In Athens, Greece, heated protests erupted on Wednesday night as demonstrators resorted to throwing gasoline bombs and fireworks in clashes with authorities outside the parliament building. This unrest is a part of the ongoing nationwide demonstrations demanding accountability from politicians for a tragic rail accident in 2023 that took 57 lives.
In the heart of Athens at Syntagma Square, groups of young protesters ignited trash bins, prompting a swift reaction from police clad in riot gear, who responded by deploying tear gas and making baton charges. Reports of injuries or arrests have yet to surface.
These confrontations unfolded shortly after opposition political parties presented a no-confidence motion against Greece’s center-right ruling government in parliament. This comes on the heels of a general strike and larger, occasionally violent protests, marking two years since the February 28, 2023 tragedy.
The collision involved a passenger and a freight train meeting head-on in Tempe, a northern region of Greece. Most of those killed were university students returning from a holiday weekend, with numerous others suffering injuries.
The push for accountability has intensified recently, led by relatives of the victims insisting that politicians be held responsible for the oversight leading to the disaster, as only rail officials have faced charges to date.
The censure motion was spearheaded by the main opposition Socialist party, gaining support from three smaller left-leaning parties; however, it poses little danger to the government led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. His party holds a majority with 156 of the 300 parliamentary seats, with a vote on the motion anticipated by late Friday.
Socialist party head Nikos Androulakis, while presenting the motion, accused the government of deliberately protecting officials from accountability. “Why do you remain so unrepentant, continuing down this road of insults and arrogance?” Androulakis questioned lawmakers. “That’s why we are submitting a motion of no confidence today.”
Prime Minister Mitsotakis countered by labeling the censure motion a political maneuver without any real threat to his administration, which is expected to continue until 2027. He addressed the lawmakers, saying, “Parties from different vantage points have come together in a common anti-government front. It’s not the truth that you are interested in. But you have collapsed in opinion polls and are looking for a reason to exist.”
Greek Protests Erupt Amid Train Crash Censure Debate
