The relatives and survivors of the devastating Mati fire in July 2018 have announced their intention to take the case to the European Court in order to expose all those responsible for the tragedy. In a statement released on Saturday (June 7, 2025), they criticized the absence of other accountable parties from the dock regarding the multiple-fatality disaster and accused authorities of cover-ups through undue pressure on experts and falsification of official documents. They reiterated that charges should have been elevated to criminal negligence.
In the announcement by the ‘Association of Relatives of the Deceased and Survivors of July 23, 2018, in Eastern Attica,’ it was stated: “We, who were burned and lost our loved ones, protest against the lack of comprehensive indictment and the exclusion of dozens of responsible individuals from state and corporate mechanisms.” The statement condemned an unethical code of silence among services, officials, and employees, which has led to only representatives of the Fire Brigade and the General Secretariat for Civil Protection being found guilty.
The association emphasized that the trial did not condemn firefighters battling flames with self-sacrifice but rather those who did nothing while people burned. They dismissed claims about urban planning violations as the sole cause of deaths, arguing that even if such violations existed, they were not the primary reason. Furthermore, they expressed trust in honest officials like court-appointed expert Dimitris Liotsios, who resisted threats to present his findings impartially.
After seven years of proceedings filled with accusations, arrogance, and mockery, the victims’ families vow to pursue justice both domestically and internationally, ensuring accountability and protecting the memory of the deceased.