Mati Fire: ‘The Truth Will Not Be Buried,’ Says Exposed Official

Although the sentences handed down to those responsible for the Mati fire tragedy in July 2018, which claimed 104 lives, may seem shocking, even the four individuals sent to correctional facilities are expected to be released in just over a year. On June 4, 2025, the Three-Member Court of Felonies denied leniency, effectively opening prison doors for some. Among those sentenced were Sotiris Terzoudis, then chief of the Fire Brigade, Vasileios Matthaiopoulos, deputy chief, Ioannis Fostieris, head of the Unified Coordination Center for Operations, and Ioannis Kapakis, then Secretary-General for Civil Protection. Their combined prison sentence reached 340 years, with only five being enforceable. The court examined cases involving 102 deaths due to manslaughter by negligence and 32 bodily injuries. However, since all these acts were classified as felonies, the maximum sentence per act is five years imprisonment. According to Article 105 of the Penal Code, sentences can be reduced to 2/5 of their original length. Convicted individuals also have the possibility of conditional release. Additionally, those who work within prisons might see further reductions, potentially cutting five years down to one and a half. One key figure in uncovering and holding accountable those responsible for the Mati fire was Deputy Fire Chief Demetris Liotsios. In a post yesterday, he expressed gratitude to those who supported his challenging mission. From the start, Liotsios vowed not to let the truth be buried under ashes. He acknowledged the institutional and moral support from Prosecutor Elias Zagoraios and Judge Athanasios Marnaris, emphasizing that accountability strengthens institutions rather than silence or compromise.