Outrage in Trikala: “This is not a tragedy, it’s an employer’s crime”
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Large turnout at the protest in Trikala following the workplace accident at the “Violanta” biscuit factory, which claimed the lives of five women.
- 27 Ιανουαρίου 2026 14:08
In the central square of Rigas Feraios, Trikala, hundreds of people participated in a protest rally following the deadly fire at the “Violanta” biscuit factory, which claimed the lives of five workers, while many questions remain unanswered.
With slogans such as “This is not a tragedy, it’s a crime of the employer” and “No more dead workers on the altar of profit,” the Trikala Labor Center had called for a 24-hour strike and a protest rally on Tuesday (27/1).
In a deeply emotional atmosphere, the names of the five deceased workers were read out, followed by a march through the city.
The protesters announced their next meeting for Tuesday, February 3, coinciding with the nationwide strike in dairy factories.
“The Trikala Labor Center, from the very first moment yesterday morning, was present at the site of this tragic accident, which has so far claimed five lives. As part of our efforts to uncover the causes, we will ask the prosecutor today to appoint our own expert witness, so that we can contribute to the investigation. But primarily, through the mobilizations we organized yesterday and the ones we are organizing today with the 24-hour strike and the protest, we want to highlight the main issue: ‘Enough, no more dead workers on the altar of businessmen’s profits.’ Because there are both employer and state responsibilities here,” stated Dimitris Armagos, President of the Trikala Labor Center, in an interview with NEWS 24/7.
“These all show indifference and premeditated crimes on the backs of workers. The list of maimed and dead workers grows in the name of business wealth and their development,” he emphasized.
“Workers face difficulty speaking out in general, especially in these moments, because we observe frightened eyes, heads lowered, mourning, and often we realize that there is fear hanging over their heads about what they will say publicly and how they will say it. You understand that in conditions where someone wants to keep their job and genuinely wants continuity in their life, no matter how difficult it may be, we call on them not to be afraid, to speak up, to approach the unions, to organize in them, because it is about our own labor rights and our very lives,” he added.
It is reminded that the faces of the tragedy are Agapi (whose last name has not been disclosed), Stavroula Boukouvala from Karditsa, a mother of three children, 42-year-old Vasiliki Skampardoni from Gardiki, Trikala, a mother of two children, Anastasia Nasiou from Grizano, Farkadona, and 45-year-old Elena Katsarou from Glino, a mother of a 13-year-old child.
Regarding the investigations, the testimonies of key individuals are expected to shed light on the causes of the workplace accident.
Specifically, the factory’s safety technician, who has already testified, is considered a very important figure for the development of the investigation. Additionally, the six workers who were injured and transported to the hospital after the explosion yesterday will also testify, along with the owners of the company.
The Directorate for the Investigation of Arson Crimes at the Fire Service continues its investigations into how the tragic accident occurred. A key question remains whether any warning system was activated for the workers. As Andreas Stoimenidis, president of OSETEE and vice president of the European Agency for Health and Safety at Work, pointed out to NEWS 24/7, it is particularly concerning why no firefighting or fire safety system was activated to give people enough time to evacuate.
