Maria Christiano for Tempi: “I don't expect anything from the Greek justice system, I will take it to the end”

Marty Saropoulou would have celebrated his 20th birthday last April. A woman with many dreams in life, who had the misfortune to pay for someone's carelessness, was traveling on a February evening when she found her thread of life cut short by a train collision just before 11.30 pm. His mother, María Cristiano, was able to represent not only the relatives of the victims, but also the whole of society, who are looking for justice, in her speech to the parliamentary inquiry committee and from the floor of the European Parliament.

“The Mask”

“What I can say after a year is that there is no significant progress compared to what happened in the first week. We have put two people in jail, we have not taken responsibility for a group we know nothing about and some investigations, but nothing substantial. A year later we are at the same point … “, of the debate. He mentions at the beginning.

“We know that Greek justice moves at its own pace,” Ms. Christiano continues, “and we thought that the priority and severity of Dembi's crime was the only thing that could happen. We needed more investigators to start the process, but we were never given answers.”

With bitterness and anger, he notes that what is happening in this particular case is quite different. “What is happening here is the opposite. Justice continues to move at a slow pace, and now its movements inspire no hope in us. We believe that the cover-up that began on the third day continues to this day, which they vigorously defend.

At the same time, the former governor of Thessaly, Kostas Agorastos, insists that moves have been made by relatives to continue various procedures, such as tests by the state chemical department, but also the detection of trained police dogs at the scene. To collect human remains. “These are our deeds which are not permitted to be done by citizens, but by Greek justice.”

“I expected nothing from a Greek judge”

“The only thing we have from the Greek judiciary is two or three updates from the Supreme Court, they are doing their job properly. They tell us that there are no large human remains, so … we don't need to worry, and in between they give us psychological advice,” said the head of the association. says

“However, they cannot mislead us as much as they want. We know very well what is happening and we are clamoring, demanding, demanding. Despite our pressures, we believe that at some point in the judiciary, things will take the right course”.

Of course, he concludes, “I don't expect anything from the Greek justice system. I've been saying this from the beginning, and I believe I owe you an apology for my public statements.

But now I shout loudly that there is no justice in the country. I challenge any lawyer to come and prove me. Movements and actions so far confirm my words. The government has universal support and cover-up, not the truth.”

“Toward the End…”

The suffering may be great, but that doesn't seem to stop her from continuing until she gets justice for her child, but also for the other passengers who lost their lives or were injured.

“I will go all the way and win, that's for sure. I won't let go of what happened and will pursue the case,” he explains, referring to people appearing on his trail and little information to go on.

“We have to claim our rights, no matter if the circumstances are against us. We will suffer, but we will definitely be justified,” he adds.

“Attitude” of Europe

“I am a mother from Greece, I am addressing all the mothers and parents of the world,” Maria Christiano said at the start of an event in the European Parliament a few days ago titled “Tempe: Trailing Off”. Rule of Law”, organized by SYRIZA MEP Kostas Arvanitis.

She was treated with pride as a mother who came there to speak and claim. She also remembers the greetings she received with MEPs and the congratulations she received for her strength and courage, while her image with the MEP's 5-year-old daughter was characteristic of her. “The girl watched the speech delivered in Parliament. Her mom told me she was taking me to see a strong woman, she was fighting for her rights and we all should do the same.

He notes that Europeans are also appalled by the reality in Greece. “They looked very beautiful and different from the real situation. Of course, this is also happening in many media in the country. I was listening to the news and I thought I was somewhere else. The Europeans listened carefully to what we had to say and did not speak. They could not imagine that there was a country inside the European Union. And Greece in particular, the birthplace of democracy, has reached the opposite extreme.We are talking about lawlessness, abuse of power, media that presents a distorted and purposeful image.

Now they see what is happening in our country, a few days ago with the condemnation of Greece they saw that nothing applies to the rule of law, but also in a country that belongs to the European Union, but is completely alienated from the basic institutions. It will rule ».

He continued, “Through Tempe's crime, a micrograph of society and our daily lives and all the ills are highlighted. There is light, and they gave me the impression that they will help us. They also don't think it's right, they don't think the government should appoint justice. That the government should check itself and take responsibility. I hope so, but it's thrust upon us and we live with it.”

Selection Committee

He is shocked by his words as a witness to the parliamentary inquiry “inquiry into the crime of Tempe”, but he follows the statements that his psychology allows.

“What impressed me about the inquiry committee was that there were respectable, educated MPs elected by the people and the opinion of the community was immediately of interest to them.

We have a crime that everyone knows. There is no one who does not know what is going on in Greek Railways. We also know that this group will offer forgiveness.

How can they and I and the majority of the inquiry committee members from the ruling party nominally support an illegal? How can they support a former Minister of Infrastructure and Transport who, knowing what they have done, takes a covert position and commits countless crimes? Yes, we are talking about criminal offenses as long as there are dead people. How can they take a stand on this, and not think about the political cost in the end?

The selection committee will be duty bound to maintain balance and obviously Mr. I also thought Karamanlis couldn't be more supportive. He himself made it clear to us that he is innocent. He made many mistakes and quoted wrong facts.

If so, the Supreme Court did not hear the testimony of Mr. Karamanlis, who commits the crime of supporting a criminal, except for the committee members who bear political expenses? When he mentions laws, he mentions errors and lies. What is his condition? Allowing a politician to lie publicly to a committee considering impeachment. Unfortunately I believe anything. It is a great shame that this pettiness is allowed.”

Those responsible for this should go to jail

Mrs. Karystianou mentions the pain, the anger, and the sole goal of “imprisoning those responsible and punishing them for their negligence and irresponsibility.” His victims were on the train.

“My life is dedicated to this, I take a big breath and run, and if justice comes I do it in such a way that it seems like the next breath. It is pain, rage and anger, but we will justify them. We have nothing else. We will certainly not be dumb, dumb and silent. It's the only sure thing,” he adds, adding that he focuses his day on this goal.

But she remembers Marty many times and doesn't forget that she didn't get a chance to hug her daughter before leaving home. But the pain leads her to struggle to change the facts.

“Such crime should not be allowed to happen again in the society. By this time the immunity of politicians should be changed. They should know that if some crime and crime is committed by them, they will be brought before the law and not the Parliament.

Wrath of the world

However, Ms. Karystianou did not ignore the support of the people in their fight for justice. One year after the Tempe disaster, citizens who have not forgotten are asking for justice from the relatives of the victims.

“I don't think people have forgotten, but they thought things were normal. But now things have changed. I want to thank all of them because they are really by our side and they are as angry as we are. Although they have not lost their children, they feel that way and are close to us. Being is important.

We gain incredible strength and courage and we will go all the way. With Temps' movement, other things will change for the better. People will start demanding things.”

Just before completing signatures

There are still a few thousand signatures left to complete the counting of Maria Cristiano's resolution on the crime in Tempe, which calls for the initiation of procedures to amend the constitution and abolish parliamentary immunity when the criminal responsibility of political figures arises.

“Resolution is going very well. Society will change things. Starting with the Tempi case, it brings to the fore the assertion of rights lost by citizens, and these can only be returned by pressure from the world.

The discussion ends and the return to Larissa takes place on the same train. Can't overcome the awkwardness after all on the first trip. I don't know if anyone using the media can forget what went wrong with the rails that carried people, dreams and lives, lost in an instant. The first foot on the floor after the break through the door, comes with a sigh of relief … “We have arrived, but the rails will stop when justice is served”.

Maria Cristiano, the mother of the accident victim in Tempe, told the investigative committee that she is fighting to find justice in a shocking way, she gave an interview. larissanet.gr.