Two years after a devastating train crash in northern Greece, a general strike and hundreds of demonstrations are bringing the nation to standstill to mark the anniversary of a tragedy that has become a symbol of institutional failure.
Outgoing President Katerina Sakellaropoulou marked two years since the deadly train collision in central Greece, that killed 57 people and injured dozens more, saying “truth and accountability” are needed in a case that has yet to reach court.
On Friday, many of us will take to the streets to express our anger, our sadness, our concern about our country, about our lives. The disappointment is focused not only on today’s government, nor only on previous governments and opposition parties.
Reuters has set up a live feed from Athens’ Syntagma square were thousands of protesters gathered ahead of the main protest rally to mark two years since Greece’s deadliest train crash in Tempe, near the city of Larissa.
A damning report on Greece’s deadliest train disaster, which killed 57 people on February 28, 2023, was released Thursday, revealing systemic safety failures and the destruction of critical evidence within days of the crash.
The center-left PASOK party is set to file a no-confidence motion against the government next week, citing failures in railway safety and disaster response following the deadly 2023 Tempe train crash.
Mass rallies and demonstrations have been planned across the country and in numerous cities around the world on Friday, to mark the second anniversary of Greece’s deadliest train crash at Tempe two years ago.
Transportation workers will participate in a 24-hour general strike on Friday, marking two years since the Tempe railway disaster. All train services, including the Athens Suburban Railway (Proastiakos), will be suspended throughout the day.
Approximately 40,000 civil servants will see increases in their salaries after the settlement of the “personal difference” issue, related to their reduced wages based on when they started receiving their state salaries.
OTE, Greece’s biggest telecoms operator, reported a 1% rise in adjusted core earnings in the fourth quarter on Wednesday, driven by growth in its Greek mobile operations as well as lower personnel and maintenance costs in Greece.