Halkidiki: The father of 19-year-old Giannis breaks down – “Our family is broken, the Mayor shouldn’t have taken the job if she can’t handle it”

The father of the 19-year-old who died in the “Crazy Dance” ride at an amusement park in Pefkochori, Halkidiki, is outraged that the 21-year-old operator of the ride, who was responsible for the incident, has been released. The tragic accident occurred in front of the victim’s mother and siblings.

Giorgos Kaibalis, the father of the 19-year-old, spoke to MEGA today, expressing his anger and frustration. “I will try to find the solution myself if justice is not served,” he stated, demanding answers for what happened.

He questioned, “How did the prosecutor allow someone with a criminal record to leave without any restrictions?” It should be noted that the 21-year-old operator of the ride fled the scene immediately after the incident and turned himself in at the Kilkis police station on Tuesday, August 20th.

Mr. Kaibalis also described the state of his family following the loss of his 19-year-old son.

Family Devastated by Tragedy

“There are no words. The 13-year-old hasn’t slept for three days, crying in our arms and haunted by the image of his brother falling before him. Our family and home are broken. We were a close-knit family, always supporting each other. This shouldn’t have happened. My boy is gone,” he said.

He continued, “We’ve been working hard since we were young to build a family. It’s unacceptable that someone with ambitions can act so irresponsibly. If the mayor couldn’t handle the situation or didn’t have the staff, that’s not my concern. She should have resigned or not taken the position. I don’t care about any of that.”

“We will do whatever is necessary,” he emphasized. He added, “This is not just a button to be pressed; the pain is for four people. It doesn’t mean that because we were five and now we are four, nothing has happened. This is not a casual situation. I’ve lived in Athens for 25 years, raising my children by visiting them every weekend.”

Illegal Operation of the Amusement Park in Halkidiki

As authorities continue their investigation into the conditions of the tragic accident at the Pefkochori amusement park, which resulted in the death of a 19-year-old, new information has emerged regarding the legality of the park’s operations. Reports reveal that last season, the amusement park operated for months without a license.

According to Kathimerini, the Municipality of Kassandra only issued a license for the park on August 22, 2023, just as last summer was ending. The amusement park’s owner had applied for a temporary operating license on June 1, 2023. The owner claims that he applied early for a license this year as well, but it was never issued. Due to the nature of the activity, which is considered high-risk, it falls under an approval regime rather than a notification regime. This means the park is not allowed to operate until safety certificates and all necessary approvals from the relevant authorities have been checked. However, this appears to have been a recurring issue in Halkidiki.

In the company’s 2023 file, there was an expert report from an engineer certifying that the rides, including the ill-fated Crazy Dance, were safe. The inspection report, dated August 4, 2023, allegedly bore the signature of Target Hellas.

Revelations about the Amusement Park Owner and Expired Licenses

New details have emerged regarding the 58-year-old businessman who owned the amusement park in Pefkochori. It has been revealed that he was excluded from bidding in a municipal fair in Kozani because his equipment was not certified.

On July 29, 2024, according to Eleftheros Typos, the members of the Auction Committee of the Municipality of Kozani reviewed the proposals for amusement park participation in the “Niameros” fair, scheduled to take place from Saturday, September 28 to Tuesday, October 1, just outside the city. Two parties participated in the tender, one of which was represented by the 58-year-old businessman who operated the fatal amusement park in Pefkochori. According to the related posting on Diavgeia, his participation was canceled because “no suitability certificates were submitted for any of the amusement rides he claimed he would install.” In other words, the 58-year-old lacked the necessary documents to legally operate an amusement park.

It is noteworthy that the second bidder was also excluded for the same reason, prompting the Municipality of Kozani to reissue the call for oral bidding.

The process was repeated on the morning of the tragic Monday, August 19, when the 58-year-old reappeared in Kozani to participate. According to Konstantinos Kouros, a member of the Committee and Deputy Mayor of Finance in Kozani, this time the businessman came with papers in hand.

Expired or Missing Certificates

“However, during the inspection, we noticed that the suitability certificates for some rides were missing, and for others, they had expired. Specifically, he claimed he would bring seven rides. For four of them, the certificates had expired months ago, and for the remaining three rides, there were no certificates at all!” he noted.

Naturally, the 58-year-old was excluded from the tender, left Kozani, returned to Pefkochori, Halkidiki, and that same evening, the 19-year-old was killed on the rotating chairs of the amusement park.

Lawyer for the Family: This Was a Crime, Not an Accident

In a radio interview, the family’s lawyer, Nikos Petridis, argued that this was not an accident but a crime. “Both the municipal authorities and the business knew that the ride was problematic. Most of the chairs were broken. They were shifting people around to find stable positions. This is deliberate,” he stated, noting that the family would seek accountability from the Municipality of Kassandra as well.

It is noted that the 58-year-old man and the 21-year-old game operator were taken to the prosecutor of Polygyros and subsequently released without restrictions. A case was filed against the 58-year-old for manslaughter by negligence and against the 21-year-old for fatal exposure.

With a criminal record, the 21-year-old amusement park operator

New revelations are brought to light in the case of the tragic death of 19-year-old Yiannis at the amusement park in PefkohoriHalkidiki.

The unfortunate youth died when the chair of the toy he was riding in became detached, causing him to fall to the ground and fatally injure himself in front of his brothers and mother.

The amusement park was sealed by authorities and the toy is being examined by experts.The 21-year-old operator, who had fled after the incident, surrendered to Kilkis police authorities on Tuesday, August 20. He was then taken to the prosecutor, who ordered a preliminary examination and released him.

According to MEGA, the 21-year-old has a heavy criminal record, with charges of domestic violence and car theft. He has previously been arrested on a warrant and has been arraigned a total of six times. The same sources said he lived in Kilkis and had gone to Halkidiki to escape from people who were chasing him.

Meanwhile, the experts continue to scrutinize the game for a second day, running simulations with heavy 75-pound bags on each seat. The amusement park owner and his son were also found at the site, and it remains unknown whether the second amusement park owned by the same owner is licensed to operate.

An ELAS document informed the municipality that the amusement park in Halkidiki had not disclosed its operation

At the same time, it seems that the police, in a document from 9 July, had informed the municipality of Kassandra that the amusement park had not notified its operation. As the document states, the police inspection was carried out on July 7 and it was found that it lacked a notification.

This document has been attached to the business as an attachment with a document from the municipality of Cassandra.

It is noted that experts are continuing their investigation to collect evidence..

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