ATHENS, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of people took part in dozens of demonstrations across Greece on Saturday to mark the third anniversary of the train collision in Tempi, central Greece, which claimed 57 lives.

The main rally was held in front of the Greek Parliament and was organized by an association of victims' families. It was supported by opposition parties and labor unions, which had also called a 24-hour strike that disrupted public transportation services.

Student associations joined the mobilization as well, since most of the victims were university students returning to their studies after the holiday break.

Protesters carried banners and chanted slogans demanding justice ahead of the trial of dozens of railway employees and officials, scheduled to begin on March 23.

The victims' families, opposition parties, and demonstrators accused the government of mishandling the investigation and alleged a "cover-up." They are pressing for the prosecution of politicians, whom they also blame for safety system deficiencies that led to the head-on collision between a passenger train and a freight train.

Following the tragedy, the government pledged to implement measures to improve railway infrastructure and address operational failures.

"Three years after the accident in Tempi that deeply affected all Greeks, the memory of the victims and the pain of their relatives unite in a common demand: that those responsible for the tragedy be held accountable in a strict and impartial manner in the trial that is now beginning," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a message on Saturday. Enditem.