Editing Costas Simitis

{{Short description|Prime Minister of Greece from 1996 to 2004}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{refimprove|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Costas Simitis
| native_name         = {{nobold|{{Lang|el|Κώστας Σημίτης}}}}
| image               = Costas Simitis 2003.jpg
| caption             = Simitis in 2003
| office              = [[Prime Minister of Greece]]
| president           = [[Konstantinos Stephanopoulos|Kostis Stephanopoulos]]
| term_start          = 22 January 1996
| term_end            = 10 March 2004
| predecessor         = [[Andreas Papandreou]]
| successor           = [[Kostas Karamanlis]]
| office1             = President of the [[Panhellenic Socialist Movement]]
| term_start1         = 30 June 1996
| term_end1           = 8 February 2004
| predecessor1        = [[Andreas Papandreou]]
| successor1          = [[George Papandreou]]

{{Collapsed infobox section begin|last=yes|Ministerial offices
|titlestyle = border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes
 
|office2        = [[Ministry for Trade (Greece)|Minister of Industry, Energy, Research and Technology]]
|primeminister2 = [[Andreas Papandreou]]
|term_start2    = 13 October 1993
|term_end2      = 15 September 1995
|predecessor2   = [[Vasileios Kontogiannopoulos]]
|successor2     = [[Anastasios Peponis]]

|office3        = [[Ministry of Development (Greece)|Minister of Trade]]
|primeminister3 = [[Andreas Papandreou]]
|term_start3    = 13 October 1993
|term_end3      = 15 September 1995
|predecessor3   = [[Vasileios Kontogiannopoulos]]
|successor3     = [[Nikolaos Akritidis]]

|office4        = [[Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs|Minister of National Education and Religious Affairs]]
|primeminister4 = [[Xenophon Zolotas]]
|term_start4    = 23 November 1989
|term_end4      = 13 February 1990
|predecessor4   = [[Konstantinos Despotopoulos]]
|successor4     = [[Konstantinos Despotopoulos]]

|office5        = [[Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism (Greece)|Minister of National Economy]]
|primeminister5 = [[Andreas Papandreou]]
|term_start5    = 26 July 1985
|term_end5      = 27 November 1987
|predecessor5   = [[Gerasimos Arsenis]]
|successor5     = [[Panagiotis Roumeliotis]]

|office6        = [[Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food (Greece)|Minister of Agriculture]]
|primeminister6 = [[Andreas Papandreou]]
|term_start6    = 21 October 1981
|term_end6      = 26 July 1985
|predecessor6   = [[Athanasios Kanellopoulos]]
|successor6     = Ioannis Pottakis

{{collapsed infobox section end}}
}}
| office7             = Member of the [[Hellenic Parliament]]
| constituency7       = [[Piraeus A]]
| term_start7         = 2 June 1985
| term_end7           = 7 September 2009
| birth_date          = {{birth date|1936|06|23|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Piraeus]], [[Kingdom of Greece|Greece]]
| death_date          = {{death date and age|2025|01|05|1936|06|23|df=y}}
| death_place         = [[Corinth]], Greece
| party               = [[Panhellenic Socialist Movement]]
| otherparty          = [[PASOK – Movement for Change]]
| spouse              = {{marriage|Daphne Arkadiou|1964}}
| children            = Fiona<br />Marilena
| resting_place = [[First Cemetery of Athens]]
| alma_mater          = [[University of Marburg]]<br />[[London School of Economics]]
| website             = {{url|costas-simitis.gr|Official website}}
| relations           = [[Spiros Simitis]] (brother)
}}

'''Konstantinos G. Simitis''' ({{langx|el|Κωνσταντίνος Γ. Σημίτης}}; 23 June 1936 – 5 January 2025) was a Greek politician who led the 'Modernization' movement of Greece {{citation needed|date=January 2025}}. He succeeded in leadership [[Andreas Papandreou]], the founder of the [[Panhellenic Socialist Movement]] (PASOK), and served as [[Prime Minister of Greece]] from 1996 to 2004.

Simitis was a founding member of PASOK, and he gained significant ministerial experience in Papandreou's governments. Simitis' reputation was marked when he became [[Ministry of National Economy and Finance (Greece)|Minister of National Economy]] in 1985 when PASOK's profligacy needed a new financial '[[Andreas_Papandreou#Failed_stabilization_of_the_economy|stability]]' imposed through an economic adjustment programme. With stability achieved and the party's popularity waning, Papandreou distanced himself from Simitis' policies, and Simitis resigned. 

