Notis Mitarachi: Has Greece's government lost the confidence of the people?

The Interview

BBC

News, Government, Politics

4.3 • 537 Ratings

🗓️ 8 March 2023

⏱️ 24 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The devastating train crash in Greece which killed 57 people generated a wave of grief and anger. Many Greeks see the disaster as symptomatic of a failing state, characterised by a lack of investment in public infrastructure and a lack of accountability at the heart of government. Other aspects of public policy are also facing harsh scrutiny, from migration to internal security. Stephen Sackur speaks to Greece’s asylum and migration minister Notis Mitarachi. Has his government lost the confidence of the Greek people?

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, Namulantakombo here with some exciting news.
0:04.1	My award-winning podcast, Dear Daughter, is back for a second season.
0:08.9	We're bringing you more moving personal stories and more letters of advice from people all around the world.
0:15.4	For Daughters everywhere.
0:17.7	That's Dear Daughter from the BBC World Service. Find it wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
0:26.6	Welcome to Hard Talk on the BBC World Service. I'm Stephen Sacker. My guest today is a member of the Greek government,
0:34.3	currently under enormous public pressure, after a national tragedy which raised
0:39.4	serious questions about competence and accountability. Notice Mitraki is Greece's migration minister.
0:47.8	Last week, a wave of grief and anger swept the country after a devastating head-on rail crash left 57 people dead.
0:57.2	Within hours, the transport minister had resigned, but the PM chose to put the blame for the
1:02.0	crash squarely on individual human error, and that left many Greeks infuriated.
1:08.4	They blamed the government for failing to upgrade the rail network and some
1:12.9	took to the streets to vent their fury. Greeks are due to vote in parliamentary elections very soon.
1:18.6	It's unclear what impact this national tragedy will have on the political mood, nor is it clear
1:24.1	whether Greeks will be swayed by months of controversy surrounding the secret
1:29.2	surveillance of public figures by the Greek intelligence service. In the midst of these
1:34.1	controversies, Minister Mitiraki is focused on implementing a tough immigration policy designed to
1:40.9	dissuade would-be migrants from attempting to enter Greece over land or by sea.
1:47.0	The numbers of migrants entering Greece is down, but accusations that the Athens government is flouting international law are growing louder.
1:56.5	Can the Greek government ride out the various storms it's facing?
2:00.9	Well, Notis Mitraki joins me now from Athens.
2:04.4	Welcome to Hard Talk.
	...

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