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Greece has strongly condemned the terrorist attacks in Paris. "We are following the events in a state of shock. We express our sincere condolences to the victims' families. In this difficult time, we stand behind the French people", wrote Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Twitter.

Today at noon, Tsipras made an official statement on the carnage in Paris. "We stand with the people and the government of France; we will erect barriers to terror and barbarism," said the Greek prime minister.

"Terrorists can harm us only as long as they terrorize us: if they force us to abandon our principles and if they push us into a fortress Europe – a place inhabited by scared nations," said Tsipras and noted: "It is necessary to combat violence and terror, but we also must stop the war in Syria." According to the Greek PM, a solution to the refugee crisis is no less indispensable.

"It is our duty to create a secure environment for all European nations," said Tsipras.

Regarding the Paris terrorist attacks, which he defined as a "heinous crime", Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos said, "Fear cannot be the response to the enemies of freedom. In circumstances like these, we must respond with determination and enlightenment. Enlightenment teaches us to seek the causes behind such crimes. Determination teaches us how not to hesitate in dealing with the causes." The President added that we all know what those reasons are: the current inequality and – most of all – the outbreak of war in the Middle East.

"Grief and anger are my only feelings," the president of New Democracy, Evangelos Meimarakis, wrote in his Τwitter account. He stressed that the attack is not only against the French people, but also against "democracy and freedom".

"Terrorism is fascism. We are not afraid. Europe's response is Liberty, Equality, Fraternity," said PASOK president Fofi Gennimata.

Potami's official statement says: "France and Europe are experiencing an indescribable tragedy. Both our reason and our souls stand behind the French people. Europe will not fall to its knees."

"My thoughts are with the victims and their families in Paris. Solidarity with the French people! All together against terror!", wrote the Greek euro-commissioner, Dimitris Avramopoulos, in Twitter.

Meanwhile, the online edition iefimerida reported that the French authorities have sent two names to the Greek police asking whether those people had passed through Greece. According to iefimerida's sources, the answer was positive. Up until now, there is no clarity about who these individuals are and what kind of connection they allegedly have with the Paris attacks.

Iefimerida also reported that one of the 8 terrorists, identified by the French authorities as having been involved in the attacks, had arrived on the island of Leros on October 3 along with 70 other illegal immigrants. He was detained, identified and registered at the island's hotspot. Two days later he departed from Greece and apparently took the journey to France.

So far it is not known whether there are Greek citizens among the casualties of the Paris attacks.