Former Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis died on Sunday in the city of Corinth at the age of 88. TASR informs about it on the basis of a report by the AFP agency, which referred to the Greek news website Ertnews. Simitis was known as a politician who he led the movement for the modernization of Greece.
This former prime minister and one of the founding members of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) left a deep mark on the political life of Greece: replaced its founder Andreas Papandre as party leader. Between 1996 and 2004, Simitis served as Prime Minister of Greece.
Privatizations took place in Greece during his tenure as prime minister. It is also characterized by fiscal stability and a moderate foreign policy aimed at modernizing the Greek economy and society. He was known for promoting economic reforms and a great supporter of European integration.
The performance of the Greek economy under Simitis sealed Greece’s entry into the eurozone in 2001, which was another milestone on the path of rapprochement between Greece and the West, which began with Eleftherios Venizelos and continued through the era of Constantine Karamanlis. Simitis was also successful in lobbying for the accession of Cyprus to the EU, which was a diplomatic priority for Greece.
AFP noted that despite his relatively old age, Simitis had no serious health problems.
