Costas Simitis, the former prime minister of Greece who was instrumental in the country’s adoption of the euro currency, has passed away at the age of 88, according to state TV ERT. Simitis was rushed to a hospital in Corinth from his holiday home near Athens early on Sunday morning, where he arrived unconscious and without a pulse. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death. The government has declared a four-day official mourning period and announced that Simitis will receive a state funeral.
Tributes have poured in from various quarters, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressing his sorrow and admiration for Simitis, calling him a worthy political opponent and a respected figure. Former European Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos also praised Simitis for his dedication and contributions to the country, highlighting his role in organizing the Olympic Games and his commitment to European integration.
Simitis, a co-founder of the Socialist PASOK party, succeeded Andreas Papandreou as its leader and served as prime minister from 1996 to 2004. He is credited with steering Greece into the eurozone in 2001 and overseeing significant infrastructure projects, including the hosting of the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Despite his achievements, Simitis faced criticism over certain economic policies, including a controversial debt swap and pension reforms that led to internal opposition within his party. He chose not to seek re-election in 2004 and was succeeded by George Papandreou.
The rift within the PASOK parliamentary group deepened following a heated clash between two prominent figures over key policies, notably George Papandreou’s proposal to conduct a referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon. Costas Simitis bid farewell to the parliamentary scene in 2009, leaving a prescient warning in his wake regarding the looming threat of financial mismanagement plunging the nation into the clutches of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which would then impose severe austerity measures. Ultimately, it was the IMF, in tandem with the European Union, that enforced a stringent economic regimen upon a financially crippled Greece in 2010.
Costas Simitis, born on June 23, 1936, was the younger offspring of two politically engaged parents. His father, Georgios, a lawyer by profession, played an instrumental role as a member of the left-leaning resistance “government” during the dark years of the German occupation, while his mother, Fani, was a staunch advocate for feminist causes.
Educationally, Simitis pursued law studies at the University of Marburg in Germany during the 1950s, followed by delving into economics and politics at the esteemed London School of Economics in the early 1960s. Subsequently, he transitioned into an academic role, imparting legal knowledge at the University of Athens. His older brother, Spiros, who passed away in 2023, gained renown as a distinguished legal scholar in Germany, specializing in the realm of data protection.
Costas Simitis is survived by his steadfast partner of six decades, Daphne, along with their two daughters and a cherished granddaughter.