In 1996, Simitis won the leadership of PASOK after Papandreou's failing health. However, the leadership transition from Papandreou to Simitis was confrontational by loyalists of the former Prime Minister, who wanted to prevent such a transition from being realized. Simitis lacked his predecessor's charisma, and the fractured party's support limited many of his actions in government. However, by the end of his tenure in 2004, Simitis had several significant achievements and reforms in the wider society and economy to proclaim. After two decades of the exuberant rhetoric of Simitis’ predecessors and financial stagnation,<ref>{{cite news|title = Simitis victory allows him to chart his own course| url=https://www.politico.eu/article/simitis-victory-allows-him-to-chart-his-own-course/}}</ref> the [[Economy of Greece|Greek economy]] was put in order and became one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe,<ref>{{cite book| last = Gallant |first = Thomas W. |title= Modern Greece From the War of Independence to the Present | publisher = Bloomsbury Publishing |date=2016| pages = 306 |isbn =9781472567581 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ubfMDAAAQBAJ }}</ref> with an average annual increase of 4.1% of [[gross domestic product]] (GDP). The performance of the Greek economy under Simitis sealed the Greek entry into the [[Euro]] currency, closing the journey of aligning Greece with the West, which started with [[Eleftherios Venizelos]] and continued with [[Constantine Karamanlis]]. Simitis also succeeded in the [[Cyprus in the European Union|Cypriot accession into the EU]], a diplomatic priority for Greece. The successful completion of the Athens [[2004 Summer Olympics]] also boosted Greece's positive image as a modern state capable of undertaking sophisticated tasks. Moreover, a variety of large-scale infrastructure projects were completed, like the new [[Eleftherios Venizelos airport]], the [[Attiki Odos|Athens Ring road]], [[Athens Metro]], and [[Rio–Antirrio Bridge]]. New institutions were also introduced, such as the Greek [[Ombudsman]] and several regulatory bodies to supervise market liberalization.<ref name="Featherstone_p139">{{Cite book |last1=Featherstone |first1=Kevin |last2=Papadimitriou| first2= Dimitris|title=Prime Ministers in Greece, The Paradox of Power |date=2015 |publisher=Oxford University Press|pages=139–140 |language=en|url =https://www.google.com/books/edition/Prime_Ministers_in_Greece/ghOCCQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0}}</ref>

After the [[Greek government-debt crisis|debt crisis erupted in Greece in 2009]], the legacy of Simitis was re-interpreted by critics as insufficient or misleading. However, government institutions under Simitis were developed and strengthened in their capacity to reform, appearing both more 'modern' and 'European.'<ref name="Featherstone_p139"/>

== Biography ==
Costas Simitis was born in [[Piraeus]] to Georgios Simitis, a Professor at the [[Athens University of Economics and Business|School of Economic and Commercial Sciences]] who later became a member of the [[National Liberation Front (Greece)|National Liberation Front]] government in World War II, and to his wife Fani (née Christopoulou). He studied law at the [[University of Marburg]] in Germany and economics at the [[London School of Economics]]. He was married to Daphne Arkadiou (b. 1938) and had two daughters, Fiona and Marilena.  He resided in the [[Kolonaki]] district of Athens. His brother [[Spiros Simitis]] was a prominent [[jurist]] specializing in [[data privacy]] in Germany.<ref name="ap"/>

=== Political activity before 1981 ===
In 1965, he returned to Greece and was one of the founders of the "[[Alexandros Papanastasiou]]" political research group. In 1967, after the [[Greek junta|military coup on 21 April]], this group was transformed into [[Democratic Defense]], an organization opposed to the [[Regime of the Colonels|military regime]]. Simitis fled abroad after planting bombs in the streets of Athens (in later years, he acknowledged his activities on the Greek MEGA TV channel) in order to avoid being jailed and became a member of the [[Panhellenic Liberation Movement]] (PAK), led by [[Andreas Papandreou]]. He also took up a position as a university lecturer in Germany. He returned to Athens in 1974 and was one of the co-founders of PAK's successor, the [[Panhellenic Socialist Movement]] (PASOK). In 1977, he took up a lecturer's post at the [[Panteion University]].

=== Ministerial offices ===
Simitis was not a candidate for the Greek Parliament in the [[1981 Greek legislative election|1981 elections]], but he was appointed Minister of Agriculture in the first PASOK government of that year. Following the [[1985 Greek legislative election|1985 elections]] and his election as a deputy to the Parliament, he became Minister of National Economy; he undertook an unpopular stabilization program, trying to curb inflation and reduce deficits, but resigned his post in 1987 because he felt that his policies were being undermined.<ref name="ap"/> In 1993, he took over the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, but in 1995, he again resigned from the ministry and the party's Executive Bureau following a public rebuke he received from Prime Minister [[Andreas Papandreou]].

