Costas Simitis: From the bombs in Junta and 3 September in modern PASOK and the euro

He was undoubtedly the first technocrat Greece had. In the eight years and the three months that took hold of the country, very little resembles the changes made at all levels of the political and social life of the country. Kostas Simitis who left life on Sunday 5 January 2025, aged 88, left a deep and indelible imprint as Prime Minister of Greece from January 1996 to March 2004. CORVERSE The first technocrat prime minister, in his post-publishing years was known as the bomber against the dictatorship of the colonels. In the years of the PAK he distributed with his car proclamations, until he realized that this resistance action makes no sense, so he started putting improvised bombs, “terrorizing” the junta regime. “We made sure to always put them in a way that did not cause injury. Their manufacturer was Starakis, journalist, correspondent of French newspapers in Greece. He received them from Karagiorga, in his office at the Bank of Greece. The mechanism had to be assembled before use. I originally planted bombs in the neighborhoods. Their explosion was not reported in the newspapers. CORVERSE The desired noise caused a much greater power “bomb” or“bulb”, as the junta called them. George Magakis had given me two. I placed her at the Army Equity Fund at the entrance of the theatre “Orwo”, noon, when the theatre was not operational. The explosion reported to the international media, with the relevant complaints against the junta. I had chosen the spot for journalists who frequented the cafes in the area to hear the noise, which was quite loud. The second “bomb” I wanted to put in the same building, in an isolated entrance to America Street. But he had a faulty mechanism, and I was forced to give up the effort,” Kostas Simitis himself writes in his book “Routes of Life” (Polis editions). Political action in dictatorship and 3 September Kostas Simitis took the lead in 1965 in the establishment of the Political Research Group “Alexandros Papanastasiou”. The “Papanastasiou Group”, aimed at systematically studying the major problems of the Greek economy and society and taking initiatives to address them. In 1967, the group evolved into the anti-dictatorical organization “Democratic Defence”. He participated actively in the anti-dictatorical struggle (1967 – 1974). In 1969 he fled abroad. He was sentenced in absentia to imprisonment. In retaliation his wife was arrested and held for two months in solitary confinement. In 1970 in Germany he became a member of the PASOK (Panhellenic Liberation Movement) and in 1974 a founding member of PASOK, contributing decisively to the formulation of the “Declaration of 3 September”. He participated in the first Executive Office and the first Central Committee of PASOK. In the government of Andreas Papandreou in 1981 Immediately after the election victory of PASOK, in October 1981, the Ministry of Agriculture took over in the first government of Andreas Papandreou. He was Minister of Agriculture until 1985. It ensured the successful integration of Greek agriculture into the Community’s common agricultural policy and the proliferation of Community aid. In 1985 he took over the Ministry of National Economy, where he remained until November 1987 implementing the first stabilisation programme resulting in the drastic reduction of macroeconomic imbalances. In November 1987 he disagreed with the relaxation of economic recovery measures and resigned. He was for a short time Minister of National Education and Religion during the Ecumenical Government, Professor Xenophon Zolota (November 1989 – February 1990). From 1993 to 1995 he was Minister of Industry, Energy, Research and Technology as well as Minister of Commerce at the same time. During this period he set the framework for a long-term policy of development of the Greek economy. On 18 January 1996 Andreas Papandreou succeeded to the Prime Minister after a vote by the PASOK Parliamentary Group, representing the “modernist” power pole with the main aim of economic reform of the Greek economy and the social convergence of Greek society with “strong” Europe. On 30 June 1996, a few days after the death of Andreas Papandreou, Kostas Simitis was elected president of PASOK at the 4th Congress of the party, overseeing Akis Tsozopoulos. Kostas Simitis took over the leadership of PASOK in 1996, following Andreas Papandreou’s resignation due to serious health problems. The process for the emergence of the new party leader evolved into a heavily charged climate, with the legacy of the founder being a central point of reference. The beginning took place on January 17, 1996, when after 57 days of hospitalization in “Onisio”, the founder and president of PASOK and acting Prime Minister, Andreas Papandreou, signed his resignation, leading to the holding of an internal party election for his succession to both the Prime Minister and the party’s leadership. Thus, after his resignation, the PASOK Parliamentary Group was invited to elect Prime Minister, with Costas Simitis receiving 57 votes in the MPs’ first vote, Akis Tsochajopoulos 53, Gerasimos Arsenis 50 and Ioannis Charalabopoulos 11. In the second round, despite Akis Tsohatzopoulos being considered a favourite for his election, the rise of the modernist trend and its supporters within the party overturned the predictions. Costas Simitis won 86 against 75 votes by Akis Tsohatzopoulos and on 22 January 1996 he was sworn in as Prime Minister, naturally taking a lead in the leadership of the party in the face of the 4th Congress. Four months later, on June 23, 1996, Andreas Papandreou left life at the age of 77. The first PASOK Conference without the founder of the following, was held the party’s first conference without the presence of its founder and in which Costas Simitis and Akis Tsohatzopoulos once again fought for the leadership of the party. Costas Simitis had the upper hand, since he was already Prime