Panos Ruci, father of a Tempi train disaster victim, returned to Syntagma Square on Sunday after the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier amendment passed, fearing that the names of the 57 victims could soon be erased.

A new legal and political clash has erupted over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with Mayor Haris Doukas filling a lawsuit over the government’s decision to outsource cleaning of the monument, questioning both the legality and constitutionality of the move

A ministry announcement came hours after DM Nikos Dendias met with Athens Mayor Haris Doukas, whose statement of “responsibility for the monument (now) belongs exclusively to the government” indicated an unwillingness to assume cleaning chores at the site

A political “tempest in a teapot”, a mere diversion from other, more pressing issues, a necessary move to better protect a revered site for Hellenism, or, a “discount” on freedom of assembly and free speech? An amendment tabled by the center-right government in the latter half of October transferring jurisdiction of the Tomb of the […]

The contentious draft legislation was approved by 159 deputies out of 293 participating in the vote - 153 from the ruling party and three independents voted in favor; four MPs were absent

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis downplayed Defence Minister Nikos Dendias’s absence from a key parliamentary debate, saying he supports the amendment on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and will vote for it

A parliamentary amendment to protect the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier exposes fractures within the Greek government and sharp clashes with opposition parties, revealing deep political and social divisions.

DM Dendias did not attend the debate, instead he spoke across the street at a previously scheduled event, where he said the ministry and armed forces will not treat the monument as an object of political posturing and social division; it unites Greeks now and forever

A proposed law transferring oversight of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to the Ministry of Defense sparks political clashes and public debate over national memory, public access, and the role of the military in Greece

The decision to transfer the monument and the surrounding area's jurisdiction to the defense ministry is a “hot button” political issue in the country

Families and supporters gathered in central Athens to honor the 57 victims of the Tempi train disaster and denounce a government proposal restricting protests near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The exact wording of the amendment is expected to address questions that have arisen even among the agencies that will be entrusted with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.