=== Rise to the offices of Prime Minister and President of PASOK ===
On 16 January 1996, Papandreou resigned as Prime Minister due to ill health. In a special election held by the party's parliamentary group on 18 January, Simitis was elected in his place over the candidacies of [[Akis Tsochatzopoulos]], [[Gerasimos Arsenis]] and [[Ioannis Charalambopoulos]]. Papandreou, however, remained Chairman of the party for the next months until his death on 23 June (also Simitis' 60th birthday), just before a party conference would select the party's vice-president; after Papandreou's death, the conference would elect the new Party President. Simitis was elected in PASOK's Fourth Congress on 30 June, defeating Akis Tsochatzopoulos on a platform of support for the [[European Union]].

Simitis then led the party in the [[1996 Greek legislative election|national elections]] of 22 September 1996, gaining a mandate in his own right. He also narrowly won the [[2000 Greek legislative election|national election of 2000]]. He worked very closely and had a good relationship with his [[Cabinet Secretary]] of eight years, [[Sokratis Kosmidis]]. Although he is widely respected throughout Europe,{{citation needed|date=December 2020}} in Greece, Simitis was regarded by some Greeks as a rather dull technocrat, lacking the charisma of Papandreou.

On 7 January 2004, with PASOK's popularity collapsing, Simitis announced that he would resign as party president and would not stand for re-election as Prime Minister in the [[2004 Greek legislative election|forthcoming legislative elections]]. At the time, he was accused of bowing out to avoid humiliation at the polls. However, by the end of his tenure on 10 March, he would be in office for over eight consecutive years, the longest continuous term in modern Greek history. In a past interview, Simitis had already stated that he would remain prime minister for only two legislative periods since "he wanted to do other things in his life as well." On 8 January, he called elections for the party president to be held on 8 February. Simitis was succeeded as PASOK leader by the then-Minister of Foreign Affairs [[George Andreas Papandreou|George Papandreou]], the only candidate in these elections. Despite Papandreou's personal popularity, PASOK lost the [[2004 Greek legislative election|7 March elections]] to the conservative [[New Democracy (Greece)|New Democracy]] party, whose leader [[Kostas Karamanlis]] succeeded Simitis in the office of Prime Minister.

=== Political activity after 2004 ===
After the 2004 electoral defeat, Simitis remained a Member of the Hellenic Parliament for Piraeus, sitting on the Standing Committee on National Defence and Foreign Affairs. Re-elected in [[2007 Greek legislative election|September 2007]], he entered into a conflict with his successor as PASOK leader, George Papandreou, on the political choices of the party. In June 2008, he was excluded from the PASOK parliamentary group after opposing Papandreou's position in favour of a referendum on the [[Treaty of Lisbon]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.xpatathens.com/foreign_affairs/simitis-ousted-from-parliamentary-group/|title=Simitis Ousted from Parliamentary Group|newspaper=XPAT Athens|location=Athens|date=13 June 2008|access-date=23 January 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201184632/http://www.xpatathens.com/foreign_affairs/simitis-ousted-from-parliamentary-group/|archive-date=1 February 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hri.org/news/greek/apeen/2008/08-06-12_3.apeen.html|title=Simitis out of Par'l group|newspaper=[[Athens News Agency]]|location=Athens|date=12 June 2008|access-date=23 January 2014}}</ref> which he had helped to draft as member of the [[Amato Group]]. Though never formally excluded from the party, he kept his distance with the leadership and could not come to terms with Papandreou in time to be a candidate for the [[2007 Greek legislative election|2009 elections]], upon which he definitively left his MP seat for Piraeus. Before his departure, he warned of financial mismanagement that would lead to a [[Greek government-debt crisis|harsh austerity regime]] in Greece imposed by the [[International Monetary Fund]], which eventually came the following year.<ref name="ap"/>

