Tens of thousands of protesters gathered on January 26 outside the Greek Parliament in Athens, demanding justice for the 57 victims of the 2023 Tempi train disaster.
One of the largest protests in recent years, the demonstration was mirrored by similar gatherings in more than 100 cities across Greece and Europe.
The tragedy occurred on February 28, 2023, when a passenger train collided with a freight train near Tempi, central Greece.
Investigations revealed that the freight train was carrying 10 tons of flammable liquids, leading to a huge fireball that caused numerous fatalities. The authorities have continued to deny the existence of such cargo.
Protesters held banners reading “We won’t forget” and “I have no oxygen,” the latter echoing a victim’s last words during a distress call.
The “I Have No Oxygen” movement, spearheaded by the Association of Tempi Accident Victims, has gained enough momentum to unite citizens in a call for accountability.
Maria Karistianou, whose 20-year-old daughter died in the crash, addressed the crowd saying: “We are here and we will not stop … until those responsible are held accountable.”
Families of the victims, as well as the opposition, have accused authorities of attempting to cover up the crash.
Shortly after the collision, the site was rapidly cleared and paved over, a move that many said they believed hindered thorough forensic investigations.
That action potentially led to the loss of critical evidence, experts have said, including personal belongings and the remains of some victims. Families have voiced concerns that not all their loved ones were recovered due to the expedited site clearance.
Allegations have also included alleged tampering with audio recordings between the station master and freight train driver designed to shift blame solely on to human error, thereby neglecting potential systemic issues and responsibilities.
What is more, key surveillance footage from Thessaloniki’s Commercial Station, where the freight train was loaded before the accident, has gone missing.
This footage, it has been said, could have provided insights into the cargo’s nature and loading procedures. The absence of this evidence has raised suspicions of deliberate tampering.
In response, the Supreme Court Prosecutor initiated an urgent investigation to determine the reasons behind the missing footage.
Adding to the controversy, the 39-year-old son of the prosecutor overseeing the Tempi case, Vasilis Kalogirou, went missing on December 30, 2024.
Despite extensive search efforts, no significant leads have emerged, leading to public speculation about potential connections between his disappearance and the ongoing investigation.
These developments have intensified public scrutiny and demands for accountability, with many citizens expressing deep mistrust in the authorities’ handling of the investigation. Many said they believed that the alleged deadly illegal cargo belonged to an oligarch that the government was trying to protect.
Despite government assurances of a thorough investigation and rail system reforms, progress has been slow.
No individuals have been held accountable nearly two years after the incident, fuelling further public outrage.
The recent nomination of Constantine Tassoulas as President of the Republic further angered victims’ relatives. They have alleged that under his leadership as Speaker of the Greek Parliament, lawmakers failed to investigate the political ramifications related to the crash.
Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis has previously denied any cover-up, accusing opposition parties of “instrumentalising the pain of the victims’ relatives”.
As the judicial investigation continues, protesters have remained steadfast in their demand for justice and systemic change to prevent such tragedies in the future.
A poll conducted in April 2024 by GPO revealed that 49.2 per cent of respondents attributed responsibility for the accident to the ruling New Democracy (ND) government. Some 71.7 per cent said they believed that the government was likely to be attempting to conceal information regarding the crash.
