A witness who testified at the trial about the loss of her mother and what followed the advance of the fire spoke about the State’s “abusive behavior” towards the dead left behind by the fire in Mati.

In the trial for Mati, the journalist Anna-Maria Kakaunaki also testified in court, who referred to the “cynicism of the authorities” but also to pure luck in who was lost and who was saved that afternoon, as the organized services of the State were in absolute chaos.

Evangelia Nikolopoulou testified at the Three-Member Misdemeanor Appeals Court about the loss of her 59-year-old mother who ran away from her house with burns on her body. “No one told them to beware, to leave. My mother lived 59 years in Mati and could be saved. But she left the house with the heat on her. No one informed them. No one tried to save them and no one respected the dead. Those of us who had a dead body to take, we were forced to go through an ugly process for recognition” testified the witness who referred extensively to what they faced after the tragedy, characterizing the attitude of the authorities as abusive behavior towards the dead” as well as their relatives.

“When we went to my mother’s grave, my aunt showed me a spot where bones from the Eye are buried. I went to the priest and asked him “is something buried here?” and he tells me that “yes, they are buried here unidentified bones”. I sent an email to the mayor of Marathon and a plaque was indeed placed on the spot. Those over there are unidentified bones that were swept up in a sweep that took place at some point in Mati to clean them up,” said the witness indignantly.

Mrs. Kakaunaki, who investigated what happened in Mati, referred to the absolute inaction that effectively left the residents and vacationers alone in Mati at critical times. “The trauma is great” said the journalist who referred to the “absolute chaos” but also to a “terrible cynicism” resulting from the conversations of the Fire Department. “It was difficult for people to even tell me their story. I understood that they were completely alone, it was random that day who would burn and who would not. From the conversations of the Fire Department there is absolute chaos and a terrible cynicism. People who got desperate and answered them “the fire department is not a taxi”.

The witness emphasized that there was no single, data-based design, response to anything and thus the Fire Department “answered others “stay home” and others “go away”…”.