=== Death===
Simitis was found unconscious at his holiday home in [[Corinth]], Greece on 5 January 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-05 |title=Κώστας Σημίτης: Πέθανε ο πρώην πρωθυπουργός σε ηλικία 88 ετών |url=https://www.protothema.gr/politics/article/1583875/kostas-simitis-pethane-o-proin-prothupourgos-se-ilikia-88-eton/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=ProtoThema |language=el}}</ref> He was taken to a hospital, where he died hours later, aged 88.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/05/obituaries/costas-simitis-dead.html|title=Costas Simitis, 2-Time Prime Minister of Greece, Dies at 88|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=5 January 2025|accessdate=5 January 2025}}</ref> The government declared four days of official mourning and accorded Simitis a [[state funeral]],<ref name="ap">{{Cite web |date=2025-01-05 |title=Costas Simitis, former Greek prime minister and socialist leader, dies at 88 |url=https://apnews.com/article/costas-simitis-obituary-pasok-politics-251a320f1144227517f40b8b08a70e7a |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=AP News |language=en-US}}</ref> which was held at the [[Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens]] on 9 January. He was then buried at the [[First Cemetery of Athens]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-09 |title=Greeks pay tribute to former Prime Minister Costas Simitis at his state funeral |url=https://apnews.com/article/greece-costas-simitis-funeral-b3fe8d9cc3a8cab84cfef744f3a6224a |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=AP News |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Policies and legacy ==

=== Social policies ===

Various social reforms were carried out under Simitis.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20040622041346/http://www.pasok.gr/portal/gr/47/8819/5/7/1/showdoc.html WHAT WE ACHIEVED]</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20010116094800/http://www.pasok.gr/gr/proedros/280498.html Speech in Parliament on Social Policy Athens, 28 April 1998]</ref> EKAS, an income-tested [[pension]] supplement that restored the link of minimum pension with 20 daily minimum wages, was introduced, while the pension replacement rate was set as 70% of the last five years of salaries. Seniority pensions were also introduced, along with a contributory pension scheme for farmers.<ref>Ideologues, Partisans and Loyalists Ministers and Policymaking in Parliamentary Cabinets by Despina Alexiadou, P.233</ref> 
Law 2738/1999 on "[[collective bargaining]] in the public administration, permanent status for workers employed under open-ended contracts and other provisions" laid down, for the first time, "the right of public servants to negotiate their terms and conditions of employment, excluding pay and pensions, and to conclude collective agreements."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/en/resources/article/1999/1999-annual-review-greece|title=1999 Annual Review for Greece &#124; European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions|website=www.eurofound.europa.eu}}</ref> Law 2874/2000 on 'Employment regulations and other provisions,' in addition to working time arrangements, " regulates a range of important issues relating to [[Labor relations|labour relations]], such as [[overtime]], redundancies and matters involving leave," while Law 2839/2000 on 'Regulation of matters regarding the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Public Administration and Decentralisation and other provisions' established a gender quota system in the public sector's various governing councils, administrative boards and collective bodies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/en/resources/article/2000/2000-annual-review-greece|title=2000 Annual Review for Greece &#124; European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions|website=www.eurofound.europa.eu}}</ref> In 2003, a substantial level of legislative activity relating to [[employment]], [[Occupational safety and health|workplace health and safety]] and [[social security]] took place.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/en/resources/article/2003/2002-annual-review-greece|title=2002 Annual Review for Greece &#124; European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions|website=www.eurofound.europa.eu}}</ref>

=== Financial policies ===
Simitis is known mainly in Greece for his political philosophy, known as ''Eksynchronismos'' ("Modernization"), which focused on extensive [[public investment]] and [[Public works|infrastructure works]] as well as economic and labor reforms. His supporters credit Simitis with overcoming the chronic problems of the Greek economy and thus achieving Greece's admittance into the [[Eurozone]]. During his governance, official data presented inflation as having decreased from 15% to 3%, public deficits diminished from 14% to 3%, GDP increased at an annual average of 4%, and factual labor incomes increased at 3% per year. However, the macroeconomic data presented by Simitis' government were called into question by an audit performed by the successor government of New Democracy in 2004.

Many large-scale infrastructure projects were carried out or begun during the so-called 'era of Eksychronismos', such as the new [[Athens International Airport|"Eleftherios Venizelos" Athens International Airport]], the [[Rio-Antirio bridge]], the [[Athens Metro]] and the [[A2 motorway (Greece)|A2 motorway]] (Egnatia Odos).

