Honor to a great politician

Eone of the most important living politicians of his generation and one of the co-founders of Andreas Papandreou’s PASOK, was honored yesterday at a large event at the “Hellenic World Cultural Center” attended by the entire PASOK and not only.

The reason is certainly for Costas Simitis, the prime minister who marked his career as the country’s prime minister with the inclusion of Greece in the Economic and Monetary Union, the Olympic Games in Athens, but also large and emblematic projects throughout the country.

The honored person, former Prime Minister Costas Simitis, went up to the podium at the end of the event, from where he thanked the President of the Republic, Ms. Diamantopoulou, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the other speakers and the attendees of the event.

I tried and am trying with PASOK to contribute to the development of society. Not only by supporting the free expression of opinions, but also by contributing to their creative contribution, hoping to shape a fairer society, able to face the problems of the modern era” said Mr. Simitis. “It wasn’t always easy. Because there is usually resistance to change. It is my deep conviction, however, that with effort, with persistence, problems are solved,” he continued.

“There are also two key words, the plan and the moment. You don’t move forward without a plan, without a goal, without an implementation plan. You proceed with the broadest possible consents but often against the current. It takes effort but we have to put in the effort. It is the price that must be paid for the benefit to be much greater,” he said.

“That’s why I believe, despite the obstacles, we should not hesitate, have the courage of our opinion, the courage to contribute, without hesitation, to a creative progress to give happiness to more and more, to all of us” he continued.

Finally, Mr. Simitis thanked those who attended the event, while he noted that out of negligence he forgot to greet the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, for his presence at the beginning of his speech.

It is noted that present at the event were historical figures of PASOK and other personalities of the political sphere, such as Kostas Laliotis, Miltiadis Papaioannou, Kostas Skandalidis and Apostolos Kaklamanis, the Minister of Justice Giorgos Floridis, the Minister of Shipping Christos Stylianidis, the Minister of Health Michalis Chrysochoidis, the Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni, the Under-Minister of Labor and Social Security Panos Tsakloglou, the Governor of the TtE Giannis Stournaras, the Mayor of Thessaloniki Konstantinos Zervas, as well as the newly elected Mayor of the co-capital Stelios Angeloudis, and the newly elected Mayor of Athens Haris Doukas.

At the start of the event, Anna Diamantopoulou spoke about the victory of the modernization movement in 1996 and referred to Costas Simitis as a politician firmly governed by the spirit of genuine patriotism.

As he said, that era was both demonized and beautified, however, as he pointed out, it left behind great national achievements.

The event was attended by the President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, the president of PASOK, Nikos Androulakis, ministers, parliamentarians and other political officials, personalities from the economic and academic Greek scene as well as representatives of the youth. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrived later as he attended earlier the memorial event for Marietta Giannakou.

Also, the secretary of PASOK – KINAL Andreas Spyropoulos as well as MPs of the Movement as well as Gianna Angelopoulou – Daskalaki, the former president of SEV Theodoros Fessas, the former minister Tasos Giannitsis, the former prime minister Loukas Papademos. Also present are the former president of PASOK Evangelos Venizelos, the daughter of Costas Simitis, professor Yiannis Spras and the constitutional expert Nikos Alivizatos.