Former Prime Minister K. Simitis has passed away

Former Prime Minister Costas Simitis passed away at the age of 88 in the early hours of this morning. According to reports, he was at his country house in Agioi Theodoroi. Speaking to APE-MPA, the governor of the Corinth Hospital, Gregory Karpouzis, said that the former prime minister was evacuated at 07:31 without consciousness and his death was confirmed at 8:10 am, after unsuccessful resuscitation attempts.

Condolences of N. Androulakis to Daphne Simitis

The President of PASOK-Movement for Change, Nikos Androulakis, expressed his condolences to the wife of the deceased former Prime Minister, Kostas Simitis, Daphne.

Costas Simitis' funeral on Thursday 9 January

On Thursday, January 9, at 12:00, the funeral of former Prime Minister Costas Simitis will be held at the Metropolis of Athens.

Public expenditure on the funeral of Simitis and four days of national mourning

According to reports, the government has decided that Costas Simitis' funeral will be held at public expense, honours will be paid to the acting Prime Minister and a four-day national mourning period will be declared.

Biographical data

Costas Simitis was born in Piraeus on 23 June 1936. He studied law and economics in Germany and England, where he met his wife Daphne Simitis, née Arkadios, with whom he had two daughters, Fiona and Marilena.

He actively participated in the anti-dictatorship struggle (1967-1974), in 1970 in Germany he became a member of the Panhellenic Liberation Movement (PAK) and in 1974 a founding member of PASOK, contributing decisively to the formulation of the «Declaration of September 3». He participated in the first Executive Bureau and the first Central Committee of PASOK.

On 18 January 1996 he succeeded Andreas Papandreou as Prime Minister after a vote by the PASOK Central Committee. At the 4th congress of PASOK, after the death of Andreas Papandreou, Costas Simitis was elected president of PASOK against Akis Tsochatzopoulos. At the 5th PASOK Congress in March 1999, he was re-elected president of PASOK. In the national elections of 9 April 2000 he was re-elected Prime Minister, increasing PASOK's share of the vote, and at the 6th Congress of PASOK that followed in October 2001 he was elected for the third time President of the Movement.

On 7 January 2004, in order to ensure a smooth political succession, he announced his resignation from the presidency of PASOK, but remained Prime Minister until the end of his second term of office and the holding of parliamentary elections on 7 March 2004.

Among the most important successes of his term of office was the accession of Greece to the EMU, while his eight-year term as Prime Minister was also associated with the major infrastructure projects for the preparation of the Olympic Games and the accession of Cyprus to the European Union.

As noted on the former Prime Minister's official website, «during his premiership, he sought to modernise Greek society, particularly for the stabilisation and development of the Greek economy and the strengthening of Greece's position in Europe and in its international environment».

After his term as Prime Minister and as a member of the Greek Parliament he continued to intervene in public life with speeches and articles.

Statement by Sun. Mitsotakis on the loss of Kostas Simitis

«It is with sadness and respect that I bid farewell to Costas Simitis. A worthy and noble political opponent. But also the Prime Minister who accompanied Greece on its great national steps: the accession to the Eurozone and the Euro and the entry of Cyprus into Europe. A personality who undoubtedly left his own imprint on the development of the country, throughout the last decades,» Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a statement on the loss of Costas Simitis.

«Costas Simitis was a consistent fighter against the dictatorship and, later, a founding member, leader and president of PASOK. A competent academic teacher and a moderate parliamentary man. Above all, however, a catalyst of public life, who boldly put the great effort of modernising the country at the centre of its efforts.

‘Modernisation has no expiry date’, he believed. ‘It is an ongoing process, based on the values of democracy, justice and the constant expansion of the possibilities of the individual. It is a term with content and political value. A tool for action to change society as long as there is a past that determines the present and prevents adaptation to the future’,» the Prime Minister said in his statement.

«Regardless of political differences, I think that this legacy still runs through the demands of the homeland today, as a common claim. Something that marks Kostas Simitis» share of the contribution to it. Allowing him, from now on, to maintain a special place in memory and history. My most sincere condolences to his wife Daphne, his daughters and his family", Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.

N. Androulakis: Costas Simitis as Prime Minister opened new horizons for Greek society at a time of tremendous changes in Europe and the world»

«Costas Simitis was one of the most important personalities of the post-independence period, leaving a great political legacy and making strong Greece a reality in Europe», PASOK-Charity Movement president Nikos Androulakis said in a statement of condolence on the death of the former prime minister and former PASOK president.

He notes that «the former President of PASOK was a deep visionary and Europeanist. He linked his premiership with top national successes: the country's accession to the hard core of the euro and the accession of Cyprus to the EU with the Cyprus problem unresolved.

But also with far-reaching infrastructure projects, which have radically changed the image of our country, radically improved the everyday life of citizens and strengthened the competitiveness of the economy.» He stressed that «Costas Simitis and the work of his governments sealed one of the most creative periods of the country» and that «as Prime Minister, he opened new horizons for Greek society with a plan, methodical approach and a profoundly progressive vision against any kind of maintenance, in a period of rapid changes in Europe and the world».

He stresses that Costas Simitis «worked for the reform and modernisation of the Greek economy, but first and foremost for social convergence with European reality». «He was characterised by moderate, realistic political discourse and uncompromising, radical political action. He fought against the junta with his comrades in Democratic Defence and then in the PAC,‘ he adds.

«We bid him farewell with deep respect and gratitude for the pioneering paths he opened for our country and the Greek people», says Androulakis.

Message of condolence by Socrates Famellos on the death of Kostas Simitis

SYRIZA-PS President Socrates Famellos expresses his sincere condolences on the death of Costas Simitis to his family, his comrades and colleagues.

In his message he states: «Costas Simitis as Prime Minister ruled the country for 8 years, linked his name to critical moments in our country, had a rich parliamentary work in the post-independence period and was a courageous fighter against the junta and a remarkable university teacher.

He has been a political opponent for the Left and our disagreements and criticism of his political activity, especially during his time as Prime Minister, have been recorded. His political, social and scientific career has influenced developments and the lives of citizens.

At this time we must say goodbye to him with respect and keep the conclusions on the policies we need to change or strengthen. The final judgment of his work belongs to history.».