Tempi rail disaster trial resists families' push to delay

The Association of Relatives of the Victims of the Tempi rail crash is opposing recent requests by Ergose executives and former OSE officials to postpone the main criminal trial in Larissa. The families argue the defendants are exploiting the pending European Prosecutor’s investigation of contract 717 as a tactic to defer the proceedings indefinitely.

They stress that the trial must continue without interruption because the July 2023 collision, which killed 57 people and injured dozens, stemmed from safety failures tied to the incomplete implementation of contract 717, including gaps in signalling and telecontrol systems. The relatives reject statements from former infrastructure managers that infrastructure damage “did not play any role,” insisting the case focus on accountability for the fatal safety breach.