Tempi trial: Defense denies charges, seeks EU court ruling

Six defense lawyers presented arguments today in the trial for the deadly Tempi train crash. Among them were the legal representatives for the station master on duty the night of the disaster and for a former head of the Hellenic Railways' Traffic Support Service.

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If the more experienced person had done the charting, nothing would have happened.

One defense attorney, Themistoklis Sofos, representing the former official, formally requested a preliminary ruling from the European Union's Court of Justice. The request questions whether separating case files for the same incident, specifically concerning contract 717 managed by the European Public Prosecutor's Office, is compatible with EU law.

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Not only did he not accept the disruption, but he fought it with every means.

Sofos argued that his client denies the charges, calling them "baseless, untrue, and unfounded." He stated that his client, appointed as an interim inspection chief in 2020, was not responsible for evaluating the station master's experience. Sofos emphasized that his client actively fought against the safety lapses, sending documents and letters warning about security system gaps and understaffing.

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In memory of the innocent victims, I have been fighting for absolute justice and my innocence from the first moment. I will fight for the truth to be revealed, nothing will remain unanswered. I have done my job correctly.

Earlier, the lawyer for the station master, Stefanos Pantzarzidis, focused on the absence of intent for the charge of disrupting transport safety. He argued for conscious negligence instead, pointing to intervening factors like the train driver's responsibility to stop the train if it entered the wrong track. The defense lawyers for the other four accused also denied the charges, with arguments continuing on Monday, July 13.

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There was no intent.