“We are fighting for an independent judiciary, and to achieve this, you must enter Parliament,” declares Maria Karystianou while discussing the exhumations of victims from the Tempi tragedy, the tax authority’s investigation of the relatives’ association, and Giorgos Stamatis who, as she revealed, approached her on behalf of the Prime Minister.
During the second part of her interview, broadcast Thursday evening on Open TV’s “Kathares Kountes” program, Maria Karystianou initially commented on the fact that the relatives of the Tempi victims have now been divided. “They were divided… We suddenly found ourselves as 56 families in a difficult situation and had to cooperate under harsh conditions. Not everyone has the same perception and willingness. They now have different perspectives. Perhaps a book should be written and taught about the crime at Tempi and the attempt to cover it up,” she emphasized.
“The complaint did not come from the Tempi victims’ relatives association. It was a deliberate blackmail move that originated from the tax authority itself. The relatives or citizens have nothing to do with it,” Maria Karystianou stated elsewhere.
Maria Karystianou: “Did the tax authority investigate Mr. Frappé’s union?”
“I’m receiving a lot of information about the tax authority. At some point, I will use it. Did the tax authority investigate Mr. Frappé’s union? Has it examined New Democracy’s finances? Right now, their treasury contains 9 million euros. Has there been an audit of PASOK, which owes half a million each? Every party? A total of one billion euros to the Greek state. Since Mr. Pitsilis conducted his investigation, we asked for the reasons behind the audit of our treasury. We still haven’t received an answer,” she pointed out.
“A government representative came to ask me what I needed, and I responded accordingly. It was 2023, and I was struggling. My answer was that we needed our children to have them at home, because they are part of our lives,” Maria Karystianou described.
“The question ‘what do you need’ was asked 2-3 times. In the end, he tells me, ‘Mrs. Karystianou, what should I tell Kyriakos now?’ I replied that if he could feel us as a parent and not protect Mr. Karamanlis. He tells me he definitely won’t support Mr. Karamanlis. This didn’t happen, and shortly after, Mr. Mitsotakis appeared embracing Mr. Karamanlis. We were relatives outside Vellidio hospital, and they wouldn’t let me in. They told me: ‘You are not welcome.’ This was months after we collected our children in bags,” she added.
When asked who approached her on behalf of the Prime Minister, Maria Karystianou said:
“It was Mr. Stamatis. Who reappeared during Mr. Routsis’s hunger strike. He presented himself to me as Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s representative. On the Prime Minister’s orders. I know he met with all the relatives (of the Tempi victims).
I don’t know if there was any financial transaction.”
About the Tempi victims’ relatives and the exhumations
“I will focus on the issue of families attacking us. I don’t understand it. Doubts are created that always favor the defendant. Why should they be created? The exhumation issue is our own matter. By what right do they comment on whether I want an exhumation? Or our own expert witness… These benefit the defendant. Exhumations are the simplest example to understand the violation of judicial function. They’re afraid that the bones will ‘speak.’ A parent came and ruined the ‘soup.’ Prosecutor Mrs. Papaioannou has been mocking us for 5 months,” noted Maria Karystianou.
The moment she “broke” talking about her daughter
“Three years have passed, and I don’t know what substance burned my child. Will I die without knowing? The Tempi crime has proven that there is a gang that starts from the government. The healthy part of society doesn’t want to live in a country dominated by insecurity and impunity. It wants to see a different Greece. This will be our proposal, and I believe the majority of people will be on our side,” emphasized Maria Karystianou.
“I want to vindicate my daughter,” she said with a breaking voice. “That’s my whole truth. For this to happen, a rotten situation must change; I’m on this path. We want a just country.”
“We will continue, we will take it to the end, and we will do very well. On 28/2/26, we will be on the streets again. I ask that we be there as citizens. Without parties. As people who want their children and themselves to move around safely. Appointment at 12:00 to shout for the right to justice,” she added.
