Mother of Greek ruling party candidate dies after firebomb attacks on party officials' homes in Thessaloniki
Three improvised incendiary devices exploded at the homes of New Democracy officials in Thessaloniki before dawn on 1 July, killing the mother of a party candidate and wounding four others.
The attacks
At 04:18, 04:23 and 04:35, three improvised devices detonated at residences linked to New Democracy party officials in Thessaloniki. The first two, targeting the homes of party committee chairman Zisis Ioakeimovits and former lawmaker Savvas Anastasiadis, caused only material damage. The third device, placed under a car at the apartment building of former parliamentary candidate Afroditi Nestora, triggered a blaze that destroyed two vehicles and spread to the building.
The inhumane, indiscriminate terrorist attack on my home has placed my family in an extremely difficult situation.
- First device explodes outside the home of Zisis Ioakeimovits; no injuries.
- Second bomb detonates at the residence of former MP Savvas Anastasiadis; no injuries.
- Third device ignites under a car at Afroditi Nestora’s apartment building, injuring five people and leading to the death of Vagia Nestora.
Casualties
Five people from the Nestora residence were taken to hospital. Vagia Nestora, 72, mother of Afroditi, sustained burns covering 80% of her body and died later despite intensive care. Afroditi Nestora suffered minor burns, her father was admitted with respiratory problems, and two other residents were treated for smoke inhalation and later discharged.
Investigation
The Greek Counter-Terrorism Service took over the investigation, analysing CCTV footage. No arrests have been made. Police suspect the same perpetrators for all three attacks, which used small butane gas canisters and flammable liquid. Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said the 15-minute window of bombings was "clearly not a coincidence" and demanded immediate arrests.
When you throw petrol canisters at cars and houses … you accept the possibility that people may die.
Reactions
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who travelled to Thessaloniki, condemned the "cowardly, terrorist, murderous attack" and vowed zero tolerance for any new form of terrorism. Opposition left‑wing parties also condemned the violence. Minister of public order Michalis Chrysochoidis warned of a possible resurgence of domestic terrorism, referencing long-imprisoned members of the November 17 group.
Context
Greece has a decades-long history of low-intensity firebombings and arson by small anarchist or far-left groups, typically causing property damage but rarely claiming lives. Wednesday's fatality breaks that pattern and sharpens the political stakes ahead of the next election campaign.
