Emie Krokidi, a resident of Neos Voutzas and president of the area’s beautification association, voiced the collective outrage: “Yesterday’s unacceptable court decision shocked the whole of Greece. No one remains unmoved when one learns that the people responsible for the death of 104 people and another 60 with injuries to the body and soul. No one can sleep peacefully when the arsonist who caused the greatest disaster since World War II was convicted of negligence and walked free.”
The planned legal actions include sending a letter to the president of the Supreme Court, filing a petition to the LIBE Committee, appealing to the European courts, and requesting the prosecutor’s office to re-examine the events leading up to and during the trial.
Mary Avramidou, who lost four family members in the fire, expressed a profound sense of betrayal by the judicial system: “I believe that not only we were tested in the trial, but also the entire Judiciary. We feel abused, betrayed. We owe it to our people to see it through.”
Kostas Hatjistamatiou, a burn victim, emphasised that the pursuit of justice is not about revenge but about accountability and prevention: “We are not here to take revenge. We don’t have the role of a vigilante. Officials have deflected responsibility in 2007 for the wildfires in the Ilia area and again in 2018 for Mati. The treatment in the hospitals that day was tragic. All this has to stop sometime. Whoever commits the offence must be punished in an exemplary manner. It will not provide relief, but it’s important that they know that in everything they do, the axe of justice hangs above them.”
The determination of the Mati fire victims’ relatives to seek justice reflects a broader call for accountability and systemic change in response to Greece’s catastrophic natural disasters.
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