The trial over the Tempi rail disaster continues today at the Three-Member Court of Appeal for Felonies in Larissa, with the court examining two requests filed by lawyers representing victims’ families, injured passengers and other parties supporting the prosecution.

The first request concerns the audiovisual recording and broadcast of the hearings. The second seeks the in-person appearance of the defendants in court.

At the previous hearing, the prosecutor recommended that both requests be rejected. Defence lawyers are expected to complete their responses today, after which lawyers supporting the prosecution will also address the court. A ruling is then expected.

The court has already dismissed two earlier requests submitted by prosecution-support lawyers. One sought the transmission of trial transcripts to the special Supreme Court investigating magistrate handling the separate case concerning former transport minister Kostas Achilleas Karamanlis. The other requested the submission of correspondence between Greece’s State Legal Council and former deputy transport minister Kostas Kyranakis over the Greek state’s participation in the proceedings.

The procedural stage concerning legal representation has now been completed, allowing the court to move on to the lawyers’ applications in the coming hearings.

The parties appearing in support of the prosecution include relatives of the victims, injured survivors, passengers from the passenger train involved in the collision, and the Greek state. The state has declared its participation only in relation to the three stationmasters accused of being on the afternoon-evening shift, as well as the head of the Larissa inspection department of the rail traffic support service for central and southern Greece at the time of the disaster.

A total of 36 people are standing trial. They include executives and employees of OSE, Greece’s state railway infrastructure operator; ERGOSE, the company responsible for railway infrastructure projects; the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure; Hellenic Train, the private rail operator; and the Railways Regulatory Authority.

The charges relate to alleged omissions involving the implementation of contract 717, the long-delayed rail signalling and remote-control project; supervision of the railway network; the transfer of the stationmaster to Larissa; the operation of Larissa railway station on the night of February 28, 2023; and the lack of safety measures on the disputed section of the Larissa-Neoi Poroi rail line.

Five offences are being examined, depending on each defendant’s alleged role.

Thirty-three defendants face the felony charge of dangerous intervention in fixed-track transport with possible intent. The charge concerns acts allegedly dangerous to transport safety, from which a common danger to property and danger to human life could arise, resulting in the deaths of a large number of people, serious bodily harm to multiple people and major damage to public utility infrastructure. The offence is alleged to have been committed jointly and repeatedly.

Thirty-five defendants face three misdemeanour charges: serial negligent homicide, serial negligent serious bodily harm by persons under a legal duty of care, and serial negligent bodily harm by persons under a legal duty of care.

Three defendants also face a misdemeanour charge of breach of duty.

The court has already rejected objections filed by the defendants over the breach-of-duty charge and accepted the participation of victims’ relatives and injured survivors in support of the prosecution.

Eleven hearing dates have been scheduled for July, with three consecutive sessions set for each of the first two weeks of the month.