The head of Greece's Union of Judges and Prosecutors has issued a stark warning that politicians and lawyers are deliberately sabotaging the landmark Tempe train disaster trial, comparing their tactics to those of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party at the height of its rise.
Christoforos Sevastidis, president of the union representing some 3,000 judicial officers, made the remarks on social media ahead of the resumption of proceedings in Larissa, where 36 defendants face charges over the February 2023 collision that killed 57 people — the deadliest rail disaster in Greek history.
"From the outset, the declared intent of certain individuals has been to change the character of the trial and turn it into a political battleground," Mr. Sevastidis said. "They operate shielded by parliamentary immunity while committing a series of offenses. They are weaponizing the trial and performing for television cameras and social media."
Without naming individuals, Mr. Sevastidis accused lawmakers of exploiting the proceedings for electoral advantage ahead of national elections.
"Every video they post, every illegal act they commit, translates in their own minds into thousands of votes," he said, adding that the same media outlets now amplifying such behavior had once given a platform to Golden Dawn members "as supposed saviors of a society in search of solutions."
Mr. Sevastidis also condemned the silence of political parties and institutional bodies over the harassment and verbal abuse directed at judges during the trial's opening session by a minority of lawyers and plaintiffs, calling it hypocrisy to demand a fair trial while tolerating courtroom intimidation.
He called on the Justice Ministry to enact legislation the union proposed last summer to protect judges from abuse, warning that continued inaction would inevitably erode public confidence in the justice system.
"The beast is not tamed with caresses, fear, or appeasement," Mr. Sevastidis said. "What will end this madness is the restoration of the normal functioning of democratic institutions."
The Tempe trial, one of the most closely watched legal proceedings in modern Greek history, is set to resume in Larissa this week.
By Lia Kontopoulou