Costas Simitis, Former Greek PM, Dies At 88"

According to state TV ERT, Costas Simitis, the former Prime Minister of Greece and the architect of the country's adoption of the euro, passed away at 88. Greek media quoted the hospital's director as saying that Costas Simitis was taken to a hospital in the city of Corinth early Sunday morning from his holiday residence west of Athens, unconscious and without a pulse. To determine the cause of death, an autopsy will be conducted. Costas Simitis, a co-founder of the Socialist PASOK party in 1974, succeeded Andreas Papandreou as its founding leader. The two had a contentious relationship that significantly influenced the party's nature. Papandreou was a charismatic, ardent populist, while Costas Simitis was a low-key pragmatist. He was also a fervent pro-European, whereas Papandreou initially opposed Greece's membership in the European Economic Community during the 1970s. However, he s...