What worries the Greek government, what it fears, and what it expects

The multiple parameters of the Tempi tragedy are putting pressure on the government, which knows that the slightest slip, communicative and substantive, any further delay in ensuring railway safety conditions and above all inefficiency are no longer permissible. In the big cities of Greece there is an expression of society’s reaction with numerous demonstrations, exacerbating the already heavy climate within the New Democracy party.

The streets and squares resounding with the slogans of anger and pain at the horrific loss of so many people, mostly young people, on the tracks at the entrance to the Tempi Valley cause the government anxiety, even if for the moment government officials speak of it as perfectly reasonable , “righteous” rage.

Ten days after the tragedy, the assumption is that the strike movements and demonstrations are not going to subside immediately. On the contrary, it is estimated that they may become more massive day by day.

“Anti-systemic” fear

In the meantime, “anti-systemic” fear is beginning to arise in government and party, that is, they fear the risk that this climate of tension in society will lead to the strengthening of the extremes and wider discredit for the political system. Pollsters are sounding the first alarms, who record, according to converging information, heavy “wounds” for New Democracy, but also a significant strengthening of the undecided vote.

The picture of the trends in the electorate have not crystallized at this moment and estimates are therefore uncertain as to how any prospects that are reflected today will eventually take shape. However, the… mental distance of a portion of New Democracy voters from the ruling party appears to be a common point in all the polls that have been running since the beginning of the week.

Mitsotakis’ new intervention

The PM’s office maintains the double directions of “no cover-up – never again” in the foreground, essentially expecting to reopen towards society. “Truths and actions” is the directive that Kyriakos Mitsotakis has given to his executives and he is expected to repeat it at the meeting of the Council of Ministers.

In the first extended meeting under the Prime Minister after the nightmarish night of February, today at 11 am, a lengthy public intervention by the Prime Minister is prescribed. The actions of the government for the reopening of the railway, as presented yesterday by the Minister of State Giorgos Gerapetritis, are the main topic of the discussion.

Supporting families

However, clear signals – if not concrete foreshadowings – are expected for practical support for all the families of the victims and the people who experienced the nightmare and survived. The information indicates that a support package is being processed by the government and co-competent ministries (the financial staff, Education, etc.), which, once approved, will be specialized by the competent ministers.

In addition to the compensation issues, a number of other issues are being considered, which could in any way facilitate the daily life of the people (especially the students) who were in the carriages of “IC62” and escaped death.

Mitsotakis will inform the President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, about all developments – from the assistance of the EU and Germany requested by the government in the provision of expertise to the direct interventions – tomorrow. A visit to the Presidential Palace, which is “not connected to anything else”, as government sources have meaningfully pointed out.