Mitsotakis meets Afroditi Nestora following fatal Thessaloniki arson attack

Reception at Maximos Mansion

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis hosted New Democracy politician Afroditi Nestora at his official office inside the Maximos Mansion in Athens on 25 August 2026. The meeting followed an official invitation issued by the prime minister to express solidarity after the violent incident at her home. Nestora arrived at the government headquarters roughly two months after the assault occurred in northern Greece. During their exchange, both officials focused on state responses to extremist attacks and the security of political candidates. The session carried symbolic weight as the government affirmed institutional backing for victims of political violence. Nestora formally thanked the head of government for his outreach and continued assistance during her rehabilitation.

Consequences of the Thessaloniki attack

The background to the Maximos Mansion meeting centers on a severe arson assault carried out against Nestora's apartment building in Thessaloniki. The terrorist strike resulted in the death of her mother and caused grave physical injuries to Nestora herself, necessitating a multi-day hospital stay. Her father sustained injuries in the blaze as well, alongside several other residents living in the multi-story residential complex. The strike shocked the local community in Thessaloniki and drew widespread scrutiny regarding extremist violence targeting elected officials and candidates. Nestora discussed the aftermath of the incident and the condition of the injured tenants directly with the prime minister.

United political front against terrorism

Counterterrorism policy formed a core component of the discussions between Nestora and Mitsotakis. Both figures stressed that terrorism must be completely uprooted from Greek society through an uncompromising, zero-tolerance approach to violence. They emphasized the imperative for the entire political spectrum to present an undivided, unanimous stance against extremism in both word and deed. The dialogue focused on ensuring that political differences do not prevent common action against extremist threats. Following the conclusion of the meeting, Nestora summarized the joint conclusions in a detailed social media statement.

I had the honour of meeting Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in his office at the Maximos Mansion. I thanked him for the invitation and his support following the terrorist strike on my home that resulted in the death of my mother, my own severe injury, the injury of my father and of other residents of the apartment building where I live, while in the discussion the urgent need to uproot terrorism and for the political world to stand against it unanimously in word and deed was emphasised. With the Prime Minister we also naturally discussed Thessaloniki, its prospects and its developmental path.

Urban development and future prospects

In addition to counterterrorism, the Maximos Mansion discussion addressed the regional economic landscape of Thessaloniki and wider northern Greece. Mitsotakis and Nestora reviewed the city's future developmental path, focusing on strategic opportunities and public investments planned for the coming years. The dialogue examined Thessaloniki's economic potential and municipal projects intended to support urban expansion and modernization. As a New Democracy candidate in the A Thessaloniki parliamentary constituency, Nestora brought local regional priorities to the prime minister's desk. The meeting concluded with discussions on tracking these developmental objectives alongside broader measures to uphold public order and safety.