In the early hours of Wednesday, three coordinated firebomb attacks struck residences linked to members of Greece's governing New Democracy party in the northern city of Thessaloniki. The assaults, which used improvised devices made from gas canisters, left five people hospitalized, with one individual in serious condition, according to authorities.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who leads New Democracy, expressed outrage over what he described as a “cowardly, terrorist and murderous attack.” He announced plans to travel to Thessaloniki later in the day to show solidarity with party colleagues and to “send a perfectly clear and explicit message: zero tolerance for any new form of terrorism that might appear in our country.”
The Kathimerini news website reported that the parents of former party candidate Afroditi Nestora were among the injured and taken to hospital. The other two targets were identified as Zisis Ioakimovic, president of the party's executive committee, and former MP Savvas Anastasiades.
Investigation Underway
Police confirmed that five people sustained injuries but did not release names or speculate on a motive. The improvised explosives were fashioned from small butane canisters, and investigators believe the same perpetrators carried out all three attacks. Officers are gathering video footage from the area to identify those responsible.
Left-wing opposition parties also condemned the attacks. Leftist and anarchist groups in Greece have a history of using improvised explosives to target political figures, banks, and companies, though such attacks rarely cause casualties.
This incident follows a pattern of similar violence in Thessaloniki. In July 2025, a bomb exploded outside the home of the president of Greece's association of prison guards, causing minor injuries from shattered glass. In June 2024, a police officer guarding the home of a top judge in Athens was injured in a gasoline bomb attack.
Greece has been grappling with domestic terrorism for decades, though recent years have seen a decline in high-profile attacks. The targeting of party members' homes marks a worrying escalation, particularly as the country continues to recover from economic crises and focuses on issues like environmental management and space exploration.
The attacks come amid broader European security concerns, with EU Defence Chief recently warning of more Russian attacks on European soil after a killing in Poland. While no connection has been established, the incident underscores the continent's vulnerability to various forms of political violence.
Mitsotakis's government has emphasized law and order, and this event will likely reinforce its stance on zero tolerance for terrorism. The prime minister's visit to Thessaloniki is intended to reassure party members and the public that the state will respond firmly.
