Costas Simitis: The difficult relationship with Andreas Papandreou, the battle with Akis Chohatzopoulos for leadership and the end of PASOK

His impression in modern history of Greece had been put by the former Prime Minister and former president, who left life at the age of 88 on Sunday morning (5.1.25). Costas Simitis was a lawyer, university, actively participated in the anti-dictatorical struggle, was one of the founding officials of PASOK in September 1974, took up several ministerial positions in the governments of Andreas Papandreou in the 1980s, succeeded the founder of PASOK in the leadership of the party and served as Prime Minister for two terms. CORVERSE Kostas Simitis participated actively in the anti-dictatorical struggle (1967-1974), in 1970 he became a member of the PAK (Panhellenic Liberation Movement) having close cooperation with Andreas Papandreou 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. His relations with Andreas Papandreou literally went through forty waves. On 13 June 1979, by decision of its founder, PASOK announced the resignation of Kostas Simitis from the Executive Office. He was regarded as the party’s propaganda leader and in particular the poster released under the slogan “Not in the Europe of monopolies, yes in the Europe of the peoples” , when the official position of the Movement was the exit of the country from the European Economic Community at the time. The relations of the two men were quickly restored and immediately after PASOK’s election victory, in October 1981, with the formation of the first government, was called upon by Andreas Papandreou to take over: DIVERSE Minister for Agriculture, from 1981 to 1985, where it ensured the successful integration of Greek agriculture into European agricultural policy, as well as the proliferation of aid, Minister for National Economy, from 1985 to 1987, where it implemented the first strict stabilisation programme, with a particularly positive impact on macroeconomic imbalances, Minister for National Education and Religious Affairs during the Ecumenical Government, chaired by Professor Xenophon Zolota (November 1989 – February 1990), Minister for Industry, Energy and Technology and Minister for Trade at the same time, from 1993 to 1995. During this time he set the framework for a long-term policy of development of the Greek economy. Kostas Simitis was elected Member of the First constituency of Piraeus continuously from 1985 to 2007. RES-APA Together with Vaso Papandreou, Theodore Pangalos and Friday Avgerinos, they starred in the episode of the Five in March 1995 in the internal party conflict in PASOK for the succession of Andreas Papandreou. The battle with Akis Chohatzopoulos for the leadership of PASOK On 18 January 1996 Kostas Simitis was elected Prime Minister by the PASOK Parliamentary Group after Andreas Papandreou resigned from office for health reasons. RES-APA Kostas Simitis received 2,732 votes, while Akis Tsochantzopoulos 2,324, 17 delegates voted invalid and 28 white. On 30 June 1996 , at the 4th PASOK Conference a few days after the death of Andreas Papandreou, he became president of the movement and with the victory of the PA. In the parliamentary elections of 22 September 1996 he was declared Prime Minister. As leader of PASOK he also won the next election on April 9, 2000. RES-APA Under Kostas Simitis Greece prepared for the Olympic Games in 2004. As an achievement of his Prime Minister’s mandate, Greece’s accession to the Euro and Cyprus’ accession to the European Union is considered to be an achievement. His critics will always remember “thank you” to the Americans after the Imians crisis in 1996 as well as the “Scandal of the Stock Exchange” in 1999 on the grounds that his statements on strong economy and popular capitalism urged micro depositors to invest their money in shares of the Greek Stock Exchange. On 7 January 2004 he announced his resignation from the PASOK presidency. George Papandreou succeeded him in this position on 8 February 2004. He was Prime Minister until 10 March 2004 . In the elections of that March PASOK passed to the main opposition after his ND Costas Karamanlis won the election. Eurokinissi His relations with George Papandreou, who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Simitis government and succeeded him in the leadership of PASOK in 2004 were disrupted in June 2008 when the party’s then president rejected his predecessor from the party’s parliamentary group through a letter he made public to the press, without initiating the formal deletion process to the Speaker of the House. The different view between Papandreou and Simitis has given rise to a referendum on the ratification of the European Treaty of Lisbon. George Papandreou accused Kostas Simitis that, while in 2005 he had endorsed PASOK’s proposal to hold a referendum on the EU Constitutional Treaty and had argued on it in the House, however, in the case of the Treaty of Lisbon that followed the abandonment of the Constitutional Treaty, he changed his mind. Their relations were quickly restored, however. The last speech and elections in PASOK He was always informed of developments and had an opinion. Kostas Simitis’ last public intervention-deposition, was his greeting at the celebration event in Zappeion for the 50 years since the establishment of PASOK last September, where Nikos Androuliakis had invited all the living presidents of the party. Mr. Simitis had stressed that this is the right time to star again PASOK, offering the vision and plan for the reconstruction of the country in a progressive direction. “Ladies and gentlemen, PASOK fighters. Today 50 years since the establishment of PASOK. I was co-founder of PASOK on September 3, 1974. In this course of 50 years, we faced adversities and challenges, but we managed to lay the foundations for a more democratic Greece, with greater social cohesion and with a strong presence in the European Union,” the former Prime Minister said. “Today more than ever, the progressive world is asking for answers and above all a way out so that it can hope again. PASOK has to star in these developments, offering the vision and plan for the reconstruction of the country in a progressive direction. It’s an opportunity. Opportunities are not infinite. Here and now, then, we move forward, with knowledge, strength and boldness. We will succeed,” Costas Simitis said in his short speech. A month later, he had voted in the PASOK internal party election where he had again sent a message of unity.