Relatives of victims protest the release of Violanta factory owner

On September 2, 2026, relatives of victims involved in the January 26 deadly explosion at the Violanta factory in Trikala filed a formal request at the Larissa Court of Appeals. They are petitioning the prosecutor to appeal a decision made by the Trikala Council of Misdemeanors that allowed for the release of the company's owner, Konstantinos Tziortziotis.

Tziortziotis, who had been in pre-trial detention since February 2026 following the fatal industrial accident that resulted in five deaths, was released on September 1. The court replaced his detention with restrictive measures, specifically a travel ban and a requirement to report to a police station once a month.

The explosion, which occurred in January, remains under active judicial investigation. The families of the deceased are challenging the judicial council's decision to grant conditional release, seeking a reversal of this ruling to maintain stricter oversight of the owner during the ongoing legal proceedings.