February 28th 2025. A sombre day, the second anniversary of the Tempe rail accident when 57 people were killed. There were huge demonstrations in every town and city in Greece. Amidst calls for the truth and for the guilty to be punished, I picked up a few indications that there may be a growing awareness that the powers that be, whatever their political colours, don’t give a flying fuck for the welfare and safety of their citizens. I will discuss Tempe in a later post, but for the moment I will just say this: the best coverage, in my opinion, has come from www.ethnos.gr
On a more mundane level, I offer this example of local government indifference to public safety. Nearby, we have a jetty and a harbour wall that need repair. In the pictures below, you will notice that the holes in the harbour have not been taped off. Moreover, the damage is all on the side of the open sea, which is completely unlit. There is lighting on the leeward side, but it is directed towards moored boats, and it does not illuminate the harbour wall.
On the plus side, it is unlikely that 57 people will die, but the situation is a disgrace. And the harbour has been like this for at least a year.