Greece: People united in grief, and anger
Hundreds of thousands of Greeks took to the streets across the country on Friday, marking two years since the tragic Tempe train disaster that claimed 57 lives.
Mass demonstrations in Athens, in particular, Thessaloniki, and dozens of other cities drew people from all walks of life, including workers, students, families, and first-time protesters, united in demands for justice, transparency and improved railway safety.
The protests, fueled by public anger over systemic failures in Greece’s transportation infrastructure, culminated in a powerful message: “Enough is enough.” In Tempe, where the deadly crash occurred, relatives of victims gathered for a memorial service. Nikos Plakias, who lost three daughters in the accident, spoke on behalf of the grieving families. “Their graves remain open until justice is served,” he said.
Demonstrations were held in every major Greek city, with massive turnouts reported from Crete to the Ionian Islands and the northeastern Aegean. Mytilene, Samos and Chios saw historic gatherings, while business owners in Larissa closed their shops in solidarity. The message also resonated beyond Greece, with rallies in Rome, London, Brussels and New York. The slogan “I can’t breathe” echoed as a symbol of ongoing frustration.
At the Maximos Mansion, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his team monitored the protests, responding only with two measured statements. Mitsotakis acknowledged the enduring pain of the tragedy, stating, “Nothing will be the same again,” and vowed to push forward reforms for safer railways and public services. Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis echoed the same sentiment and later condemned “small extremist groups” for attempting to disrupt peaceful demonstrations.
The political landscape is heating up as the fallout from the disaster continues. The opposition parties, including PASOK and SYRIZA, are preparing for a battle in Parliament next week. PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis, speaking from a protest on Crete, emphasized that the citizens who participated in the protests without party banners and divisions, in addition to truth and justice, are demanding “a state that will respect the citizen and serve them, not a state that is a prize for the ruling power.”
The party is leading efforts to launch a parliamentary inquiry into then-government official Christos Triantopoulos and may introduce a no-confidence motion.
SYRIZA, for its part, reiterated accusations of an attempt to cover up state negligence. “Today, across Greece and beyond, Greeks are searching for justice for the Tempe crime, for the crime of cover-up, for a safe society with safe transportation. Mr Mitsotakis cannot ensure all of this,” said party leader Sokratis Famellos, emphasizing growing public discontent.
With the opposition parties coordinating their efforts, next week’s parliamentary debates promise to be contentious.
The government faces mounting pressure to address long-standing failures that led to the disaster while navigating intensifying political opposition.
Source: ekathimerini.com
