Tips for her existence of the dead who were silenced during the interview in the presence of the then prime minister, the former mayor of Rafina-Pikermiou, Evangelos Bournos, left in his apology for the tragedy in Mati.

At the beginning of his apology, Mr. Burnous expressed his deep sorrow to the victims of the painful disaster that hit Eastern Atticawhile he stated that in the trial he has a dual status: Victim and accused. As he mentioned, “wife came out with burns and my children and her parents with breathing problems.”

Emotionally charged, the defendant said that that tragic day “we all lost friends and family and these moments will be etched in our souls.”

Describing the events that unfolded from the start of the fire and the actions he took, the then Mayor of Rafina-Pikermiou noted that he had entered the Eye around seven twenty-five and he had seen an unspeakable situation “a Dante’s inferno” as he mentioned. Describe how he saw two dead and injured, about which he informed a certain media.

“I see a dead man and a fire truck. It’s eight o’clock. And I say there are dead and wounded. They (journalists) are asking me again, as if I said aliens came. At eight o’clock I say there are dead people, while at eleven o’clock others don’t know if there are dead people, who are in charge”emphasized Mr. Burnous.

Himself, describing how there were people in the sea, pointed out that “there is criminal delay in the intervention of the Coast Guard”.

Earlier, he mentioned that they had been informed since the weekend of the difficult conditions who would prevail on the day in question and how they had put the municipality’s machinery into operation. In fact, Mr. Burnous described the Civil Protection Corps of his municipality as “amazing.”

“I learn at twenty-five past seven that the Eye was burned. I haven’t talked to my family. My family was not a priority at that time. We entered the Eye. A mass of burning vehicles appeared before me. The situation was dramatic, Dante’s inferno. The asphalt was burning, you couldn’t breathe from the heat. We try to go down the blue coast road we can’t, we try another route we can’t. Difficult images are not described. There is no vehicle but ours within the Eye”underlined the former mayor of Rafina-Pikermiou.

The defendant emphasized twice in court that because of what the municipality did and the help it gave he was re-elected after the tragedy with an overwhelming majority. In fact, the second time he said it, when he mentioned that he was the only local administrator who was re-elected, he caused the reaction of a resident from Mati who was in the courtroom.

Evangelos Bournous: I walked among the world then and now and I feel grateful for what we have offered them. After all, I was the only local administrator who was re-elected.

Audience: He came out again because he was looking for the money that was for us. (including fundraising accounts for the victims)

At another point in his apology, the accused former mayor noted: “Mrs. Dourou took me at some point and asked me if we want help.”

Referring to the evening after the completion of the deadly course of the fire, he emphasized that “by 11, 3,000 volunteers had come. There was a criminal delay in the intervention at sea. They said the Coast Guard was notified at 7 o’clock. It was shown to you in court that from 6:30 a volunteer was operating in his own boat with a Coast Guard man. Unfortunately, in this process many have tried to falsify reality.”

For his family, which he said was in Mati, the accused pointed out? “At 11 my wife picks me up and says there is a boat, should we get in?” I say come in, they come with an amateur fisherman, he can’t catch a line with Port Authority and he talks to me to guide him how to enter the port. It was a state of shock.”