Statement by the Governor of the Bank of Greece
05/01/2025 - Press Releases
The Governor of the Bank of Greece, Mr. Yannis Stournaras, made the following statement:
"I offer my heartfelt condolences to the family of former Prime Minister Costas Simitis on his unexpected loss this morning.
As Prime Minister of Greece from 1996 to 2004, he left a heavy imprint on the modernisation of the country, on the quality of democracy and institutions, on foreign policy and, above all, the economy.
His major achievement was the country's accession to the Economic and Monetary Union, which solved once and for all Greece's problem of monetary and exchange rate stability, which had beset the country from its gaining national independence to its accession to the euro area.
Undoubtedly, Costas Simitis belongs in the league of leaders that laid the foundations for Greece's current position in Europe and the world.”