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Former Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis dies

2025-01-05 15:05:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Former Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis dies

Former Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, who led the country through the transition to the European Union's euro common currency in 2001, died on Sunday at the age of 88 at his summer home in the Peloponnese.

Mr. Simitis, a law professor and reformist, took over the leadership of the socialist PASOK party in 1996 and was prime minister until 2004.

"With sadness and respect, I say goodbye to Kostas Simitis, a worthy and noble political opponent, but also the prime minister who led Greece through great national developments," said the conservative Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in a statement.

The government declared four days of mourning and announced a state funeral for him.

Mr. Simitis had been praised for reducing excessive government spending, but critics say he did not do enough to fight corruption.

The former prime minister had been at his summer residence near Athens in the Peloponnese for the past few days. He was transferred unconscious to the hospital early in the morning where his death was confirmed, the director of the Corinth hospital told local media.

He left behind his wife and two daughters.

During his administration, Mr. Simitis reduced the budget deficit and public debt enabling Athens to qualify for eurozone membership.

In 2012, three years after the Greek debt crisis erupted, he published a book criticizing the handling of the crisis by Greek and EU politicians. In a book on the subject, he also accused the European Commission of turning a blind eye to excessive spending by his conservative successor./VOA





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