Former Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis honoured at state funeral

·

Former Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis was laid to rest on Thursday, January 9 at Athens’ First Cemetery, following a funeral service at the Athens Metropolis Cathedral.

The ceremony was conducted with the honours accorded to a sitting prime minister. Simitis was laid to rest next to the co-founder of PASOK Andreas Papandreou.

Simitis’ wife, Daphne, their daughters Fiona and Marilena, and their families placed white roses and received the folded Greek flag that draped his casket.

The funeral procession paused at the Greek Parliament and the Monument of the Unknown Soldier before reaching the cemetery, where an honour guard fired three ceremonial shots.

Prominent attendees included Greece’s President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, current and former PASOK party members, and political figures such as Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who gave a eulogy and called Simitis “a fighter against dictatorship and a noble servant of democracy.”

Relatives and officials attended Costas Simitis' funeral in Athens, Greece. Photo: AP Photo / Petros Giannakouris.
Relatives and officials attended Costas Simitis’ funeral in Athens, Greece. Photo: AP Photo / Petros Giannakouris.

Known as the architect of Greece’s entry into the eurozone, Simitis’ tenure as prime minister (1996–2004) was marked by significant achievements, including securing Cyprus’ EU membership, preparing Athens for the 2004 Olympics, and implementing major infrastructure projects.

In her eulogy, President Sakellaropoulou praised him for “setting the bar high for a strong, equal Greece in Europe.”

Mourners lined the streets to pay their respects, recalling Simitis’ pragmatism and reformative policies.

Born in 1936, Simitis studied law and economics in Germany and the UK before entering politics. He passed away on Sunday at the age of 88, after a life dedicated to modernising Greece and strengthening its ties with Europe.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Review: A Cretan culinary journey with Peter Conistis at Ammos, Brighton-Le-Sands

To mark the first anniversary of Ammos at Brighton-Le-Sands, Sydney, Peter Conistis launched his much-anticipated regional dinner series.

Greek Welfare Centre launches 2025 Winter Community Appeal to support families in need

The Greek Welfare Centre will host its annual Winter Community Appeal on Thursday, 24 July 2025, at Marrickville Town Hall, from 9am to 4pm.

Fronditha Care finalists shine in national aged care awards

Ageing Australia’s 2025 You are ACE! Awards are a national initiative that recognises individuals making a positive impact in aged care.

Australia-Greece medical ties strengthen with push for mutual recognition of degrees

Efforts to enhance Australia-Greece medical cooperation were the focus of a meeting between Dr Pirpiris, Dr Pantos and Prof Arkadopoulos.

Cypriot Australian Koraly Dimitriadis wins US poetry award

Controversial, Cypriot-Australian poet, writer, performer, film and theatre maker, Koraly Dimitradis's first poetry book, Love and Fck Poems.

You May Also Like

Defence minister congratulates frigate captain after unintentionally ramming Turkish ship

Defence Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos on Tuesday congratulated captain of the Greek frigate that accidentally collided with a Turkish ship.

Greece releases video of Turkish coast guard violently pushing refugees

Greece's Migration Minister, Notis Mitarakis, released a video that allegedly shows Turkey’s Coast Guard violently pushing a boat of refugees.

2035: The end of the Greek community of Australia as we know it (Part Two)

In our previous article we referred to the important year 2035, a milestone for the presence and evolution of Hellenism in Australia.