Proceedings are set to continue on Tuesday at the Three Member Felony Court of Appeals in Larissa, where lawyers representing the families of victims are presenting their positions on the prosecutor’s proposal regarding declarations to join the case in support of the criminal charges in the trial over the Tempi train disaster.
The prosecutor recommended that the court accept the declarations submitted by injured survivors, victims’ relatives—excluding the charge of breach of duty—and bar associations. At the same time, she proposed rejecting the declarations filed by the Panhellenic Union of Train Personnel and the Greek State, which is acting only against three stationmasters who were on duty during the evening shift on February 28, 2023, as well as the then-head of the Larissa Railway Traffic Inspection Department of the Central and Southern Greece Traffic Support Service.
Regarding the Greek State’s position, the prosecutor noted, among other things, that the declaration does not clearly specify which rolling stock suffered damage. She also added that, at the time of the accident, ownership of the rolling stock could belong either to the Greek State or to Eurofima, the European company that finances railway rolling stock.
It should be noted that at the previous hearing, the representative of the State Legal Council for the Greek State informed the court that it reserves the right to submit the relevant documents regarding ownership of the rolling stock at the next session.
Following the lawyers representing the victims’ families—where the completion of the statement by Zoe Konstantopoulou is still pending—the court will hear arguments from defense attorneys representing the accused.
It is recalled that a total of 36 individuals have been charged in the case, including executives and employees of the Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE), its subsidiary ERGOSE, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, Hellenic Train, and the Regulatory Authority for Railways (RAS).
The defendants face five categories of charges.
For the felony of dangerous interference with railway transport by possible intent, involving actions deemed hazardous to transport safety and capable of causing danger to property and human life, and which resulted in: (a) the death of a large number of people, (b) serious bodily harm to multiple individuals, and (c) significant damage to public utility infrastructure, committed repeatedly and jointly, 33 individuals are charged.
For the misdemeanors of negligent homicide by multiple counts, serious negligent bodily harm by a person under obligation, and simple negligent bodily harm by a person under obligation, 35 individuals are charged.
For the misdemeanor of breach of duty, 3 individuals are charged.
