The Research Committee starts on Thursday, the Chief of the Ministry of Transport, Konstantinos Kotziapassis will be submitted first.
Next Thursday, the TAKATA Research Committee on the Takata Foneral Airbags meets in the Hyperidis Hall of the Press and Information Office. The aim is to reveal the truth and to blame responsibility, criminal and disciplinary, for the criminal negligence that has been shown over time, and resulted in two young faces lost their lives when they were involved in traffic and triggered takata airbags. Both for the deaths of 24 -year -old Kyriakos Oxinos and the death of 19 -year -old Stylian Giorgallis, criminal investigations are under way.
According to the Terms of Command set by the General Giographers, George Savvidis, the Research Committee is proceeded to conduct complete and thorough research to distinguish all events, decisions, actions or omissions, as well as any responsibilities related to the disposal of Republic of Cyprus in the EU Until the date of issuance of the decree to revoke the approximately 90,000 Takata airbags. That is, the research will be for the period from 01/05/2004 to 11/03/2025.
Consequently, they will be checked for any responsibilities and will be invited to give deposits before the Research Committee a total of 10 Ministers of Transport appointed for the last 20 years. These are Giorgos Lillikas, Haris Thrassou, Maria Malachtou Pamallis, Nikos Nikolaidis, Erato Kozakou Markoulis, Efthimios Flourentzou, Mario Dimitriadis, Vassiliki Anastasiadou, Yiannis Karoussos and Alexis Vafeadis.
Finding in three months
The chairman of the Research Committee, Michalakis Christodoulou, a former Judge of the Supreme Court, and the Commissioners Michalis Vorkas, President of the Pancyprian Bar Association, and Theodosios Hatzimichael, a member of the Audit Office, had a photo of them. In addition, the three signed a statement before the Attorney General that they have no direct personal interest in relation to the issues to be investigated. The Research Committee should complete its work within three months, that is, until 11/6/2025 or on a later date, the Attorney General has decided.
The Research Committee must draw up a reasoned report after evaluating the evidence and testimony it collected on the basis of its Terms of Command. The report will blame, if found, either to public officials or to state or political officials arising from their acts or omissions in the performance of their duties. This report will be submitted to the Attorney General for his own actions.
First witness the investigations Officer
According to P., he will first testify before the Research Committee on April 3, the head of the Ministry of Transport Control Division, Konstantinos Kotziapassis, who was appointed by the Minister of Transport, Alexis Vafadis, as an operator. The appointment of the Research Committee is a continuation of the administrative investigation carried out by Mr Kotziapassis for the chaos caused by Takata airbags.
According to the finding of the administrative investigation, which was handed over to Mr Vafeadis around the end of January, since 2010 there was no state supervision and control over the revocations of vehicles imported into Cyprus as used by third countries and mainly by Japan and Singapore. In short, for the last 14 years, the hundreds of thousands of owners of these used vehicles have never been informed of the recalls that have been decided over the years by manufacturers and have concerned defective and dangerous accessories such as Takata airbags. The Road Transport Department as a competent supervisory authority has never called on the importers of used vehicles from third countries to take responsibility for the issue of informing their customers.
Citizens have contacted Tom since 2010 but…
According to P., the finding of the administrative investigation reveals that, in 2010, citizens contacted the Road Transport Department demanding guidance when they were informed that vehicles of the same type and brand used were recalled abroad due to Takata airbags. Citizens received no answer from Tom.
Calls to all vehicle dealerships
On April 3 and 9, the representatives of the new vehicles will be filed before the Research Committee. Calls were sent to all delegations. April 10 and 15 will be deposited by representatives of the Pancyprian Car Trading Guild representing the importers of used vehicles.
