Greece’s conservative government has proposed a ban on protests at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the monument outside Parliament in Athens that has become a gathering point for families of victims of the 2023 train disaster.
Opposition parties accuse Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of intolerance and political opportunism.
The amendment would allow public visits but prohibit demonstrations or physical alterations to the site, with violators facing fines or up to one year in prison.
“In this sacred area, gatherings and protests of any kind will not be allowed,” Mitsotakis told Parliament, adding that the tomb “is not a board for posting demands.”
The measure prompted heated debate and a protest organised by the left-wing Syriza party on Tuesday. A roll call vote delayed passage until Wednesday, though the ruling conservatives’ majority is expected to ensure approval.
A makeshift memorial for the 57 victims remains in front of the monument. One father, Panos Ruci, whose 22-year-old son died in the crash, recently ended a 23-day hunger strike after winning approval for his son’s exhumation.
Mitsotakis urged grieving parents not to let “unscrupulous politicians” exploit their pain, while Ruci’s lawyer, MP Zoe Konstantopoulou, said the hunger strike “panicked the prime minister.”
The 2023 Tempi crash exposed severe safety failings in Greece’s rail system and sparked mass anti-government protests. The trial of 36 people charged over the disaster is due to begin in March.
Source: AP.
