The incident, first revealed by the Efimerida ton Syntakton newspaper and confirmed by OSE CEO Panagiotis Terezakis, has drawn significant concern. The train drivers continue to deny claims by Hellenic Train that drivers violated the subway entrance, instead accusing the company of falsely blaming staff to divert attention from ongoing problems on the railway network.
SYRIZA: Government’s priority is covering up Tempe, not safety
SYRIZA condemned the government’s response to ongoing railway safety issues, with Giorgos Karameros, SYRIZA MP and head of the Infrastructure and Transport Department, criticising the lack of action to address the persistent problems that endanger passengers and workers alike.
“There is no end to dangerous incidents on the railway. The insecurity in daily transport is increasing while the government avoids responsibility,” Karameros said. He cited the October 9 incident, when train 4245 was directed onto the Metro line by mistake, a near-disaster that was only averted by the train driver. SYRIZA questioned the absence of solutions, accusing the government of prioritising political cover-ups, especially after the Tempe tragedy, over real safety reforms.
PASOK: Ongoing train safety problems unresolved
PASOK also expressed alarm over the incident, with MPs Apostolos Panas and Dimitris Sarigiannis highlighting the continued safety failures across the railway system. They pointed to a series of troubling incidents, including level-crossing issues, collisions with tree branches, and passengers being dragged by trains.
“Despite repeated parliamentary interventions, the safety problems remain unresolved,” they said. The statement called on the government to implement modern electronic control systems, emphasising the need for solutions that do not rely solely on human operators.
KKE: Government should focus on safety, not celebratory events
The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) criticised the government for planning celebratory events for the Metro, instead of addressing safety concerns raised by workers.
“The government is preparing fiestas, while serious security issues remain unresolved,” said KKE, adding that it is unacceptable for the people of Thessaloniki, who have waited 18 years and seen €2 billion spent on the Metro, to still be facing safety concerns and increased ticket prices.
The party demanded immediate answers on the Metro’s safety conditions and called for urgent action to address worker training and the necessary extensions of the Metro system to cover more of the city.
New Left: Public transport in Greece has collapsed under Mitsotakis
The New Left blamed the government for the incident, citing it as evidence of a deeper crisis in Greece’s public transport system. The party criticised the government’s use of “human error” to explain away previous failures, including the Tempe tragedy, and accused the political leadership of neglecting the rail network.
“Public transport has completely collapsed under Mitsotakis. Near-misses have become part of our daily reality, and the political leadership remains silent,” the New Left said, demanding transparency and immediate action to address the root causes of these incidents.
The party urged the government to clarify its intentions and plans for the railway network, warning that the safety of passengers should not be left to chance.
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