In a powerful statement to the Sunday Times, one of Britain’s leading newspapers, Maria Karystianou expressed her determination to see justice served in the Tempi rail disaster. Karystianou, “For three minutes, my daughter was alive”, “That’s what my daughter would have wanted,” she said, to see justice served in the Tempi rail disaster, to ensure such a tragedy can never happen again.
A moving feature on the Tempi railway disaster, accompanied by the testimony of Maria Karystianou, was published by The Sunday Times this weekend — shedding new light on the tragedy and raising disturbing questions about political responsibility and judicial integrity in Greece.
“For three horrific minutes, Marti was alive with her friend after the crash. These recordings proved that our people were not just alive — they were conscious and fully aware of what was happening.”
The article highlights not only the human tragedy, but also the political repercussions, noting the huge protests that swept through Greece in January and February — some of the largest demonstrations since the fall of the military junta. It also refers to recent attacks on Hellenic Train property and Greece’s longstanding reputation for systemic corruption.
But beyond public outrage lies a deeper injustice: the suppression of crucial evidence and the shielding of politicians and officials from accountability.
Key evidence, including communication records, operational logs, and forensic reports, was reportedly withheld or delayed by both political figures and sections of the Greek judiciary — a pattern all too familiar in cases involving state negligence. This has not only obstructed the pursuit of truth but deepened public distrust in institutions meant to serve justice.
Maria Karystianou was blunt: “We are up against politicians. In Greece, politicians are traditionally never to blame for anything, and this is a problem. All I want is justice — so this never happens again. I know that’s what my daughter would have wanted.”
The Fight for Justice — and the End of Political Immunity
Today, Karystianou is not standing alone. With the backing of around 1,335,000 Greek citizens’ signatures demanding a change in the law on political immunity, she returned for a second time to the European Parliament as president of the Tempi Victims’ Association.
This huge show of public support highlights the growing determination to reform a system that has long protected those in power at the expense of justice. Political immunity in Greece — enshrined in law — shields members of parliament and government ministers from prosecution while in office, and often beyond.
For Karystianou and the families of the victims, the abolition of this immunity is no longer just a legal issue, but a moral imperative. Without it, justice for Tempi will remain impossible, and Greece’s democracy will continue to be undermined by impunity.
As the Sunday Times report concludes, abolishing political immunity is not only essential for delivering justice in this case but for restoring trust in Greece’s democracy itself.
