Greece is set for widespread strikes and demonstrations Saturday as the country marks three years since the deadly Tempe rail disaster, with rallies planned in Athens, Thessaloniki and dozens of other cities.
Labor unions, federations and professional groups have called walkouts and work stoppages to coincide with commemorations of the crash, which killed 57 people in one of Greece’s worst transportation tragedies.
In the Athens region, local labor unions have called a noon rally in Syntagma Square, while the public-sector umbrella union ADEDY said civil servants would join a nationwide strike.
The stoppages are expected to disrupt key services. The country’s main seafarers’ union, Panhellenic Seamen’s Federation (PNO), has joined the strike, halting ferry services from ports nationwide. Rail workers also announced a walkout, meaning no trains will operate. Theaters are expected to remain closed throughout the day.
In Athens, buses and trams will run on a limited schedule from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., mainly to help people attend demonstrations.
Metro Line 1 (green) will operate from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Lines 2 (red) and 3 (blue) will operate from 9 a.m. throughout the day, including the regular Saturday night services and services to and from Athens Airport.
In Thessaloniki, student groups have already staged large protests ahead of Saturday, when another rally is scheduled at noon near the Venizelos statue in the city center. Six metro stations are set to close from midmorning as part of the mobilizations.
Memorial events are also planned. A late-night vigil was scheduled at a church inside student dormitories at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki to honor the victims. Student associations also called a separate gathering at a campus memorial listing the names of students killed in the crash.
Beyond the two largest cities, rallies are planned in the central city of Larissa, the western city of Patra, as well as Iraklio and Hania on Crete, and numerous other towns across the country.
The Tempe collision on February 28, 2023, involving a passenger and a freight train, sparked national outrage over rail safety standards and has remained a focal point for protests demanding accountability and reforms.
This story has been updated.