Two years have passed since the fatal train accident in the Tempi area near Larissa, Greece, which killed 57 people on 28 February 2023, the vast majority of whom were under the age of 30.
Numbness. The sensation of losing a vital part of oneself. Images of crushed train parts and fire smoke, repeatedly replaying on our TV screens. Two years later, the very same feeling remains.
Many demonstrations and the collective efforts of victims’ groups have taken place, and the public sentiment swings between anger, disappointment, and sadness. Greeks are known for their emotional nature but this transcends the normal disappointments followed by unmet political promises.
Numerous demonstrations are taking place across Greece and internationally, London, New York and Brussels being among them. Greece’s most tragic train accident is particularly hard to forget as it touches Greece’s collective subconscious.
‘’It could have been me, it could have been my brother or sister, it could have been my friends’," a thought shared by many.
This year is particularly important as an independent investigator, ordered by the victim's families, revealed that the train was carrying flammable, illegal materials that intensified the explosion and killed passengers that could have been saved otherwise, a painfully hard-to-digest reality that official sources like the government and the train company were denying until now.
Trust remains low
These demonstrations go far beyond commemorating the victims, most of whom were students studying in local universities in Thessaloniki, Larissa and Athens. They echo demands for justice, transparency, and meaningful punishment.
First, for the train company, Hellenic Train, and its insufficient infrastructure and staff training, including the station master who was almost exclusively blamed for mismanaging the system that could have avoided the crash.
More importantly, however, anger is also directed at the justice system and political institutions, whose handling of the aftermath has fueled widespread dissatisfaction. Delays, lack of financial support for the victims' families, statements lacking empathy, and revelations exposing ignorance of the Greek railway’s conditions have all contributed to the erosion of public trust.
Two years after the fatal accident, public trust in trains in Greece remains low compared to the train tradition rooted in Central Europe. It’s not only because of the tragic memories. The reality is that railway system restorations remain incomplete.
A country of 11 million passengers relies on public bus transportation to get around. The images are telling: train carriages on the nearly six-hour journey connecting Thessaloniki and Athens, often resemble ghost trains. Tourists, unaware of the tragedy, are among the few who still use them. “Ignorance is bliss,” as the saying goes.
And while the country still grieves this part of her that has been lost when the train crashed, Rousseau’s concept of social contract resonated deeply. The accident questioned the agreement between citizens and the state — where individuals surrender certain freedoms in exchange for protection and order.
Resentment will persist as long as justice and meaningful solutions remain elusive. In the emotionally-prone minds and hearts of Greeks, who live in the shadows of decades of corruption, the road to justice and catharsis seems gloomy.
