Ex-PM Costas Simitis dies at 88
Greece
Sun, 5 Jan 2025 6:31 GMT
Costas Simitis, who headed Greece’s 1996-2004 socialist government as prime minister, has died at age 88.
Simitis assumed the PASOK leadership in 1996, succeeding Andreas Papandreou as both party leader and prime minister. Known for championing economic reform and European integration, he was instrumental in Greece’s adoption of the euro and its alignment with European Union policies.
A founding member of PASOK after the fall of the military junta in 1974, Simitis held several ministerial posts before becoming prime minister. His tenure was marked by privatizations, fiscal stability and moderate foreign policies aimed at modernizing Greece’s economy and society.
Simitis secured reelection in the 2000 general election, leaving a legacy of modernization and deeper European cohesion.
Kathimerini
