case and bring the truth forward.
Record in Magnesia and 2027 elections
Triantopoulos highlighted his local political support, noting that 21,492 citizens voted for him to place him first in preferential votes in Magnesia during the 2023 national elections.
He thanked local voters for their ongoing trust and promised to continue working for the development of the region throughout the remainder of his parliamentary term.
He said Magnesia has rejected political inertia since 2019 and expressed confidence that New Democracy and Mitsotakis will secure another victory in the 2027 national elections to prevent inertia from returning.
Broader political reactions and parliamentary votes
The Judicial Council also decided to refer former Thessaly Governor Kostas Agorastos to the Special Court in connection with the Tempi investigation. Agorastos stated that the trial is political and asserted that the Region of Thessaly had no legal authority or competence regarding the site.
Opposition leader and former prime minister Alexis Tsipras called the referral of Triantopoulos an important step and demanded the resignation of Justice Minister Giorgos Floridis, while sharpening criticism against New Democracy over its social and agricultural policies.
Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis defended the administration, asking what connection past opposition claims about site flattening and chemical substances have with the Judicial Council decision.
In separate parliamentary business, the Greek Parliament voted to lift the parliamentary immunity of lawmakers Zoe Konstantopoulou and Pavlos Polakis, while deciding not to lift the immunity of Thanos Plevris and Takis Theodorikakos.
