Train collision anniversary marked with accusations of cover-up

Relatives of the victims of the Tempe train collision in central Greece in late February last year attend a press conference on Monday at the Journalists’ Union of Athens Daily Newspapers (ESIEA) headquarters. Georgia Adelini, the prosecutor of the Supreme Court, has ordered the head of the Larissa Appeals Prosecutor’s Office to investigate complaints from advocates and victims’ relatives about the presence of flammable and toxic substances in the area, as well as the alteration of the accident scene, which may have resulted in the loss of evidence. This Wednesday marks the one-year anniversary of the deadliest train disaster to hit Greece. Federations have called for strikes and protests over what they see as a concerted effort to disguise the facts of the tragedy and cover up responsibilities. A technical expert of the association of the victims’ families said in his report submitted to the judicial authorities in Larissa that “the explosion in the wagons cannot be explained,” while the collision site was described as “contaminated” and altered, having been filled with gravel and concrete. Last week, lawmakers from three opposition parties walked out of the parliamentary committee investigating the disaster, accusing ruling New Democracy of a cover-up bid to acquit those responsible. [Yiannis Kolesidis/AMNA]