Greek ruling party calls for protests after firebomb kills candidate's mother

ATHENS – Greece’s governing New Democracy party on July 2 called on its supporters to take to the streets in protest after the 72-year-old mother of one of its parliamentary candidates died of severe burns from a firebomb attack.

The attackers placed flaming gas canisters in three homes of local figures from the governing party in the northern city of Thessaloniki before dawn on June 30, causing explosions.

Vagia Nestora, the mother of New Democracy candidate Afroditi Nestora, died of organ failure after suffering burns that covered 80 per cent of her body, a hospital statement said. The candidate also suffered burns, and three other people were wounded.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks, the first time in more than a decade that a person was killed in an attack targeting Greek politicians.

Greece has a decades-long history of political violence, including bombings and arson attacks, but assassinations became rare 20 years ago after leaders of left-wing militant groups were jailed.

“Yesterday we witnessed an extreme coordinated murderous attack against three New Democracy officials in Thessaloniki,” said government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis.

“This terrorist act was a cowardly act by extreme exponents of violence who operate under the guise of a so-called ideology against three people simply because they do not agree with their ideology,” he added.

“The message we are sending is clear: terrorism will not win! No one will be afraid.”

The New Democracy party and its youth branch ONNED called for a rally to honour the victim and protest against such attacks on the evening of July 2 outside the hospital where the woman died.

“We are not afraid of you,” it said in a statement, adding that its members stand “united against terrorism”.

A police anti-terrorism unit has taken charge of the investigation into the incidents.

Police spokeswoman Constantina Dimoglidou told Greek media that evidence showed the attacks were likely coordinated and the police were examining video footage to confirm that the same group of perpetrators launched all three attacks. REUTERS