Mitsotakis hails arrests in Thessaloniki arson-murder case: 'The state honours Vagia Nestora's memory'
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis opened his parliamentary address by welcoming the first arrests in the deadly arson attacks in Thessaloniki, a day after the funeral of victim Vagia Nestora.
Parliamentary address opens with arrests
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis began his speech in parliament on 10 July 2026 by addressing the recent arrests in Thessaloniki. The operation, which he described as still in full development, targeted suspects in the arson attacks that killed Vagia Nestora. Mitsotakis framed the arrests as the state's direct response to the crime, coming one day after Nestora's funeral in Kozani.
A day after the funeral of Vagia Nestora, the state honours her memory by leading the terrorists to justice, as we had pledged.
The prime minister was speaking during a topical question session requested by opposition leader Nikos Androulakis, the president of PASOK, on the subject of rising prices.
Call for political unity
Mitsotakis stressed the need for a united political front against terrorism. He thanked Androulakis for attending Nestora's funeral, calling the gesture significant. The prime minister argued that only through consensus among political forces could the country break what he termed a cycle of bloodshed.
Only if all political forces agree on the need to close this cycle of blood will we be able to deprive a new generation of terrorists of the political oxygen that unfortunately nourished them for many decades.
He noted that the response to violence was being delivered jointly, at least by most political forces.
Democracy's answer to violence
Mitsotakis characterised the arrests as the answer of democracy to violence, calling it the only answer. He invoked the slogan "We are not afraid of you," stating that it must continue to express the many against the few. The anti-terrorism service carried out arrests in both Thessaloniki and Crete, according to reports.
It is the answer of democracy to violence. The only answer of democracy to violence.
The prime minister's remarks set the tone for a parliamentary session that was originally convened to discuss economic issues, underscoring the gravity the government places on the counter-terrorism operation.
