As Greece marks the second anniversary of the deadly train collision in Tempi on 28 February 2023, large-scale protests are unfolding across the country and in over 100 cities worldwide. The tragedy, which claimed 57 lives, has become a symbol of systemic failures in railway safety, government negligence, uncontrolled privatisation, and chronic underfunding of public services.
A long-awaited 178-page report, released on 27 February 2025 by the Hellenic Air and Rail Accident Investigation Authority (HARSIA) attributes the disaster to human error, outdated infrastructure, and systemic failures. The collision occurred when a station master mistakenly routed an InterCity passenger train (IC62) carrying over 350 people onto the same track as an intermodal freight train, leading to a head-on crash near Larissa in the Tempi area, in northern Greece. Recordings captured the station master instructing the driver to “pass the red signal”.
The official investigation into what is considered the deadliest rail disaster in Greek history only began with the appointment of the first rail accident investigator on 15 February 2024. Despite initial claims that the accident was due solely to ‘human error’, the report highlights chronic underfunding and staff shortages that left the Greek railway system vulnerable. Essential automated safety controls were absent, and no significant public investment had been made for many years.
Mass Protests and Calls for Justice
Millions of people have taken to the streets globally, not only in Greece, demanding justice for the Tempi victims and highlighting that the disaster was preventable. Families of victims, student groups, and workers’ unions have joined nationwide demonstrations, calling for full accountability and reforms. A no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ government was blocked in the national Parliament in 2024, further fuelling public outrage.
Recent reports have intensified the controversy, with claims that the freight train was illegally carrying hazardous chemicals. An independent investigation, funded by victims’ families, suggests these substances may have caused the fire that engulfed parts of the wreckage. Audio recordings from emergency responders indicate that some victims perished not in the initial crash but from asphyxiation due to toxic fumes. Consequently, the poignant and desperate statement “Δεν έχω οξυγόνο” (I have no oxygen), the poignant slogan, the last words of final words in a call to emergency services made by Francesca Beza, who survived the initial impact of the train collision but died from the toxic fumes caused by the massive explosion of hydrocarbon, has become a rallying cry in demonstrations, systematically appearing on placards and banners.
These revelations have reignited mass protests across Greece, with thousands marching in Athens, Thessaloniki, and several other cities with major streets closed to traffic. Businesses, shops, theatres, and cultural institutions have shut down in solidarity with the victims’ families and observing general strikes with protesters accusing authorities of suppressing evidence and demanding a new, independent inquiry and accountability.
Austerity and Privatisation: The Root of the Crisis?
Greece’s railway crisis is also rooted in austerity measures and the forced privatisation of its national railway company during one of the country’s darkest hours in the past decade with the European Union’s responsibilities and the role of the Troika (the European Central Bank, the European Commission, and the International Monetary Fund) under scrutiny. The financial crisis and bailout agreements forced Greece to sell TrainOSE (now Hellenic Train), then the leading Greek railway operator, in 2017 for just 45 million euros to Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS Group), the state-owned railway operator of Italy, which runs Trenitalia. In 2022, TrainOSE was rebranded as Hellenic Train. However, budget cuts, staff reductions, and a lack of investment have created hazardous safety conditions. Previously, TrainOSE managed passenger and freight services, while OSE (Hellenic Railways Organisation) was responsible for infrastructure, including tracks, stations, and signalling. During the protests taking place worldwide two years after the Tempi railway disaster, demonstrators are continuously reminding that, throughout the previous decade, financial pressures have been prioritised over public safety. This has contributed to the systemic failures that led to the tragedy, the consequences of which they are still experiencing today, particularly in the form of the collapse of public services. Furthermore, the Tempi disaster has intensified debates on whether Greece’s railway system should be re-nationalised or subjected to stricter regulation, as public confidence continues to decline, and privatisation has largely failed to improve safety and efficiency. For many citizens taking part in the street protests, the Tempi disaster stands as a grim consequence of privatisation policies and austerity measures, failures that Greece cannot afford to forget.
International Solidarity and Global Demonstrations
The anniversary has sparked protests in hundreds of cities, including Brussels, Paris, Berlin, London, Rome, and New York. In Brussels, demonstrators gathered outside the European Parliament under banners reading “Justice for Tempi” in Greek, English, French, Serbian and many other languages.
A notable support came from Serbia, where students marched from the University of Belgrade to the Greek Embassy carrying banners declaring “Your struggle is our struggle!”. Serbian activists, citizens and students who have been protesting for four months now their government’s handling of infrastructure projects drew alarming comparisons between the Tempi disaster and the Novi Sad railway station collapse in November 2024, which killed 15 people and actively participated in the Greek protest in Brussels’ Place du Luxembourg before launching their own demonstration the following morning, also in parallel with the mass rally planned in southern Serbian city of Niš.
The Road Ahead: Will Justice Be Served?
The Tempi disaster remains a deep wound in Greek society, further eroding public trust in government institutions and public services. Victims’ families continue to demand an independent, transparent investigation, fearing that political interests will once again override accountability.
On 7 February, the European Parliament passed a resolution expressing concern about the current state of the rule of law and media freedom in Greece in which the Tempi tragedy is mentioned as clear example of underreporting. In the document it is highlighted that media ownership in the country is concentrated in the hands of a small number of oligarchs, leading to significant under-reporting on certain issues, such as concerns about the rail safety system prior to the Tempi train crash.
The tragedy has also exposed contradictions and ambiguity within the recently appointed European Commission. Apostolos Tzitzikostas, as soon as he was designated as Greece’s nominee for European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, faced intense scrutiny over the Tempi train crash during his European Parliament hearing on 4 November 2024. Several Members of the European Parliament pressed him on railway safety standards and referenced a report by the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) highlighting safety breaches linked to the Greek government’s responsibilities. Despite this scrutiny, Tzitzikostas secured enough support from the Transport Committee and now serves as EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism (2024–2029). Notably, he was absent from the Brussels demonstrations marking the Tempi anniversary.
As Greece and the world remember the 57 lives lost, the fight for justice and railway safety continues. Protesters remain determined to ensure the tragedy is not forgotten, insisting their struggle for accountability is far from over. The same sentiment resonates in Serbia, where transnational solidarity movements are gaining momentum, even as governments remain largely silent on both disasters.
