A mass rally is held in the center of Athens in connection with a railway accident that claimed the lives of 57 people.
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According to police estimates, about 25,000 people are participating in the rally on Syntagma Square near the parliament, and another 5,000 gathered on Klaftmonas Square. There are a lot of young people among the participants.
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Greek trade unions have announced strikes and rallies on International Women’s Day. The public sector trade union ADEDY, the Labor Center of Athens, the federations of trade unions of teachers, health workers, transport workers and many others participate in the action. In this regard, public transport does not work, there is a strike of railway workers and sailors, and ferry service to the islands is stopped.
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The rally participants demand to investigate the causes of the railway accident. They hold posters “This is not an accident, this is murder”, “State inaction kills”, “Change policies that put income before life”, “We will not forgive you”.
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Mass protests are also taking place in Larisa, Patras, Chania and other cities of the country.
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Around midnight on March 1, between Athens and Thessaloniki, not far from the city of Larisa, there was a head-on collision between freight and passenger trains that were on the same track. The head of the Larisa station was arrested, who, according to media reports, admitted his guilt and said that he had mistakenly sent a passenger train along the same track as a freight train. Railway workers talk about chronic safety issues that authorities have ignored for years.
The government promises to fully investigate the causes of the disaster.
