Mayor faces legal reckoning over amusement park death
Two members of the Kassandra Municipal Council in Halkidiki, northern Greece have filed a lawsuit against Mayor Anastasia Chalkia for alleged dereliction of duty following a fatal accident in the summer at a local amusement park in Pefkochori.
They accuse her of failing to convene the licensing committee to decide on the park’s closure after authorities reported it was operating without a permit on July 7, 2024.
They stated that the responsibility to close the park rested with either the mayor or the seven-member committee, which was not summoned due to Chalkia’s inaction. The mayor, who was summoned to testify before a criminal justice, asserted that she delegated licensing responsibilities to an assistant mayor.
Moreover, a municipal employee involved in the licensing process may also face scrutiny. Meanwhile, criminal charges for manslaughter have been filed against the park owner and operator, as well as complicity charges against a civil engineer who falsely certified the park’s safety.
