Three new motions were submitted by attorneys representing the victims’ families at the ongoing trial over the Tempi railway disaster.
The first concerns a change in the order in which witnesses are examined, the second calls for the summoning of additional witnesses not included in the original indictment, and the third requests that email correspondence between the Ministry of Transportation and railway organizations be entered into evidence.
The motions were filed by attorney Antonis Psaropoulos, who is also the father of one of the crash victims.
Restructuring the Witness Order
Citing Article 351 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, Psaropoulos proposed that witnesses be grouped and examined according to six thematic categories.
The first would cover first responders and rescue personnel who were on the scene immediately after the collision.
The second would focus on witnesses related to rail network safety and infrastructure.
The third would address witnesses connected to the fire that broke out following the collision, including forensic experts and technical advisors.
The fourth would cover those with knowledge of actions taken at the site in the days following the crash.
The fifth would include forensic pathologists and witnesses related to the handling of digital evidence.
The sixth and final category would consist of eyewitnesses, including survivors of the collision.
New Witnesses
In his second motion, Psaropoulos proposed that a number of additional individuals be called to testify, among them Fire Service officers, the former CEO of the Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE) who served between 2023 and 2025, and the former CEO of Interstar Security, the company contracted to provide security and video surveillance for the OSE rail network since 2017.
Email Records from the Ministry of Transportation
The third motion requests that the court be provided with electronic correspondence exchanged between the Ministry of Transportation and railway organizations concerning Contract 717 for the period 2021 to 2023. Psaropoulos argued this evidence is critical for the court to gain a fuller picture of the responsibilities of the defendants, who face felony charges for disrupting transportation safety.
Following a brief recess, additional motions from other attorneys representing the victims’ families were expected to be submitted.
