The news of the death yesterday afternoon of the mother of New Democracy parliamentary candidate Aphrodite Nestora, following the petrol bomb attack on the family home, marked the tragic conclusion of an incident that both shocked and mobilised the government and the ruling party.

Far from coincidental, and with the clear intention of sending a message of zero tolerance towards neo-terrorists and anyone who believes they can target government officials or New Democracy figures, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis quickly decided yesterday morning to make an unannounced visit to Thessaloniki that same afternoon. There, he visited those injured in the attack, including the New Democracy candidate and her father. Following the death of the unfortunate woman, the government immediately escalated its rhetoric, describing the incident as a murder.

“No one can any longer remain inactive or limit themselves to hypocritical words of condemnation. No tolerance for bloodshed and the divisiveness of the extremes. The rule of law and the unity of society must now banish terrorism to where it belongs: the margins. And let the light of the many dispel the darkness of the few,” Mr Mitsotakis stressed shortly after the news broke of Vagia Nestora’s death.

It is clear that Mr Mitsotakis’ swift decision to travel to Thessaloniki, beyond its personal dimension, also carried a political message: the government will not retreat in its confrontation with organised anti-establishment groups, particularly now that the attack has resulted in a fatality. In the case of Thessaloniki, the struggle over the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) remains ongoing, and government officials do not regard the attack on New Democracy members as unrelated to developments surrounding the university campus in recent months.

“Greece fought hard to achieve its economic recovery from bankruptcy. It also overcame the divisions of the past through great hardship. It will never go back. It is therefore time to build a barrier of maturity and determination against those who seek otherwise, with the government on the front line of this battle. Stability and normality are prerequisites for prosperity, while security and justice are the pillars of democracy,” the Prime Minister said in his afternoon statement.

“We Are Not Afraid”: Protest Called by New Democracy and ONNED

Following the killing of the 70-year-old mother of Aphrodite Nestora, the youth wing of New Democracy, ONNED, has called a protest for 7pm today outside Hippokrateio General Hospital, where the New Democracy candidate remains hospitalised.

The decision was evidently taken in coordination with New Democracy and the party’s secretary, Konstantinos Kyranakis, who is expected to attend. T-shirts bearing the slogan “We Are Not Afraid” – a phrase that has spread widely across the social media accounts of New Democracy members and supporters since yesterday – are already being printed.

According to reports, participants will form a human chain, while a significant turnout is expected as extensive mobilisation is already under way among party members across Northern Greece. The death of an innocent woman has clearly sparked anger among many citizens. Since yesterday, the entire political spectrum has expressed its horror at the killing and the attacks.

“The day after the tragic loss of Vagia Nestora, following yesterday’s murderous attack on the homes of our three party members in Thessaloniki, finds all of us in New Democracy filled with profound sorrow and unwavering determination,” the party’s press office said in a statement.

A further statement issued today by New Democracy reads:

“The great family of our party is mourning. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Nestora family, with Aphrodite, her father and all their loved ones.

Today, at 7pm, outside Hippokrateio General Hospital in Thessaloniki, members, supporters and friends of New Democracy and ONNED will honour the memory of Aphrodite’s unjustly lost mother and unite our voices against terrorism.

We will all be there. We are not afraid.”

Kyranakis Launches Fresh Attack on Tsipras

Against this backdrop, New Democracy Secretary Konstantinos Kyranakis delivered a strongly worded interview on Action24 yesterday regarding the killing of Vagia Nestora, implicitly but unmistakably placing responsibility on Alexis Tsipras for the political climate in the country.

“For Alexis Tsipras to reappear today with a civil war-era name for his new party and with this kind of rhetoric has consequences. When the Left opposed every measure against terrorism, it helped create this climate,” Mr Kyranakis said.

The New Democracy secretary also referred to comments posted on social media following the attack, arguing that public discourse has become poisoned and attributing responsibility to the party’s political opponents for fostering an atmosphere of tolerance towards terrorism.

Mr Kyranakis further argued that the Left has consistently opposed every tightening of the Criminal Code and every anti-terrorism measure. He also referred to statements and public events involving former SYRIZA figures expressing support for terrorism and the November 17 terrorist organisation. He attributed the attack to retaliation for the government’s efforts to reclaim control of university campuses.

Floridis Calls for Anti-Establishment Groups to Be Treated as Criminal Organisations

Against this backdrop, and with the activities of the Rubicon group in focus, Justice Minister Giorgos Floridis yesterday sent a clear message to judicial authorities, urging them to treat anti-establishment groups of this kind under the same legal framework that was used to prosecute Golden Dawn as a criminal organisation.

More specifically, Mr Floridis said that the time had come “for case files from across Greece to be consolidated”, adding that “the same approach was taken with Golden Dawn: scattered and pending case files were merged, leading to the prosecution of a criminal organisation.”

In discussions with associates, the Justice Minister stressed that there is no need to tighten existing legislation, arguing that the current legal framework already provides judges with sufficient flexibility to consolidate case files and deal comprehensively with groups such as Rubicon.