Overview

• The court upheld a lower court ruling and added four more misdemeanour convictions—including involuntary manslaughter—bringing the total to ten, among them former fire brigade officials and an alleged arsonist.
• Eleven defendants, including regional governors, were acquitted, prompting victims’ relatives to disrupt proceedings and demand tougher accountability.
• Relatives of the 104 victims protested in court with black balloons and white roses, calling the classification of charges as misdemeanours excessively lenient.
• Survivors have long blamed emergency coordination failures under the then-Syriza government, though authorities cited erratic winds for hampering rescue efforts.
• Scientists warn that hotter, drier conditions linked to climate change are making Mediterranean wildfires more frequent and severe, fueling calls for systemic reforms.