On April 11, 2025, in Athens, the Greek movement Kínima Dimokratías, led by Stephanos Kasselakis — who recently joined the European Democratic Party (EDP) — organized the event “Rule of Law – The Crime of Tempi.” The initiative focused on the urgent need for truth and justice regarding the deadly Tempi train crash and on the broader challenge of strengthening the rule of law in Greece. The event brought together two family members of the victims, as well as key figures from Greek politics and civil society. Representing the EDP were MEP Sandro Gozi, Secretary General of the party and Italian MEP elected in France, and Oihane Agirregoitia, Basque MEP from EAJ-PNV and member of the European Parliament’s Transport Committee.
Stephanos Kasselakis stated:
“We denounce the deliberate attempt by New Democracy and its circles to obscure the truth about the crime of Tempi. As Kínima Dimokratías, we have proposed the creation of a single parliamentary inquiry committee to investigate all political responsibilities and every act or omission related to this tragedy. We will take this fight to the European Parliament, with the support of our MEPs from the European Democratic Party.”
Sandro Gozi said:
“I was deeply shocked to read and hear the testimonies about the terrible Tempi train crash. But such a tragedy demands answers. Greece owes those answers — it is unacceptable that, after all this time, the truth has yet to come to light, and that the cover-ups and lies, first and foremost from the government, have not been stopped or punished. Europe also owes answers, because the rule of law must be upheld across the entire Union. And by rule of law, we mean full clarity on who is politically responsible, their accountability, transparency, and the independence of the judiciary. As European Democrats, we have always stood firmly for these principles — and today, we commit to ensuring that full light is shed on what happened in Greece and on the state of the rule of law there.”
Oihane Agirregoitia added:
“The tragedy of Tempi demands truth. The families of the victims — and all European citizens — deserve full clarity and accountability. As a member of the European Parliament’s Transport Committee, and as a member of the European Democratic Party, I am deeply committed to advancing railway safety across the EU. We must ensure that such a disaster never happens again. That means enforcing stronger safety standards, improving oversight, and building a real culture of responsibility throughout the system. The European Union must lead by example — protecting the lives of its citizens must always come first.”
The event also addressed the ongoing concerns around illegal wiretapping using Predator spyware, raising serious issues regarding institutional transparency and the state of the rule of law in Greece. Participants underlined the importance of a strong and coordinated European response — both to address failures in railway safety and to ensure that democracy, transparency, and accountability remain pillars of governance across the Union.
