Three years have passed today since the Tempi tragedy, and a wave of mobilizations will unfold from early on across the country, in memory of the 57 people who lost their lives in the tragic accident.

Throughout the week, commemorative events were announced one after another across the country, while public attention is focused on the gatherings in Athens and Thessaloniki, where many relatives of the victims of the accident are expected to speak from the podium.

At the Syntagma Square gathering, in addition to relatives of the victims, representatives of labor unions and other associations, as well as students, are expected to be given the floor. In this way, the organizers aim to remind the younger generation of the imprint of the Tempi tragedy, given that the majority of the victims were young people. Speaking at the Syntagma Square gathering is also expected to be Pavlos Aslanidis, President of the Association of Victims’ Relatives “Tempi 2023,” who commented ahead of the anniversary and on the occasion of the unveiling of a commemorative monument in Kaisariani, where the names of the victims are inscribed, at the end of the week.

Karystianou a “puzzle”
As of yesterday afternoon, however, the organizers of the commemorative event at Syntagma did not have a clear picture of whether Maria Karystianou will ultimately choose to speak from the podium of the gathering, although information suggests she will attend the Syntagma Square rally. Earlier in the week, she issued an open call—via an audiovisual message—to attend the Syntagma gathering, a fact that increases the likelihood that she may wish to address participants at the event.

Nevertheless, the event’s program has been finalized by the organizers in terms of the list and order of speakers (with some information suggesting that alphabetical order will be followed), as well as their roles, which will indicate their relationship to the victims.

At the Venizelos Statue, in Aristotelous Square, the event organized by the Association of Tempi Victims’ Relatives will take place in Thessaloniki as well. Several relatives of the deceased are expected to speak at the microphone, followed by a march through the historic city center.

“Peaceful rally”
Meanwhile, parallel commemorative events will be held today at noon across the country, with the President of the Association of Tempi Victims’ Relatives, Pavlos Aslanidis, sending a message yesterday to participants via protothema.gr.

Speaking on “Proti Lexi” with Antonis Sroiter, Mr. Aslanidis made it clear in every direction that “we want a peaceful rally, no violence and no vandalism,” while calling on everyone not to allow incidents to occur and for parties not to attempt once again to politically exploit the gathering. “Many parties wanted to gain votes from the tragedy. And we found no substantial help from any party, with the exception of our presence in the European Parliament,” said Pavlos Aslanidis, revealing that he called Zoi Konstantopoulou and asked her to stop arguing in Parliament in the name of their children.

Mobilizations in Larissa
In Larissa, the city that found itself at the epicenter of the tragedy, commemorative events and strike protest gatherings are being held with the participation of relatives of the victims, organizations, and citizens. Numerous local bodies are calling on citizens to participate en masse in the gatherings, the strike rally, and other actions.

Among them are the Larissa Labor Center, the Federation of Professionals, Craftsmen and Merchants of Larissa, the Larissa Merchants’ Association, the Larissa Pharmaceutical Association, the Larissa Taxi Owners’ Union, the Association of Owners of Leisure and Catering Establishments of Larissa, the United Federation of Agricultural Associations of Larissa, and student associations, with demands “for justice, strengthening safety in transport, and condemnation of policies considered to have led to the tragedy.”

Today, at 12:00 noon, the central gathering will take place in Larissa’s Central Square. Workers’ unions, student associations, professional and social bodies have issued a call to participate, demanding justice for the victims and full clarification of the case.

At the same time, at 13:00, a memorial service will be held at the site of the collision in Tempi, in the presence of relatives of the victims and citizens wishing to pay tribute. Wreaths and flowers have been placed at the site, and a one-minute silence will be observed in memory of the victims.

Also, at 19:00 in the evening, a large concert in Larissa is scheduled, dedicated to the memory of the victims.

In previous days, citizens of all ages gathered at the victims’ memorial in OSE Square, leaving flowers, candles, and handwritten messages in memory of the 57 deceased. The space had become a site of silent tribute, with relatives and friends of the victims passing by discreetly, in an atmosphere of deep emotion.

Today’s anniversary takes on particular significance, as the trial for the case is expected to begin on March 23 at the Three-Member Felony Court of Appeal of Larissa.

The judicial process, which is expected to last a long time due to the volume of the case file and the number of defendants and witnesses, is considered pivotal for assigning responsibility and fully investigating the conditions that led to the collision of the two trains.