Maria Karystianou, the mother of 19-year-old Martha who was killed in the train accident in Tempi, shocked with her speech, speaking at a related event at the European Parliament. It is even characteristic that at the end of the speech everyone stood up and applauded her.
It is noted that at the event organized by the SYRIZA MEP, Kostas Arvanitis for the railway tragedy entitled “Tempe: Derailment of the rule of law” in the presence of relatives of the victims, Stefanos Kasselakis was also present.
“We came to talk about the value of life, human rights and we are the voice of our children. It’s like hearing my daughter’s voice,” said Maria Karystianou.
“In your country would anyone dare to put a price on human life? They cost us as much as a train ticket. Our children did not want to die, they wanted to live, to realize their dreams. This was not their fate, nor was it a “sacrifice” as they were characterized. Human sacrifices don’t happen in 2024. I would give anything not to be here talking to you.”
What did he answer to Kostas Karamanlis?
Referring to what the former Minister of Transport, Konstantinos Ah. Karamanlis, Maria Karystianou stated that “he testified innocent in a crime that all the evidence points to the contrary. The former minister is well aware that he is in a safe environment. He dared to address us, saying that our pain should be muted so that only his own voice could be heard. Mr. Karamanlis, listening to you, I thought how sad that the legislators did not take care of people like you, they could not imagine the magnitude of indignity for people like you. You and your supporters are now a minority. Society envisages justice and the burial of those you represent.”
The president of the victims’ association in Tempi noted that “I am addressing all the mothers and parents of the world. Probably many of you know about the ancient Greek tragedies but unfortunately we are not spectators of a show, but we live it normally. Many ideals and principles were born from Greek society. The rule says to help states one another. What you will hear may seem unbelievable to you but it is real, how could it be something different after all, we are the relatives of the 57 dead. It was not a major accident, but a state crime, with places that are not touched.”
“Field tilling, the fastest process in Greece”
Mrs. Karystianou stated that in the Tempo case, the expert report was drawn up in offices, without an autopsy, while speaking of the clearing of the field where the trains collided, she spoke of the “fastest work of the Greek government”.
“The fastest procedure in Greece, 620,000 euros were found and the miracle happened. The case was filed by the Greek prosecutor, where most cases involving politicians are filed. We have heard from the ministers for the last 8 years that they are talking about huge funds regarding the upgrading of the train. We fully supported it, even with our lives… How can we imagine the risk we were taking for our children every time. The train drivers who knew sent memos, not that anything changed. Imagine being forced to work, knowing that at any moment they could be killed. Even the maximum sentence seems unfair”, he noted.