Mitsotakis condemns Thessaloniki arson attack that killed politician's mother, vows perpetrators will face justice

The attack

A fatal arson attack in Thessaloniki claimed the life of Vagia Nestora, the mother of New Democracy politician Afroditi Nestora. The incident overshadowed all other developments this week, according to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who addressed it in his weekly government review posted on Facebook on Sunday.

What happened in Thessaloniki shows in the harshest way that no ideological pretext can justify a murderous attack.

Government response

Mitsotakis stressed that the perpetrators will be found and held accountable. He linked the attack to resistance against his government's law-and-order policies, which he said have been in place since 2019.

It is obvious that our steady decision since 2019 to confront lawlessness and impose the law everywhere bothers some. Learn, then, from here as well, that we are not going to back down, nor allow the country to return to the years of division.

Historical parallels

The prime minister drew comparisons to the dismantling of the November 17 terrorist group and the dissolution of the far-right Golden Dawn party, suggesting the same fate awaits those responsible for the attack.

Just as November 17 was dismantled and Golden Dawn was dissolved, the same will happen with these cowards who pretend to be revolutionaries.

Call for political reflection

Beyond the immediate condemnation, Mitsotakis urged all parties and politicians to reflect on their own rhetoric. He warned that toxic and divisive political discourse creates an environment where violence can flourish, referencing the painful experience of the Greek crisis years. He called for a daily struggle to uphold democratic memory and avoid repeating past mistakes.