Greek politician Afroditi Nestora posts after arson attack kills her mother in Thessaloniki
New Democracy politician Afroditi Nestora, hospitalised with burns, issued her first public statement on Friday following an arson attack that killed her mother and injured several people in Thessaloniki.
The attack and its aftermath
In the early hours of Wednesday, an explosive device set fire to the apartment building where Afroditi Nestora lives. Her mother, Vagia Nestora, died in the blaze. Nestora herself suffered burns to her hands and feet, while her father, Panagiotis Nestoras, and another resident, Giorgos Papadopoulos, required treatment for smoke inhalation.
Hospital updates
On Friday, the Hippokrateion Hospital discharged Panagiotis Nestoras and Giorgos Papadopoulos after their respiratory difficulties were fully resolved. A third resident, identified only as E.P., remains in the cardiology unit in a stable condition pending further tests. Afroditi Nestora continues to receive care at the Papanikolaou Hospital burns unit; her condition is described as controlled and stable, with no respiratory problems, and she is expected to leave hospital next week.
First public words
From her hospital bed, Nestora posted on Facebook, thanking everyone who has reached out. She wrote that she and her father are now left alone with many unanswered questions and that their priority is to heal their wounds, both physical and psychological.
I thank you very much for the love and touching interest. In this tragic moment we are experiencing so unjustly, it gives me and my family great strength to walk the difficult road ahead.
The post ends with a clear political message, underscoring the motive of the attack.
First for all the people around us, relatives and friends, then for us, and finally, so that blind political violence does not win.
- Arson attack hits Afroditi Nestora’s building; mother Vagia Nestora dies, several injured.
- Panagiotis Nestoras and Giorgos Papadopoulos discharged from Hippokrateion Hospital.
- Afroditi Nestora posts on Facebook: ‘Blind political violence must not win.’
Context
Nestora is a candidate for the ruling New Democracy party. The arson was one of three similar attacks reported in Thessaloniki that morning. Authorities have not yet released details about suspects, but the deliberate targeting of a political figure has drawn condemnation across the Greek political spectrum. Her mother’s funeral will be scheduled after Nestora is discharged, so that she can attend.