=== Internal issues ===
[[File:PASOK MPs in the Greek parliament during 2009 budget discussion.jpg|thumb|Costas Simitis in the [[Hellenic Parliament]] during budget discussions in 2009]]

In 2000, Simitis was embroiled in a dispute with the Archbishop of the influential [[Greek Orthodox Church]], [[Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens|Christodoulos of Athens]], when the Greek government sought to remove the "Religion" field from the national ID cards carried by Greek citizens on the grounds that the Hellenic Data Protection Authority recommended so; its decision also included the "Nationality" field, but was not implemented following a subsequent EE directive to the contrary. Christodoulos opposed the decision, claiming that the action pursued deviously the religious de-identification of the Greek nation. Faced with the government's robust but unpopular stance, he organized two massive demonstrations in [[Athens]] and [[Thessaloniki]] alongside a majority of bishops of the Church of Greece. Simitis's attitude gained faint-hearted support even within his party, but he found a surprisingly militant ally in the ''Eksychronismos'' opinion makers. Kostas Karamanlis, the opposition leader, signed a petition, organized by the [[Church of Greece]], calling for a referendum on the matter and signed, too, by more than three million citizens. However, the inclusion of religious beliefs on ID cards, even on a voluntary basis, as the Church had asked, was deemed unconstitutional by the Greek courts.

=== Foreign policy ===
{{Expand section|date=June 2008}}
[[File:President Bill Clinton and Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis.jpg|thumb|Costas Simitis with President [[Bill Clinton]]]]

While PASOK traditionalists disliked his move away from the more traditional/orthodox norms of the [[Democratic socialism]] of [[Andreas Papandreou]]' policies, and also his relative moderation on issues such as the [[Cyprus dispute]] and the [[Macedonia naming dispute]], his supporters saw both of these as positive elements of the "''eksynchronismos"'' movement that Simitis was seen as spearheading.

During January–June 2003, Simitis, as Greek Prime Minister, exercised the [[presidency of the European Council]].

===Controversy and criticism===
In 1996, the appointment of the PASOK-leaning ''[[To Vima]]'' newspaper editor, Stavros Psycharis, as political administrator of [[Mount Athos]] was particularly criticized by the opposition.<ref>Eleftherotypia, [http://archive.enet.gr/1996/11/19/on-line/keimena/politiko/pol6.htm Psycho, To tris examartein] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929105212/http://archive.enet.gr/1996/11/19/on-line/keimena/politiko/pol6.htm |date=29 September 2007 }}, 19 November 1996</ref>

====Siemens bribery scandal====
{{See also |Corruption in Greece}}
A significant issue during Simitis' tenure concerned [[corruption]], which became endemic in Greek public life (including the [[Siemens Greek bribery scandal]], incidents like [[Akis Tsochatzopoulos]], who later was imprisoned for criminal actions for the purchase of the German type 214 submarines) etc.

Siemens CEO Michalis Christoforakos testified that during his trial in Germany, he bribed (2%) both the two major political parties, ND and PASOK (through Geitonas and Tsoukatos, partner of Kostas Simitis). According to Tsoukatos, the money was put in PASOK's cash desk.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.kathimerini.gr/1009936/article/epikairothta/politikh/siemens-fortismenh-apologia-tsoykatoy|title=Siemens: φορτισμένη απολογία Τσουκάτου{{!}} Kathimerini|website=www.kathimerini.gr|date=14 February 2019 |access-date=2019-02-18}}</ref> As of 2018, Simitis was under prosecutor investigation regarding the Siemens Greek bribery scandal, but was later exonerated.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kathimerini.gr/politics/995061/anoigoyn-toys-logariasmoys-simiti/|title=Ανοίγουν τους λογαριασμούς Σημίτη &#124; Η ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ|first=Ιωάννα|last=Μάνδρου|date=14 November 2018 }}</ref>

==== Validity of statistical data====
[[File:Konstantinos Simitis 2012-01-23.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Simitis in 2012]]
New Democracy revised the size of the [[Defense spending|defense expenditures]] for the years 1997-2003 by changing the regulation for the [[cost accounting]] of the [[Defense spending|defense expenditures]] from the date of delivery of war material (delivery basis), which was at the time followed by half the countries of the EU, to the payment date of the advance payments (cash basis). Eurostat accepted the change, because of the lack of reliable data for the deliveries of war material.<ref>[http://tovima.dolnet.gr/printarticle.php?e=baf=1471am=D02&aa=1 To Vima] 12 March 2006 {{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> By the revision of the 1999 defense expenditures, the deficit of 1999, the year of the Greek economy's evaluation, amounted to 3.1%. Since 2005, Eurostat changed its rules and records the defense expenditures according to the delivery date for all the countries of the EU, including Greece. Eurostat requested that the member countries to correct their data retroactively. Greece did not proceed to the rectification.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}

