Maria Karystianou stepped down from her position as President of the Board of Directors of the Tempi victims’ association on Tuesday evening, a few days after five of the seven board members asked her to leave, following her decision to move forward with the creation of a political body.

In her statement, Ms. Karystianou makes indirect references to the association’s finances, writing that for a period of time she remained silent “so as not to expose the members of the association,” while also referring to obstacles placed in the way of her work.

She describes a prolonged climate of internal tension and undermining, stating that “there is no intention of constructive cooperation, but rather an insistence on sterile confrontation without real substance and without meaningful engagement with the issues that should concern us. For this reason, as I had already stated at the time, there is a widespread hostile attitude, which does not fit with a collective spirit and once again leads to harmful delays.”

Ms. Karystianou concludes by once again calling for the convening of a General Assembly, as the association’s highest collective body, so that members may decide on issues of transparency, accountability, and the election of a new administration. She also calls on the relatives of the victims and the survivors of the tragedy to unite.

Further statements

Mihail Patsikas, who is said to be part of the leadership group of Maria Karystianou’s new political party, also made pointed remarks toward relatives in a social media post. Sharing her resignation announcement, he commented: “Let us now officially learn who was saying no to transparency and to the publication of the association’s financial statements.” His comment followed Ms. Karystianou’s references to “obstacles that were placed before me for a long time on many issues, including the REFUSAL to publish the financial statements, which I repeatedly requested.”

“She did not resign; she was forced out”

Commenting on the developments, Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis said on Wednesday morning that “Maria Karystianou did not resign. Six out of seven board members met and voted for her removal. They removed her. Ms. Karystianou speaks against politicians who seek office, but she herself did not resign.”

In a later statement, Mr. Georgiadis added that “yesterday Ms. Karystianou said there were problems with the finances that she was covering up so as not to expose the board members who are responsible. If there are financial problems, is it right or wrong for the tax authority to conduct an audit? A mother who appeared in public with the moral authority of being a victim’s mother has told one story about money and now says another. This is the second version, because at the beginning she said that people offered her money not to enter politics, and I asked her to name them.”

In a late-night post, the minister also referred to her earlier criticism of the tax authority’s audit of the association, noting that “here she says she did not want to expose other members of the association,” and called on her “in the name of the transparency you promote, to finally tell us exactly what is happening and whom you do not want to expose.”

Maria Karystianou’s resignation statement

“With great regret, I note that despite doing everything I could to preserve the unity of the association, remaining silent and enduring, and despite fighting with all my strength for justice for Tempi, despite the constant obstacles I faced even from within, when partisan criteria prevailed, division ultimately prevailed.

Yesterday, I became aware of a decision taken by five of the seven members of the association, which is legally invalid and morally disappointing, by which they unlawfully and contrary to the association’s statute decided among themselves to request my ‘resignation’ as President of the Board.

This decision is invalid because:

1. The Board of Directors was never convened with an agenda item concerning my resignation or non-resignation. No board decision is valid without a prior invitation specifying the topic for discussion.
2. Instead, these five members, on the occasion of another meeting, decided on my ‘resignation’ without my knowledge and in my absence, following my announcement that I would seek to unite a citizens’ movement for the punishment of those responsible for the Tempi tragedy and the restoration of the rule of law.
3. A board of a legal entity cannot decide on the resignation of one of its members, since resignation is valid only when declared by the person resigning.
4. Even for this unrelated meeting, the five-day notice period required by the association’s statute was not observed.

All of the above demonstrate motives that do not befit a collective body, especially an association pursuing such a serious purpose. They add to the many obstacles placed before me over a long period, including the REFUSAL to publish the association’s financial statements, which I repeatedly requested.

Because of this, I was compelled to send a written email on 26 August 2025 to the board members, in which I stated that it was clear and regrettable that there was no intention of constructive cooperation, but rather sterile confrontation and a hostile climate leading to harmful delays.

In that same email, I called an urgent board meeting with the following agenda:

1. Recording the work of the Board and its members since the founding of the association.
2. Approval and publication of the association’s financial statements.
3. Convening a General Assembly to elect a new Board and approve the financial statements.

Nevertheless, the same board members who invalidly decided on my ‘resignation’ did not agree to the above, with the result that the blame for the non-publication of the financial statements continues to fall on me, and I continue to remain silent so as not to expose the members of the association.

The culmination of the hostile stance against me was the questioning by these same five members of whether my appearances at the European Parliament served the association’s purpose, despite the fact that if European railway safety law had been respected, our children would be alive today.

After all this, I feel I cannot remain a member of this Board. Therefore, with my departure, six members remain instead of the seven required by the statute.

For this reason, and in order to determine the will of the association’s highest body, the General Assembly must be convened to elect a new Board, so that the members can decide on transparency, accountability, and leadership.

I wish that all the relatives of the Tempi victims and the survivors unite, support one another, and elect a Board that will fight with dedication for justice.

With love and respect,
Maria Karystianou”