(CNN) The Greek Prime Minister promised to improve safety standards in the country’s railway system after him The worst train accident This sparked massive protests.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis apologized again accident last monthwhich saw a passenger train carrying mostly university students returning from a three-day public holiday collide with a freight train near the city of Larissa, killing 57 people and injuring dozens.
“I repeat my public apologies on behalf of all those who have ruled the country for years, but mainly in person,” Mitsotakis said.
“So I take responsibility. And we can’t, we don’t want to, we shouldn’t hide behind a series of human mistakes,” he added.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visits the crash site where two trains collided.
A Greek riot police officer passes by a Molotov cocktail that exploded during a demonstration.
The day after the deadly collision, Mitsotakis blamed “tragic human error”, sparking demonstrations against chronic malfunctions in the rail system and demanding redress for the victims. Changing his tone, he stressed on Sunday that Greece “cannot, and will not, hide behind human error, nor should it.”
Speaking on Thursday, the prime minister promised “absolute transparency” and said that had the installation of the digital control systems been completed “it would have been virtually impossible for this incident to have occurred”.
He added that the fact that this system “will work in a few months from now is no excuse.” “It makes my personal pain even greater because we didn’t fix it before this tragic accident happened.”
Tens of thousands took part in protests organized by trade unions and student groups on Wednesday across major Greek cities, demanding government responsibility and better safety standards.
They chanted “This crime should not be covered up” and held banners bearing the names of the dead.
Greece is slated to strike more strikes in protest of the deadly collision.
European Commission experts met with the Greek government to discuss the “total reorganization” of Greek railways.
Mitsotakis said during the ministerial council meeting that he had asked the committee for technical assistance and additional funding.
The Greek government had initially planned to hold elections in early April, but it is now widely expected to postpone them until after Easter. Its term expires in July.
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