Concert for Tempi: The end of family disputes – “Raise your voice to be heard in the heavens,” says Plakias

It seems the dispute between the families of the victims of the Tempi train accident, regarding the concert at Kallimarmaro, is coming to an end. The disagreement among the families, centered on the €15 ticket price for the concert organized by the Tempi Victims’ Association (led by Maria Karystianou), questioned the purpose of the funds collected.

Some parents of the victims opposed the idea of charging for the event, wondering about the intention behind raising the money.

Late Thursday evening, after the decision of the Central Council of Modern Monuments to grant approval for the use of Kallimarmaro for the concert, Nikos Plakias, in a post, appeared to accept the decision while sending an emotional message to the participating singers.

“I learned that the event will proceed, and I accept the decision of the relevant authorities who made the final decision,” Plakias stated. He then addressed the singers participating with an emotional plea: “Put as much strength as you can into your voice so that it can be heard in the heavens. Somewhere up there, when you sing Andromeda, three ⭐️⭐️⭐️ will appear.

They are our children, and they will be dancing 😢😢😢. Best of luck from the bottom of my heart,” wrote the father of twin girls who died in the Tempi accident, who also lost a nephew in the tragedy.

Two hours before the Ministry of Culture’s decision, Mr. Plakias explained that he had taken down his post on “X” about filing legal action against the artists participating in the concert at Kallimarmaro.

“I removed the post regarding the legal actions because many comments called for reconciliation and for me to stop fueling the fire. Many of them were very touching. So, this is the end of the issue. Let the relevant authorities decide whether and how the event will happen.”

It is worth noting that N. Plakias was one of the first to oppose the concert’s organization, even filing a request to prevent the event from being granted permission. He was supported by 25 other families in opposing the concert’s €15 ticket charge.

Green light from the Ministry of Culture for the use of Kallimarmaro

Yesterday, the Central Council of Modern Monuments gave the green light to the request from the Tempi Accident Victims’ Association to use the Kallimarmaro for a memorial concert on October 11. The ministry’s advisory council discussed the request during its meeting.

A lawyer representing the Plakias family, one of the 26 families opposing the concert due to the ticket price, was present at the meeting. They argued that charging for the event undermines its symbolic value. Although they requested that the stadium not be granted for the concert if a ticket was required, this could not be considered since the council’s authority only concerns the preservation of monuments.

It should also be noted that the Association had already secured permission from the Hellenic Olympic Committee, which granted the venue free of charge due to the social nature of the event.

No representative from the families supporting the concert was present at the meeting. However, the council members took the initiative to contact Maria Karystianou, the president of the Association, by phone to hear her perspective.

After some delay, unanimous approval was granted for the use of Kallimarmaro, with the condition that the Association submits the necessary documentation five days before the concert.

Theater of the Earth Concession to Be Discussed on October 7

Regarding the corresponding concert that the same Association wishes to organize in Thessaloniki, and for which they have implied facing obstacles, protothema.gr reports that the request for the concession of the Theater of the Earth, managed by the National Theater of Northern Greece, will be discussed on October 7, when the next board meeting is scheduled.

According to the same sources, the Association’s request was submitted on September 26 to the relevant concessions department, and the next day, a personal letter from Maria Karystianou regarding the same issue was also sent. To date, no response has been given to the Association, as current legislation requires that decisions concerning the concession of NTNG venues must be made solely by the Board of Directors.

26 Families Opposed to the €15 Ticket

Twenty-six families and relatives of victims of the Tempi railway tragedy have expressed their strong opposition to holding the concert at Kallimarmaro with a €15 ticket, arguing that the fundraising nature of the event undermines its symbolic value.

Among the signatories are the families of Nikolaos and Dimitrios Plakias, who are calling for respect for the memory of their loved ones.

In a joint statement, the families emphasize: “The fundraising nature of the concert unfortunately alters the event’s symbolism, which should solely represent solidarity in support of our cause.”

They add that “those acting on behalf of the victims’ families and addressing the public must first inform, consider their opinions, and gain their consent when referring to them.”

The statement is also signed by Maria Karystianou’s former husband, Antonis Psaropoulos, and father of their daughter, who earlier today, in a television appearance on Mega, stressed that “the struggle of the families should not be personalized” and that “there is no need to raise money.”