Greece Stands Still: Two Years After the Deadly Train Collision

Two years ago, a terrible train accident happened in Greece. A passenger train, full of students, crashed into a freight train near the Tempi gorge. 57 people lost their lives. This was the deadliest train crash in Greece's history. People are still angry and demanding justice. The safety issues that caused the crash haven't been fixed. An inquiry found this out just recently. The judicial investigation is still not complete. Nobody has been held responsible for the accident. This is a big problem. People took to the streets to protest. Hundreds of thousands of people rallied in cities and towns across Greece. They were angry and wanted justice. They wanted to honor the victims. They wanted to make sure this never happens again. The protests were massive. People from all walks of life joined in. Air traffic controllers, seafarers, train drivers, doctors, lawyers, and teachers all participated in a 24-hour general strike. Businesses shut down, and theaters canceled their shows. People gathered in Syntagma Square in Athens. They held signs with angry messages. One sign read:"Government of murderers. " The government has been criticized for not doing enough. They say they are up to the judiciary to investigate the accident. The protests showed how angry people are. Many people in Greece don't trust the government. This is because of the 2009-2018 debt crisis. During this time, millions of people lost their jobs and pensions. Public services suffered from underfunding. People gathered in the center of Athens. They were watched by police in riot gear. One protester, Christos Main, said, "The government hasn't done anything to get justice. This wasn't an accident, it was murder. "Another protester, Evi, said she was there to mourn the dead. She also said the government has tried to cover things up. The names of those killed were spray-painted in red on the ground in front of the parliament building. In the suburbs of Athens, groups of all ages made their way downtown. They held placards reading "I have no oxygen, " a slogan of the protests. Many pupils went to class dressed in black, a symbol of mourning. Others held up black balloons. The government said they would work to modernize the railway network and make it safer. The Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said, "That night, we saw the ugliest face of the country in the national mirror. Fatal human errors met with chronic state inadequacies. " Opposition parties have accused the government of covering up evidence. They urged the government to step down. Next week, parliament is expected to debate whether to set up a committee. This committee would investigate possible political responsibility in the disaster. In a survey carried out this week by Pulse pollsters, 82% of Greeks asked said the train disaster was "one of the most" or "the most" important issue in the country. 66% said they were dissatisfied with the investigations into the accident. In Athens, students chanted "Text me when you get there, " - the final message many of the victims' relatives sent them. Litsa, a 45-year-old nurse, said, "We're here because we're parents. Tomorrow it might be our children. "