The deficit of 1999, year of the Greek economy's evaluation, is still presented to be 3.1% of the Gross National product (GNP), greater than the Maastricht criterion for a deficit lower than 3% of the GNP. Subsequent revisions of the data show also other countries exceeding the fiscal deficit (government deficit) of 3% during the evaluation period. Thus, in 1997, which is the year of the evaluation of the first countries that became members of the Euro zone, the deficit of France was 3.3%, of Spain 3.4% and of Portugal 3.4%.<ref>[http://ec.europa.eu/economy-finance/emu-history/documents/pdf/5pd EMU History] europa.eu {{dead link|date=May 2024|bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/european_economy/2012/pdf/2012-11-07-stat-annex_en.pdf | title=Statistical Annex of European Economy - Autumn 2012| date=12 October 2012 | publisher=European Commission | access-date=2014-03-21 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171221011313/https://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/european_economy/2012/pdf/2012-11-07-stat-annex_en.pdf |archive-date=21 December 2017 }}</ref>

====Other====
Other points of criticism included the [[1999 Greek stock market crash]] in the [[Athens Exchange]], such as his handling on the [[Abdullah Öcalan]]'s capture and the [[Imia/Kardak|Imia incident]] regarding the foreign relations with Turkey.

Simitis rejected New Democracy's bills for accountability and transparency with regards to governmental expenditure and decisions,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/greek/news/031125_vouli.shtml|title="Όχι" στην πρόταση της ΝΔ για τη διαφάνεια &#124; BBC Greek|website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> while New Democracy leader [[Kostas Karamanlis]] accused Simitis during a parliamentary plenum of being an "archpriest of [[cronyism]]", referencing the index of the NGO [[Transparency International]]. However, Greece's position has fallen by five places{{Citation needed|date=March 2008}} in the same index during the New Democracy government (2004-2009). Four years later Karamanlis himself admitted that he exaggerated and that he never doubted Simitis' personal integrity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.kathimerini.gr/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100070_02/09/2007_239755|title=kathimerini.gr &#124; Αποφασισμένος για μεταρρυθμίσεις (II)|date=28 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928092250/http://news.kathimerini.gr/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100070_02/09/2007_239755|archive-date=28 September 2011}}</ref>

== Bibliography ==

Simitis has authored several books and articles on legal and economic issues and politics.

