Former Minister for Citizens’ Protection Nico Tosca put in the circle of decision makers during the critical hours when the fire threatened the Oka, on the afternoon of July 23, 2018 forensic expert Dimitris Liotsios who continues to testify at the trial about the tragedy for the 14th day.

Referring to the conversations included in the case file, prosecutor Dimitris Liotsios told the court during the interrogation of the accused by the then head of ESKE Ioannis Fostieris that permission was apparently requested from the then Minister of Citizens to control the air assets. Protection”without such powers“.

As Mr. Liotsios noted, in a specific dialogue, Mr. Fostieris can be heard saying to the officer on a critical issue regarding the aircraft: “I’ll ask the minister.” The prosecutor told the court that “the problem is who controlled the antennas. If so, then the question arises: Why was the Minister’s intervention allowed at the operational level, and especially at a time when the ground forces were begging for the air force. After all, who controlled the air means; And if that happens, the minister has no right to intervene at the operational level.” The expert did not comment on this issue, leaving it to the discretion of the court to decide the facts in respect of Mr. Tosca, who was called as a witness in court.

The presiding judge asked Mr. Fostieris to comment on Mr. Liotsios’ words, with the defendant stating that “since the physical and political leadership exists and is present, I personally, as a commander, do not give orders, cannot interfere in the field. I make a balanced proposal to management and they tell me where to intervene.”