Maria Karystianos is expected to face opposition from the majority of families of victims from the tragic Tempi train disaster, should she decide to enter politics by creating a new political entity. According to parapolitika.gr sources, each passing day brings more messages from victims’ relatives asking her not to proceed with such a move. So far, Nikos Plakias, Panos Routsi, and Pavlos Aslanidis have each communicated, in their own way, that they would not accept such a development, which could potentially harm their struggle for justice.
Majority of Tempi Victims’ Association members want to replace Maria Karystianos as president – What sources reveal
Meanwhile, Association members have called Maria Karystianos twice to discuss these issues, but she has not responded to the request. It should be noted that a General Assembly has been scheduled for March to elect a president. The same sources indicate that the overwhelming majority of members intend to challenge her, demanding her replacement. While everyone acknowledges that Maria Karystianos was and remains the soul of the Tempi case and has given substance to their fight for justice, they note that recent developments are misdirecting their entire effort.
She has indicated, however, that she does not intend to proceed with creating a party entity, but only to participate in something new, provided it is created by non-political figures. Recently, and following Nikos Karachalios’s post, Maria Karystianos found herself in the spotlight, as the well-known communications expert appeared to insist that he had agreed with the head of the Tempi victims’ Association on creating a movement, but at the last moment she backed down.
Sources say, however, that Maria Karystianos has received an offer to participate in some role in Antonis Samaras’s new party, but declined. Many believe the “matchmaker” was Nikos Karachalios, as he stated in an interview: “It was clear that from the moment Mr. Samaras differentiated himself, I would support Samaras and I made that clear to her, and this confuses things; politics is synthetic. I told her I would help her without compensation, because I believe in Tempi. Therefore, I tell her we need to clarify whether the parents are with us; we won’t do anything if we don’t have everyone with us.” According to the same sources, former New Democracy MP and leader of the “Christian Democratic Movement,” Nikos Nikolopoulos, who has friendly relations with people close to Maria Karystianos, played a significant role in her relationship with Nikos Karachalios.
The truth is that Maria Karystianos is a deeply religious person. Together with her close collaborator Maria Gratsia, they are guided by Archangel Michael of Panormitis, and it is said that they pray daily in French via telephone with a nun who is in a monastery in Syria.
