Kostas Simitis is dead. Four days of national mourning in Greece

The deceased also served as chairman of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK). The current Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, described the deceased in a statement as a “worthy and noble political opponent” who “accompanied Greece in its great national steps.” He highlighted Simitis's contribution to “joining the euro zone, introducing the European currency in Greece and Cyprus's entry into Europe.” He also assessed that Simitis was “a personality who undoubtedly left his mark on the development of the country over the last decades.”

When describing Simitis's achievements, news agencies mention his role in reforming the economy and strengthening ties with the European Union. During Simitis's government, inflation in Greece dropped from nearly 9 percent. in 1995 to 2.1 percent in 1999, the Greek budget deficit also decreased, AFP emphasized. “Kostas Simitis was one of the most important figures after the fall of the military junta (which ruled Greece from 1967 to 1974 – ed.), leaving behind a great political legacy and making a strong Greece a reality in Europe,” the current leader said in a statement PASOK-KINAL Nikos Andrulakis.