Former Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis has passed away.

Obituary

Former Greek Prime Minister (PM) Costas Simitis, a law professor and reformist, passed away at the age of 88 in Corinth, Greece. He was born on June 23, 1936, in Piraeus, Greece.


      - He served as Prime Minister of Greece for eight years, from 1996 to 2004.

      - He is credited as the key figure behind Greece’s adoption of the euro as its currency.

      - Costas Simitis was a well-known Greek politician and academic. He was also a founding member of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) party.

Main Point :-   (i) In 1996, he became the President of PASOK at the party's 4th Congress, following the death of former PM Andreas Papandreou.

      (ii) He led PASOK from 1996 to 2004 and served as Greece’s Prime Minister during the same period.

(iii) During his tenure, he reduced public debt and budget deficit and played a crucial role in Greece joining the eurozone in 2001.

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