Kostas Simitis: “I will try and try with PASOK”

PASOK’s historical officials, former and current ministers, Prime Minister and PtD former Prime Minister Kostas Simitis attended the event.

With a simple but meaningful statement, former Prime Minister and PASOK leader Kostas Simidis addressed an event tonight organized by the Network for Reform and the Reform website at the Greater Hellenistic Foundation.

“I am working with PASOK to contribute to the development of society not only by supporting the free expression of ideas, but also by contributing to their creative contribution,” said Mr. Simitis said.

After thanking the President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Anna Diamantopoulou and other speakers and all who attended the event in his memory, the former prime minister emphasized: “I hope that a just society will be created in this way. The problems of the modern age must be faced. It is not always easy, because there is resistance to change. However, I strongly believe that with effort, the problems will be solved.”

Kostas Simitis underlined how the two key words are: “Plan and moment. You don’t move forward without a plan – without a goal and an implementation plan. You move with the broadest possible approval, but often against the current. For the benefit to be so great, that’s the price to pay.” That is why I believe that, despite the obstacles, we must not hesitate. Our opinion must have courage, the courage to contribute without hesitation to a creative progress”.

“Thank you all. Your attendance tonight was an encouragement to us to try our best,” he concluded to applause.

The “gift” was presented by the President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou, the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the President of PASOK – KIN.ALL. Nikos Androlakis, Ministers, Members of Parliament and former PASOK officials.

Among those present were the former president of PASOK Evangelos Venizelos, Apostolos Kaklamanis, Miltiadis Papaioannou, Kostas Laliotis, Dimitris Reppas, Minister of Health Michalis Chrysochis, Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni, Andreas Loverdos, Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Security Panloos T Panlou, T. GSEE Giorgos Panagopoulos, the newly elected mayor of Athens, Harris Doukas, Gianna Angelopoulou and several representatives of PASOK-KIN.ALL.

Former Prime Ministers Lucas Papademos and Ioannis Sarmas were also present.

His lifelong friends Professors Yiannis Sprazos and Kevin Fairstone, LSE, key figures in academia and many administrators from all over Greece attended.

Former Prime Minister Georges Papandreou was in Strasbourg and was unable to attend and sent a statement via video.

Warm words with video messages for their political and personal friend Kostas Simitis were sent by Bill Clinton, Jacques Delors by Pascal Lamy, Jean-Claude Jugger.

The head of the network, Anna Diamantopoulou, praised the political path of the former prime minister, “a revolutionary during the regime, co-founder and main member and leader of PASOK, a fanatic and creator of the modernization trend”, as she characteristically said. “The battle for modernization is not over, maybe it will fight again for glory,” he added.

Yiannis Stournaras, Governor of the Bank of Greece and a close ally of Kostas Simitis, praised the economic plan implemented during his prime ministership to enter the Euro, Professor Yiannis Voulgaris Simitis era political meaning and Honorary Ambassador A. Agathoklis on the Importance and Mode of Cyprus’ Integration into the European Union and Helsinki.

SYRIZA leader Stefanos Kassalakis did not attend the event. Panagiotis Kouroumplis was anyway.