Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Reuters: Afghanistan and Pakistan agree to restart peace talks in Istanbul.
Al-Mayadeen's correspondent in southern Lebanon: Israeli occupation forces withdraw from the Blida municipality building two hours after occupying it, and the Lebanese army enters
Pakistani army: 6 soldiers and 7 militants killed in clash near the Afghan border
Israeli media: Sirens sound in the settlement of Kerem Shalom in the Gaza envelope area
Afghan source to Al Mayadeen: We still believe in dialogue and prioritize diplomatic solutions with Pakistan; though we are ready for all possibilities.
Afghan source to Al Mayadeen: Pakistan purposely obstructed negotiations in Turkey by making unrealistic demands.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: More than 70 martyrs in Israeli attacks on Gaza since dawn.
Death toll from latest Israeli strikes on Gaza rises to 30
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Five killed in the Israeli bombing of a civilian vehicle on Al-Qassam Street in Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip
Hamas confirms that it has no connection to the shooting incident in Rafah and affirms its commitment to the ceasefire agreement

EU probing rail tech contract linked to Greek train crash

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 4 Mar 2023 18:21
3 Min Read

The European Union is probing a rail contract that might have been the reason for the devastating crash between two trains earlier in the week.

  • x
  • Pallbearers carry the coffin of Sotiris Karageorgiou, one of the victims of a train collision, during a funeral procession, in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, March 4, 2023 (AP Photo)
    Pallbearers carry the coffin of Sotiris Karageorgiou, one of the victims of a train collision, during a funeral procession, in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, March 4, 2023 (AP Photo)

EU investigators were looking into a contract that, if carried through, would have placed an electronic control system on the Greek railways, perhaps preventing the train catastrophe that took place earlier in the week, Greek media reported on Saturday.

The Athens-Thessaloniki-Promachona railway's signaling and remote control system update was agreed upon in 2014, but a string of thefts and vandalism stopped the contract's implementation dead in its tracks, Greek online newspaper Documento.gr explained.

According to the report, the European Public Prosecutor's Office has been examining this and a previous contract for the installation of the European Railway Control System for the last four months because the project was partially funded by EU funds.

A spokesperson for the European Prosecutor's Office acknowledged during talks with the Euroactive news website that the contracts were being investigated. They claimed "potential financial interests in the EU" to have been the rationale for legal action.

Lack of rail safety was thrust back into the limelight late Tuesday when a head-on accident between a passenger train and a freight train moving on the same track in central Greece killed at least 57 people. Rail mismanagement in Greece is systemic, according to Greek government spokesperson Ioannis Oikonomou.

As the tragedy's aftermath settles, Greek citizens are demanding answers.

Related News

Trudeau urges rail firms, unions to avert strike through negotiations

Striking junior doctors refuse to return to hospitals: S. Korea

In a statement, the rail workers' union said, "Pain has turned into anger for the dozens of dead and wounded colleagues and fellow citizens." 

Around 2,000 protesters gathered in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki on Thursday as authorities admitted failures over a deadly train crash on Tuesday, police said as quoted by AFP. 

Left-wing organizations staged two different rallies in central Athens, one of which resulted in skirmishes between stone-throwing youths and riot police. Protests also took place in Thessaloniki and Larissa.

Following the incident, Transportation Minister Kostas Karamanlis resigned, and officials began a judicial investigation to investigate how two trains drove in opposite directions on the same track for more than ten minutes without anyone sounding the alarm.

On Thursday, the Larissa station manager was charged with seven charges of manslaughter and causing serious bodily damage via negligence. His identity has not been revealed.

Following two days of evening protests, 2,000 students took to the streets of Athens on Friday, blocking the road in front of parliament for a moment of silence. Protesters threw petrol bombs and set garbage bins on fire, sparking clashes. Police retaliated with teargas canisters.

Moreover, Greek railway workers extended Saturday a strike that began on March 2 by 48 hours in response to the train accident.

"Due to the 48-hour strike announced by the railway workers' unions, all Hellenic Train services are suspended for Saturday, March 4, and Sunday, March 5," the company said in a statement. 

  • Strike
  • Greece
  • railway
  • Athens
  • European Union

Most Read

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

  • Politics
  • 27 Oct 2025
Hi-tech holocaust: Microsoft’s role in Gaza genocide

Microsoft's role in world’s first AI-driven genocide, in Gaza, exposed

  • Technology
  • 28 Oct 2025
What Marr evidently didn't seem to understand was that Hedges isn't saying that Western journalists manipulate the truth, but that they systematically amplify Israeli narratives they know are false. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Western journalists know they have a case to answer for their betrayal of Gaza, and it frightens them

  • Opinion
  • 24 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Displaced Sudanese who fled El-Fasher after the city fell to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), rest near the town of Tawila in war-torn Sudan's western Darfur region (AP)
Politics

UAE directly funded RSF, leading to fall of El-Fasher: Sudan

'You’re not welcome in Greece': Israelis face port protests
Politics

'You’re not welcome in Greece': Israelis face port protests

This photo released by the Israeli military on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, shows ground operations inside the Gaza Strip (AP)
Politics

IOF soldier who fought in Gaza, Lebanon denied entry to Czech Republic

UN inquiry exposes 'Israel’s' four genocidal crimes against Gaza
Politics

'Israel' committed four genocidal acts in Gaza, UN inquiry finds

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS