Anger and concern are being caused in the government by the tragic death of Vagia Nestora, mother of the ND candidate in Thessaloniki A', Aphrodite Nestora, following coordinated attacks by unknown individuals with incendiary devices on three officials of the ruling party in total in the co-capital.The solving of the case now constitutes a “matter of honor” for the government, which appears determined to exhaust every possibility in order for the perpetrators to be identified and arrested. The investigation has been undertaken by the Anti-Terrorist Service, as all possibilities surrounding the organized strike are being examined.
So far it remains unknown why these three specific blue party officials were chosen, in the areas of Toumba and Pylaia.
Specifically, the home of the president of the ND Thessaloniki Administrative Committee, Zisis Ioakeimovits, was targeted. The house is rented and, according to information, is leased by police officers.
An attack also took place at the residence of the former MP for Thessaloniki B', Savvas Anastasiadis, who was absent, being on vacation.
The most tragic incident unfolded at the home of the Thessaloniki A' candidate, Aphrodite Nestora. Her mother, Vagia Nestora, was seriously injured, was taken to Hippokrateio Hospital and, despite the efforts of the doctors in the Intensive Care Unit, succumbed a few hours later to her injuries.
In the past as well, several “blue” MPs and party officials in Thessaloniki had been targeted by attacks with leaflets or paint, however the use of incendiary devices constitutes a qualitative and particularly dangerous escalation of political violence.
According to competent sources, the transition from actions of a symbolic nature to attacks with gas canisters, which ultimately led to the loss of human life, completely changes the data and is being treated as an extremely serious case.
“Blind” attacks
A party official expresses the belief that this is an isolated incident and will not bring about an escalation of political violence, constituting the beginning of a series of “blind” attacks, with ideological motives and unpredictable consequences.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the injured in the afternoon and, immediately after the announcement of the death of Vagia Nestora, in his statement, stressed that this tragic end confirms the “murderous and inhuman character of blind violence in public life.” At the same time, he made clear that there is now no room for inertia or hypocritical condemnations.
“No tolerance for blood and the division of the extremes,” he sent the message, emphasizing that the legality of the State and the unity of society must definitively banish terrorism to the margins, so that “the light of the many may dispel the darkness of the few.”
Kyriakos Mitsotakis linked the protection of democratic normality with the country’s overall course, noting that Greece managed to leave behind bankruptcy and the divisions of the past. “It will never go back,” he said and called for a common front of responsibility, maturity and determination against violence.
On the same wavelength was the government spokesperson, Pavlos Marinakis, who, after the announcement of the death of Vagia Nestora, spoke of “murder”.