Athens Mayor promises permanent memorial for Tempe train victims after names erased

Athens Mayor Haris Doukas has condemned the removal of the names of the Tempe train victims which were written on the ground outside the Greek Parliament and has vowed to honour the 57 victims with a permanent memorial.

The names of the victims were written on the ground in front of the Greek Parliament during a strike protest on Wednesday but were later erased by municipal crews, sparking outrage and criticism.

Doukas took to social media, stating that "an apology is not enough" and emphasizing that the victims' names "will not be erased." He pledged the Municipality of Athens' commitment to ensuring their memory lives on through concrete actions.

In a further statement, Doukas announced his intention to propose the creation of a permanent memorial for the Tempe victims during the next city council meeting. He also expressed the municipality's solidarity with calls for justice from the public.

The incident has reignited public  debate surrounding the 2018 Tempe accident, a railway disaster that claimed the lives of 57 passengers. The tragedy continues to evoke strong emotions in Greece, with many seeking accountability and improvements in safety measures.

Meanwhile, students demonstrating against private universities on Thursday rewrote the names that had been erased, highlighting the continued public outpouring of grief and the demand for remembrance.