Minister of the country, while Akis Tsouhatzopoulos on his part supported the model of division, asking for an incompatibility between the prime minister’s offices and the party’s president. The conference was characterized by the intense contentions of the two opponents and their supporters, with Costas Simitis, even threatening that if he is not elected president he will resign as Prime Minister and political analysts of the time leave open and the possibility of a split after the internal party election. Finally, the participants gave their vote to Kostas Simitis, who became Andreas Papandreou’s successor. In particular, of the 5.11 participants in the vote, 2.732 voted for Kostas Simitis, 2,234 Akis Tsohatzopoulos, while there were 27 invalid and 28 white. The Crisis in Imia (1996) This is the most difficult moment of the Prime Minister of Costas Simitis. After two critical days of Greek-Turkish relations and after his conversation with then US president, Bill Clinton, the Prime Minister on Wednesday 31 December 1996 informed the House and thanked the Americans for their contribution, causing a storm of reactions even by a piece of PASOK. Preparation of Olympic Games (1996 – 2004) The Olympic Games were commissioned in Greece in September 1997, eighteen months after Costas Simitis took over as Prime Minister of the country. The size of the project was very large in relation to organizational skills, know-how, the effectiveness of administrative mechanisms and the level of social consciousness. The Olympic Games took place with great success, as internationally recognized, at a particularly low cost, as evidenced by research by the University of Oxford (2016). Integration of Greece into EMU (2001) With Greece joining EMU on 1 January 2001, the country’s participation in the European Union was completed. Greece, on the second Prime Minister of Simitis, gained monetary stability, strong currency and a stable macroeconomic reference framework. The introduction to the euro took place on 1 January 2002 and was the culmination of EMU integration. As noted on the official website of Costas Simitis, with the accession to the Euro, the Greek economy achieved, on the one hand, the consolidation of fiscal sizes and, on the other hand, (for the first time after many decades) better performance from several other European countries – in growth rate, inflation reduction, investment level, improvement of the social state. (TATIANA BOLARY/EUROKINISSI) Cyprus’ accession to the European Union (2004) The accession of Cyprus to the EU with the signing of the Act of Accession to the Attalos Lodge on 16/4/2003 there was a top moment of PASOK’s national strategy under Kostas Simitis. As stated on his official page, what seemed impossible, for many years strong objections and doubts, came true. It is even stressed that Athens achieved peace, something Ankara threatened with “reactions without limits”. Attiki Metro (2000) The largest European capitals had a subway already for about a century. The Athens Metro was not only a matter of image and impressions for the country, but also a matter of quality of life for hundreds of thousands of people. It was put into operation in 2000 with 18 km lines and 19 stations. At the start of its operation it had 400,000 passengers daily. The network expanded into the years that followed. Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos” (2001) The new international airport “Eleftherios Venizelos” was completed and operated in Spata. During the IATA organization, “Eleftherios Venizelos” “is the best international airport of this size” (capacity up to 15 million passengers per year). (MUSIADIS GIANNIS / EUROKINISSI) Egnatia Street (2001) With the construction of the Egnatia motorway, 519 km long, the connection of Igoumenitsa to the Gardens was achieved (at the Greek-Turkish border). Also, thanks to the improvement of the existing road network in the areas of Nestos, Grevenes and Metsovo, the north east was connected to northern western Greece, serving very effectively the areas of Thrace, Macedonia and Epirus. (BOLARY TATIANA / EUROKINISSI) Attiki Street (2001) In Athens, the Attiki Street and the western Regional Avenue of Ymettos – infrastructure with huge importance for improving the traffic problem of the capital, reducing air pollution, saving millions of “lost” hours in the daily life of the residents of Lecanopeion and millions of litres of fuel per year were built. (Bonis//EUROKINISSI) Rio Bridge – Antirion (2004) The bridge for the Riou-Antirio coupling was a technological and aesthetic achievement. The project – for the data of Greek reality – was of unprecedented size, was carried out without cost overruns and was delivered earlier than the prescribed time. Kostas Simitis’ eight-year term was linked to the country’s modernization period, as he was named, with Greece’s accession to EMU, the major projects for the preparation of the Olympic Games and Cyprus’ accession to the European Union. As Prime Minister he promoted a moderate foreign policy at the same time as the gradual privatisation of the large Greek public sector, aiming at economic stability according to European Union policies. As noted on the official website of the former Prime Minister, “as Prime Minister, he sought the modernization of Greek society, especially for the stabilisation and development of the Greek economy as well as the strengthening of Greece’s position in Europe and in its international context.” As has become known, the funeral of Kostas Simitis will take place on Thursday, January 9th at 12:00, in the Metropolis of Athens. By decision of the Government the funeral will become a public expense, honors will be awarded in the acting prime minister and a four-day national mourning will be declared. It is recalled that Kostas Simitis was served at 07:31 on the morning of January 5 without his senses at the Corinth hospital and his death was found at 8:10 a.m., after unsuccessful recovery efforts.