Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis sent a clear message to those responsible for the attempted deadly attacks against three New Democracy (ND) officials in Thessaloniki.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis sent a message of zero tolerance towards violence on Wednesday, pledging that those behind the deadly attack would be brought to justice.

Speaking from the Hippocrateio Hospital in Thessaloniki, where he visited injured members of New Democracy and their families, Mitsotakis described those responsible as “common criminals” and said he had full confidence in the Greek Police and the judicial authorities.

“Violence has no place in an organised society. Those who cloak themselves in the mantle of social struggle in order to carry out such acts are nothing more than common criminals. They will be treated as such,” he said.

“I have absolute confidence in the Greek Police and the judicial authorities. We will find those who committed this vile act and bring them to justice, so that all responsibilities are attributed,” he added.

Earlier, Mitsotakis visited the injured people being treated at the hospital and was briefed by doctors on their condition. He also thanked the medical and nursing staff for the care they were providing both to the injured and to Afroditi Nestora and her parents.

“I want to thank the doctors and nursing staff of the Hippocrateio for the treatment they offered to the injured, but also for the care they are providing to Afroditi Nestora, her mother and her father. Unfortunately, her mother is in critical condition. We hope and pray that everything goes well,” the prime minister said.

The President of the Republic, Konstantinos Tasoulas, contacted Anastasiadis, today. He expressed his solidarity and condemned the acts of violence directed both against him and against other citizens and officials of the ruling party.

Anastasidis: We have it all on camera, they will be identified

Speaking this morning on Action24 TV’s “Morning Zone” programme, Mr. Anastasiadis noted:

“I was away from my home in Thessaloniki. From what I’ve been told, the intruders broke in at 3 a.m. The entrance windows were smashed, and a small fire broke out.”

“There are cameras. From what I’ve been told, there’s a person who came in from the woods and left the gas canisters, and we hope that at some point they’ll be identified. They were simultaneous attacks. I can’t understand why my building was targeted. It had happened before with paint. Obviously, the police will do their job. We’ve also had a car stolen in the past.”

Ioakeimovich: Acts of violence, terrorism and intimidation have no place in Greek society

“I believe that acts of violence, terrorism and intimidation have no place in Greek society. We will always stand against them,” said Ioakeimovich, following gas-canister attacks targeting officials of Greece’s ruling party.

“Political disagreement and public dialogue are essential elements of our democracy,” Mr Ioakeimovich said, adding that a solidarity gathering will be held tomorrow, Thursday, July 2, “primarily in support of Ms Nestora and her parents, who have been hit the hardest.”

The first attack was reported at 4:18am in Pylaia, at a property owned by Mr Ioakeimovich, who had previously lived there. Unknown individuals placed and detonated a gas canister outside the building, without causing any damage.

According to reports, Greek Police investigators believe two perpetrators were behind the attacks and had planned their movements in advance. Although this has not yet been confirmed, authorities believe they may have travelled by motorcycle, setting off the incendiary devices one after another.

At all three locations, police found a gas canister and a small plastic container containing petrol. The most serious attack took place at 4:35am in Analipsi, where the perpetrators left the device under a car, causing it to catch fire before the flames spread to nearby vehicles.

One of the vehicles belonged to Aphrodite Nestora. Five people were injured in the incident. Her 70-year-old mother suffered serious burns and is being treated, intubated, in the Intensive Care Unit of Ippokrateio Hospital. Ms Nestora sustained minor burns to her limbs, while her father and two other residents of the apartment building were taken to hospital with respiratory problems. They were discharged at noon on Wednesday. The fire caused extensive damage to two cars and minor damage to two motorcycles.

Another attack took place at 4:23am in Toumba, where unknown assailants set fire to a gas canister placed at the entrance of an apartment building. Former New Democracy MP for Thessaloniki B, Savvas Anastasiadis, lives on the third floor of the building. The explosion cracked the entrance window and caused some smoke damage, but no injuries were reported.

“I heard something like a crash and what sounded like gas canisters exploding. The fire service arrived and the fire was put out immediately, but the damage had already been done. We were frightened and panicked. I opened the door slightly and there was black smoke outside,” said a resident of the apartment building where Aphrodite Nestora’s family lives.