Anti-government protests over the train accident paralyzed Greece

A 24-hour general strike paralyzed transport, including flights, and much of Greece’s public services on Thursday, as tens of thousands of people again protested across the country against the conservative government. Kyriakos Mitsotakis the train accident in which 57 people died on February 28.

Although trade and industry did not join the strike, which was called by the two most important unions, ADEDY and GSEE, public transport, public health and many educational centers suspended or reduced their activities. Port workers, taxi drivers, and the entire public city transport are also on strike.

in Athens, about 28,000 peopleAs the police announced, they gathered in front of the Greek parliament, demanding to find the real culprits of the tragedy, and as a sign of protest against the government, which they accuse of failing to guarantee railway safety by delaying the installation of safety systems. “Let the murderous government resign” could be read on a banner held up by protesters, while another called for “Don’t cover up crime in Tempe,” the city near where the incident took place. Tens of thousands of people also protested in more than 70 Greek cities.

At the protest in Athens, various conflicts broke out, when groups of protesters threw Molotov cocktails at the intervention police, who responded with tear gas and flash grenades.

The main opposition party, the leftist Syriza, accused the conservative government of violently suppressing the anti-government protest. In its statement, Syriza attached a video published on the website of a Greek newspaper Augustin which the riot police can be seen running into a group of protesters without provoking them and at the same time throwing shock bombs at them.

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— Η ΒΥΓΗ (@AvgiOnline) March 16, 2023

At first, the government argued that the accident was caused by human error and for now, four railway employees have been charged, including the station manager who put a passenger and freight train on the same track, which eventually collided.

Faced with pressure from the street, Mitsotakis eventually apologized and acknowledged the lack of safety systems in much of the rail network, such as the part where the accident occurred.

In fact, it has been since 2014 postponement of contract execution, with funds from the European Union, improve the signaling system and install a remote control system on that section. A few days after the accident, it was revealed that the Greek government ignored the warnings launched by the opposition and unions over safety problems in the rail network weeks before the incident.

In addition to the pressure on the street, Mitsotakis also faces drop in the polls intentions to vote for his party, New Democracy, in view of the elections likely to be held on 1 May 21and that now puts it just three points behind the leftist Syriza, half the lead it had before the crash.

compensation to victims

Hellenic trainthe private company that manages the railways in Greece will pay an “advance payment” to each family of the 57 killed in the February 28 train accident of 42,000 euros.

Injured passengers will receive compensation between 5,000 and 10,000 euros, depending on the injuries and length of hospitalization, according to the company’s announcement.

Hellenic Train, controlled by Italian railways, clarified that the compensation “does not in any way constitute an acceptance of liability by the company”, in accordance with the provisions of the community regulation.

The Greek government announced last week that it would provide compensation to every family that lost a loved one in the accident monthly pension of 1,600 euros and eliminating their debts to the state.