Greek Rail Authority to shut down OSE Network Maintenance Unit in Drama, forcing mandatory staff relocations

Serious concerns over railway safety and regional connectivity have been raised following plans by the Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE) to permanently shut down its network maintenance department in Drama, accompanied by the sudden and mandatory relocation of all permanent staff.

The issue was brought before Parliament by Theodoros Xanthopoulos, MP for Drama and Shadow Minister for Interior Affairs of SYRIZA–Progressive Alliance, through a formal parliamentary question addressed to the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, co-signed by 11 additional MPs.

A Century-Old Maintenance Unit Set to Close
According to reports, the decision is part of OSE’s new organizational structure, expected to come into force next week. Under the plan, the Drama Network Maintenance Unit, which has operated for over 100 years, will be abolished.

The unit has historically been responsible for the maintenance and safety of the railway network extending as far as Rodopoli (Serres) and the Promachonas border crossing, a strategically important corridor for northern Greece.

Mandatory Relocation of Employees Within Days
As part of the restructuring, the five permanent employees currently serving in Drama—each holding an official, organic post—have been ordered to relocate within days to other OSE facilities in Dedeağaç, Selanik, or even Athens, distances ranging from 150 to over 500 kilometers.

The move has sparked strong reactions, as employees and their families are being forced to abandon homes, schools, and long-established lives in Drama on extremely short notice.

“Employees are not objects that can be transferred overnight from one city to another, together with their families, without profound consequences for their lives,” the parliamentary question states.

Fears of Railway Safety Degradation in Northern Greece
Xanthopoulos warns that shutting down the Drama unit will significantly hinder rapid response and effective maintenance, particularly in a region where the railway network has already suffered severe degradation.

He argues that OSE’s approach—endorsed by the government—weakens critical safety services, undermining efforts to modernize the rail system and raising alarms among residents of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace about the gradual abandonment of infrastructure projects.

Questions to the Government
The MP is asking the Minister:

What measures will be taken to prevent the closure of the Drama network maintenance department
How the government intends to protect the affected employees, whose lives are being abruptly disrupted
Whether staff cuts and maintenance unit mergers are compatible with the need to strengthen railway safety
And whether there is any concrete plan to upgrade the railway connection of Drama and Eastern Macedonia–Thrace, which has been “dramatically downgraded” over the past six years

The case adds to the broader national debate over the future of Greece’s railway infrastructure, public safety, and regional inequality.