The circular that burns the Tom
The Road Transport Department with its circular, Date. March 21, 2017, he informed the delegations of new vehicles on the new procedure to be followed by vehicles. In this circular, while the procedure followed for vehicles is listed in detail, leaves a blank, deliberate or not being clear, which has caused all this crap today. What is the blank? The circular, while excluding the representatives of the new vehicles or, more correctly, the distributors of car manufacturers from the obligation to inform the owners of vehicles purchased used by third countries, mainly from Japan and Singapore, does not have it. Because of this
To date, thousands of imported used vehicles, which carry the dangerous airbags, are still vacuum. The information was made to these drivers just last March under the legislation promoted by the Parliament in cooperation with Transport Minister Alexis Vafaeadis.
European Regulation of 2018 not implemented
Another point where the research committee is expected to focus on is the non -implementation of the European Regulation (858) of 2018 governing vehicles, which makes the Department of Road Transport competent authority. For the reasons that the European Regulation was not implemented while the Republic had such an obligation, they and the former Directors of the Department of Road Transport will be required to testify before the Research Committee.
Witness deposit with… warrants
The current legislation provides increased powers to the research committee so that it can unhindered its work. Among other things:
*At any time any document or item that considers it necessary or desirable to secure or examine and maintain it under its possession and guard.
*Ensures testimony, written or oral, and examines witnesses.
*Conducts an autopsy or ordering an expertise.
*Califes any person who resides in the Republic or abroad to attend her meeting in order to give testimony or to present any document in his possession.
*Issue a warrant that forces the presence of any person before them to testify.
It should be noted that on the basis of the Law Research Committees, a person who fails to comply with any Directive of the Research Committee or who is blocking or trying to hinder any person to appear before her or to be examined by the research committee or shows a lack of respect for her or respecting committee, one year or in a fine not exceeding € 5,000 or both penalties.
In 2018 the first serious injury
On 24/01/2023, 24 -year -old Kyriakos Oxinos lost his life in a traffic accident on Griva Digenis Avenue in Engomi. Nine months later, the police finding concluded that the defective Takata airbag that brought the acidic vehicle was the reason that caused the death of the unfortunate Kyriakos.
Last October, Styliani Giorgallis, 19, lost her life in Avgorou. The result of the necrotomy showed that Stylian’s death was caused by bleeding shock, a consequence of ripping ascending aorta and a metal lung allegedly launched by the defective Takata airbag.
Before the two deadly, we had a serious injury of a 19 -year -old driver in 2018, who suffered irreparable damage to the face due to the Takata airbag.
As it appears effortlessly through the recent discussions in Parliament, the State’s competent services have had a confirmed incident of a serious takata airbag since 2018 and what did they do to prevent the worst? Nothing at all!
Will the perpetrators be punished this time?
Examples of the past do not allow us to be optimistic. In particular:
1 The report by the research committee on the big scandal of “golden” passports, released in June 2021, highlights the complexity, sepsis and corruption developed behind the “golden” passport industry, where few and well -known multiculturalists were made. In business with “gold” passports and various law firms behind which are current and former officials and close relatives. Nearly four years later no one ended up in prison. The report by the Research Committee highlighted the conflict of interest in the former President of the Republic, Nikos Anastasiadis, and his ministers as they gave their approval to the Council of Ministers for the issuance of “golden” passports submitted by law firms with which they had close relatives. To justify, Nikos Anastasiadis said he had no right to vote in the ministerial, while his ministers claimed that they did not know the providers at the time they were voting! But they didn’t ask to find out who they were. Political responsibilities are huge and are enormous. Did anyone take them? No.
2 In March 2019, the finding of the Research Committee on Pliatsiko was published in Co -operative for years, with the involvement of party executives and days. Did they take their political responsibilities? Did they have the righteousness to give up? Did anyone go to prison? No.
3 In September 2013, the finding of the Research Committee on the destruction of the country’s economy was issued. No political responsibility, no banker in prison. The one and only who was sentenced to first instance was solemnly acquitted in the Supreme Court.
So, the question arises: this time the culprits will be punished? “Where you hear a lot of cherries hold and a small basket,” says the proverb that fits in our case.