The "last goodbye" to Kostas Simitis, the former prime minister and president of PASOK, will be said today at 12 noon in the Metropolis of Athens by his family, his friends and people from the political, diplomatic and university fields.
At the exodus service, where the Archbishop of Athens and all Greece will officiate, Mr. Ieronymos, the President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the president of PASOK, Nikos Androulakis, three of his personal friends, the former minister and university student, Tasos Giannitsis and the emeritus professors, Konstantinos Tsoukalas and Yiannis Voulgaris, will deliver eulogies. - possibly also its president of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulidis.
The funeral will be a public expense and with the honors of the acting prime minister. Yesterday afternoon, a special meeting for the planning of the procedure for the funeral of Kostas Simitis was completed, in which the former prime minister's security officer, Thanasis Filippopoulos (representing the family of the deceased) and representatives of the Greek Orthodox Church, the region of Attica, and the relevant ministries participated. and of the Municipality of Athens.
The ritual
The body of the former prime minister and president of PASOK is expected to arrive at the Cathedral at 11 this morning, one hour before the funeral procession begins. The arrival of the body will be by hearse, not by hearse, and will not be placed earlier in a public pilgrimage, in accordance with the wishes of the family. At the same time, MPs and executives of PASOK are having a meeting outside the Parliament, who will then go to the Metropolis of Athens for the funeral procession.
The family will be the first to enter the Metropolis - around 11 am - the last (according to protocol) will be the President of the Republic. A few minutes earlier the prime minister will arrive - the official opposition leader, political leaders, ambassadors and other officials will have arrived before that.
The layout of the official
On the right of the first row in the Metropolis will be the deceased's wife, Dafni, his daughters Fiona (with her husband Pavlos Mouzakitis and Kostas Simitis' granddaughter, Yolanda) and Marinela. Next to them will be relatives and friends of the former prime minister, as well as PASOK executives.
On the left will be, among others, the President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou, the President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulidis, the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the President of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus Annita Dimitriou, the president of PASOK Nikos Androulakis, the president of SYRIZA Sokratis Famellos, the president of the New Left Alexis Haritsis, the former Prime Minister Giorgos Papandreou, Evangelos Venizelos, ten ministers of the government, the military leadership of the country, the deputy regional governor of Attica Christina Kefalogianni and the mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas.
The messages from the mourners
The loss of the former prime minister and president of PASOK, who led the country to EMU, succeeded in the accession of Cyprus to the EU. and left a distinct modernizing and reforming imprint during his eight-year government career, he met the recognition of his work by Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who spoke with his statement about the timeless battle of modernization, by the current leader of PASOK, Nikos Androulakis and party officials. "The work of Kostas Simitis has been recognized by the citizens", characteristically said executives of Charilaou Trikoupi, who expect him to honor with the presence of a large number of people outside the Metropolis.
Speaking at the funeral, Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected to refer to the modernizing stigma of the Simitis administration and also to the political differences with the New Democracy party. The current leader of PASOK, Nikos Androulakis will make references to the main "stations" of the route and the achievements, to the "identification" of Kostas Simitis with "reforms, social convergence and the break with maintenance" - in a more personal tone he will points out the importance that the presence of the former prime minister had for the political coming of age of himself and many in PASOK, the legacy that they will be respected and honored. "I hold deep in my heart, your gesture to give me the first issue of the Papanastasi Group with the ideas of modernization", Mr. Androulakis.
The burial is in the First Cemetery
After the funeral procession, the body will be transported by hearse to the First Cemetery of Athens. Two cars with members of his family will follow, while four senior officers will pay their respects, without holding ribbons. Kostas Simitis will be buried next to Andreas Papandreou and in close proximity to Melina Merkouri, while honors will be paid by the three bodies of the Armed Forces.
Traffic arrangements in the center of Athens
The traffic arrangements around the Metropolis of Athens were put into effect in view of the funeral procession of former Prime Minister Costas Simitis, which will take place today, Thursday, January 9, at 12.00.
As it became known, due to the funeral of the former Prime Minister Costas Simitis, traffic regulations have been put into effect from yesterday at 22.00 and until 16.00 today (09/01/2025).
Thus, it is prohibited to stop and park vehicles along the entire length and diagonals (up to the first parallel street) of Mitropolis, in Aiolou (in the section between Andrianou and Ermou streets) and in Ermou (in the section between Aiolou and Athena streets) .
Additional traffic regulations will also come into force in the First Cemetery of Athens, where Kostas Simitis will be buried, but also in the streets of the center where the procession will pass (Amalias, Stadiou, Vasilissis Sofias, Vas. Konstantinou, Kallirois, Iliopoleos etc.) .a.).
In more detail, EL.AS announced:
Prohibition of stopping and parking of vehicles and the temporary and gradual stoppage of their traffic from 06.00 on Thursday 9/01/2025 until the end of the events:
- Rest, along its entire length and on its diagonals up to the first parallel road.
– Tribonianou, in the section between Karea and M. streets. Mussouro.
– B. Georgiou I', along its entire length.
Gradual and temporary suspension of vehicle traffic from 11.00 until the end of the events:
– L. Amalias, along its entire length and on its diagonals up to the first parallel street.
– Stadium, in the section between Ameriki Street and Pl. Constitution.
– L. Bas. Sofias, in the section between Sekeri street and pl. Constitution.
– L. Syngrou, in the section between Am. Frantzi to L. Amalias, in the traffic flow towards pl. Constitution.
– Iliopoleos, in the section between Ymittos and Ardittos streets.
– Arditto, along its entire length and on its diagonals up to the first parallel street.
– L. Bas. Kon/nou, in the section between Eratosthenos and -Ardittos streets, in the traffic flow towards Ardittos.
– Kallirrois, in the section between Am. Frantzi to L. -Vouliagmenis, in the traffic flow towards Ardittou Street.
Source: protothema.gr
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