{{refbegin}}
;Books 
<!-- commenting them out till found 
* "Development and modernisation of the Greek Society", Athens 1989, Gnosi Publications
* "Propositions for another politics", Athens 1992, Gnosi Publications -->
* {{cite book <!-- Citation bot bypass--> | last = Simitis | first = Costas | title = Η δομική αντιπολίτευση | trans-title = Structural Opposition | location = Athens | year = 1979 | language = el | publisher = Καστανιώτης | isbn = 9780000300751 | url = https://www.protoporia.gr/simitis-kostas-i-domiki-antipoliteusi-105714.html | ref = none }}
* {{cite book <!-- Citation bot bypass--> | last = Simitis | first = Costas | author-mask = 6 | title = Πολιτική Κυβέρνηση Δίκαιο | trans-title = Politics, Government and Law | language = el | location = Athens | publisher = Καστανιώτης | year = 1981 | isbn = 9780000302687 | url = https://www.protoporia.gr/simitis-kostas-politiki-kuvernisi-dikaio-214627.html | ref = none }}
* {{cite book <!-- Citation bot bypass--> | last = Simitis | first = Costas | author-mask = 6 | title = Θέσεις για την πολιτική στρατηγική του Πανελλήνιου Σοσιαλιστικού Κινήματος | trans-title = Views on the politic strategy of PASOK | location = Athens | publisher = Γνώση | year = 1990 | language = el | isbn = 9780002350181 | url = https://www.protoporia.gr/simitis-kostas-theseis-gia-tin-politiki-stratigiki-tou-panelliniou-sosialistikou-kinimatos-32841.html | ref = none }}
* {{cite book <!-- Citation bot bypass--> | last = Simitis | first = Costas | author-mask = 6 | title = Εθνικιστικός λαϊκισμός ή εθνική στρατηγική | trans-title = Nationalist Populism or national strategy | location = Athens | year = 1992 | publisher = Gnosi Publications | language = el | isbn = 9789602355299 | url = https://www.protoporia.gr/simitis-kostas-ethnikistikos-laikismos-i-ethniki-stratigiki-33029.html | ref = none }}
* {{cite book <!-- Citation bot bypass--> | last = Simitis | first = Costas | author-mask = 6 | title = Ενωμένοι να τολμήσουμε | trans-title = Let's dare united | language = el | publisher = Γνώση | location = Athens | year = 1994 | isbn = 9780002350501 | url = https://www.protoporia.gr/simitis-kostas-enomenoi-na-tolmisoume-112770.html | ref = none }}
* {{cite book <!-- Citation bot bypass--> | last = Simitis | first = Costas | author-mask = 6 | title = Για μια κοινωνία ισχυρή για μια ισχυρή Ελλάδα | trans-title = For a strong society and a strong Greece | language = el | location = Athens | year = 1995 | publisher = Plethron Publications | isbn = 9789603480419 | url = https://www.protoporia.gr/simitis-kostas-gia-mia-koinonia-isxuri-gia-mia-isxuri-ellada-56976.html | ref = none }}
* {{cite book <!-- Citation bot bypass--> | last = Simitis | first = Costas | author-mask = 6 | title = Για μια Ελλάδα οικονομικά ισχυρή και κοινωνικά δίκαιη | trans-title = For a financially strong and socially fair Greece | language = el | location = Athens | year = 2002 | publisher = Kastanioti Publications | isbn = 9789600333398 | url = https://www.protoporia.gr/simitis-kostas-gia-mia-ellada-oikonomika-isxuri-kai-koinonika-dikaii-dem.-145138.html | ref = none }}
* {{cite book <!-- Citation bot bypass--> | last = Simitis | first = Costas | author-mask = 6 | title = Για μια ισχυρή Ελλάδα στην Ευρώπη και στον κόσμο 
 | trans-title = For a strong Greece in Europe and in the world | language = el | location = Athens | year = 2002 | publisher = Kastanioti Publications | isbn = 9789600333374 | url = https://www.protoporia.gr/simitis-kostas-gia-mia-isxuri-ellada-stin-europi-kai-ston-kosmo-dem.-145136.html | ref = none }}
* {{cite book <!-- Citation bot bypass--> | last = Simitis | first = Costas | author-mask = 6 | title = Για μια ισχυρή Ελλάδα,σύγχρονη και δημοκρατική | trans-title = For a strong, modern and democratic Greece | language = el | location = Athens | year = 2002 | publisher = Kastanioti Publications | isbn = 9789600333381 |
url = https://www.protoporia.gr/simitis-kostas-gia-mia-isxuri-elladasugxroni-kai-dimokratiki-dem.-145137.html | ref = none }}
* {{cite book <!-- Citation bot bypass--> | last = Simitis | first = Costas | author-mask = 6 | title = Πολιτική για μια Δημιουργική Ελλάδα 1996–2004 | trans-title = Politics for a Creative Greece 1996–2004 | location = Athens | language = el | year = 2005 | publisher = Polis Publications | isbn = 9789604350759 |
url = https://www.google.com/books/edition/Politik%C4%93_gia_mia_dimiurgik%C4%93_Ellada_199/rVhoAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0&bsq=inauthor:%22%CE%9A%CF%8E%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B1%CF%82%20%CE%A3%CE%B7%CE%BC%CE%AF%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82%22 | ref = none }}
* {{cite book <!-- Citation bot bypass--> | last = Simitis | first = Costas | author-mask = 6 | title =  Στόχοι, στρατηγική, προοπτικές | trans-title = Objectives, Strategy and Perspectives | location = Athens | year = 2007 | publisher = Polis Publications | language = el | isbn = 9789604351374 |
url = https://www.protoporia.gr/simitis-kostas-stoxoi-stratigiki-prooptikes-290120.html | ref = none }}
* {{cite book <!-- Citation bot bypass--> | last = Simitis | first = Costas | author-mask = 6 | title = Η δημοκρατια σε κριση; | trans-title = Democracy in Crisis? | location = Athens | year = 2007 | language = el | publisher = Polis Publications | isbn = 9789604351527 | url = https://www.google.com/books/edition/%CE%97_%CE%B4%CE%B7%CE%BC%CE%BF%CE%BA%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B9%CE%B1_%CF%83%CE%B5_%CE%BA%CF%81%CE%B9%CF%83%CE%B7/vGUNAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0&bsq=%CE%97%20%CE%94%CE%B7%CE%BC%CE%BF%CE%BA%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%AF%CE%B1%20%CF%83%CE%B5%20%CE%9A%CF%81%CE%AF%CF%83%CE%B7%202007%20%CF%83%CE%B7%CE%BC%CE%B9%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82 | ref = none }}
* {{cite book <!-- Citation bot bypass--> | year = 2016 | last = Simitis | first = Costas | author-mask = 6| title = The European debt crisis| publisher = Manchester University Press | location = Manchester | language = en | isbn = 9780719095788 | url = https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_European_debt_crisis/W3C5DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0&kptab=overview | ref = none }}
; Contributions
* {{cite book <!-- Citation bot bypass--> | author1 = N. Garganas | author2 = T. Thomopoulos | author3 = Costas Simitis | author4 = G. Spraos | title = Η πολιτική της οικονομικής σταθεροποίησης | trans-title = Politics of Financial stabilization | location = Athens | year = 1989 | publisher = Gnosi Publications | language = el| isbn = 9789602350126 | url = https://www.protoporia.gr/gkargkanas-nikos-i-politiki-tis-oikonomikis-statheropoiisis-32776.html | ref = none }}
* {{cite book <!-- Citation bot bypass--> | author1 = N. Mouzelis | author2 = T. Lipovach | author3 = M. Spourdalakis | others = introduction by Costas Simitis | title = Λαϊκισμός και πολιτική | trans-title = Populism and Politics | location = Athens | language = el | year = 1989 | publisher = Gnosi Publications | isbn = 9789602350140 | url = https://www.protoporia.gr/lipovats-thanos-laikismos-kai-politiki-32858.html?srsltid=AfmBOorve1i4qAp7ciNR0MDjmshHB8fndO0dWteDu04qUBt7VrMaDUQS <!-- http://repository.costas-simitis.gr/sf-repository/bitstream/11649/7741/1/A1S4_Typ_F11T48.pdf--> | ref = none }}
{{refend}}

