Athens, 28 Feb: Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered across Greece on Saturday to commemorate the victims of the 2023 rail collision at Tempi, a disaster that claimed 57 lives and remains the deadliest train crash in the country’s history.
Crowds assembled in central Athens and other major cities, observing moments of silence and placing flowers near parliament, where the names of those who died — many of them university students — were written in red on the pavement. The anniversary coincided with widespread industrial action, halting trains and ferries and disrupting public transport as workers joined the demonstrations.
The crash occurred when a passenger train and a freight train collided head-on near Tempi in central Greece. Investigations that followed highlighted safety deficiencies and delays in modernizing the railway network, intensifying public scrutiny of long-standing infrastructure weaknesses.
A long-awaited criminal trial is scheduled to begin on March 23. Dozens of railway officials and other non-political figures are expected to face charges that include negligent manslaughter, bodily harm, and endangering transport safety. Under Greek law, politicians are generally protected from direct prosecution in such cases, a provision that has drawn criticism from victims’ families and opposition groups.
Speaking at the rally, Pavlos Aslanidis, who leads the association representing victims’ relatives, said the families were united by a single demand: “We seek one thing: Justice.” Protest banners carried a more accusatory tone, with one reading, “It wasn’t an accident, it was murder.”
The tragedy has evolved into a broader symbol of institutional failure. A railway safety upgrade project co-financed by the European Union and launched in 2014 had not been fully implemented by the time of the collision. Families of the victims have alleged that crucial evidence was mishandled in the immediate aftermath — claims authorities reject.
The centre-right government denies any attempt to conceal responsibility and maintains that judicial proceedings will clarify accountability. Officials have pledged a comprehensive overhaul of the rail system by 2027, promising upgraded safety mechanisms and structural reforms.
For many demonstrators, however, Saturday’s turnout underscored persistent public mistrust and a demand for deeper political accountability beyond the courtroom.