== References ==
{{reflist|35em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Konstantinos Simitis}}
{{wikiquote}}
* [http://www.nato.int/cv/hsg/gr/simitis.htm His profile in Who is Who at Nato]
* [http://www.costas-simitis.gr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=110 Simitis' article on Greece's deficit revision in 2004 by the new government] as posted in [[Financial Times]]
* {{in lang|el}} [http://www.costas-simitis.gr/ Website of Costas Simitis]

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{{s-bef|before=[[Athanasios Kanellopoulos]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food (Greece)|Minister of Agriculture]]|years=1981–1985}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Ioannis Pottakis]]}}
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{{s-bef|before=[[Gerasimos Arsenis]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism (Greece)|Minister of National Economy]]|years=1985–1987}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Panagiotis Roumeliotis]]}}
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{{s-bef|before=[[Konstantinos Despotopoulos]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs|Minister of National Education and Religious Affairs]]|years=1989–1990}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Konstantinos Despotopoulos]]}}
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{{s-bef|rows=2|before=[[Vasileios Kontogiannopoulos]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Ministry for Trade (Greece)|Minister of Industry, Energy, Research and Technology]]|years=1993–1995}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Anastasios Peponis]]}}
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{{s-ttl|title=[[Ministry of Development (Greece)|Minister of Trade]]|years=1993–1995}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Nikolaos Akritidis]]}}
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{{s-bef|before=[[Andreas Papandreou]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Prime Minister of Greece]]|years=1996–2004}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Kostas Karamanlis]]}}
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{{s-bef|before=[[Andreas Papandreou]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=President of the [[Panhellenic Socialist Movement]]|years=1996–2004}}
{{s-aft|after=[[George Papandreou]]}}
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{{s-bef|before=[[Anders Fogh Rasmussen]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=President of the [[European Council]]|years=2003}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Silvio Berlusconi]]}}
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{{Heads of government of Greece|state=collapsed}}
{{Presidents of the European Council}}
{{Leaders of PASOK}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simitis, Costas}}
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:2025 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century prime ministers of Greece]]
[[Category:21st-century prime ministers of Greece]]
[[Category:Alumni of the London School of Economics]]
[[Category:Economy ministers of Greece]]
[[Category:20th-century Greek economists]]
[[Category:Greek MPs 1996–2000]]
[[Category:Greek MPs 2000–2004]]
[[Category:Greek MPs 2004–2007]]
[[Category:Greek MPs 2007–2009]]
[[Category:Leaders of PASOK]]
[[Category:Ministers of national education and religious affairs of Greece]]
[[Category:Agriculture ministers of Greece]]
[[Category:Academic staff of Panteion University]]
[[Category:Politicians from Piraeus]]
[[Category:Academic staff of the University of Giessen]]
[[Category:Academic staff of the University of Konstanz]]
[[Category:University of Marburg alumni]]
[[Category:Academic staff of the University of Marburg]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the White Star, 1st Class]]
[[Category:Members of the Panhellenic Liberation Movement]]