Kyriakos Mitsotakis offered condolences on the passing of Yiannis Boutaris.
The former mayor of Thessaloniki passed away last night (May 11th) at a private hospital in the city, where he had been recently hospitalized with serious health issues.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated, “I am proud that he honored me with his friendship,” emphasizing that Boutaris’s “presence was marked by both his gentle demeanor and radical thinking.”
The Prime Minister’s full statement:
“Thessaloniki, Northern Greece, and the entire country bid farewell to a unique individual. Yiannis Boutaris was not only a visionary mayor of his beloved city. He was not only an iconic entrepreneur and ecological pioneer as the founder of Arcturos. Above all, he was a worthy citizen. A true patriot of everyday life.
A warm person who knew how to bravely face and overcome challenges. At the same time, he adored art and remained open, like an eternal teenager, to all contemporary trends. His presence was thus marked by both his gentle demeanor and radical thinking.
I am proud that he honored me with his friendship, as his spirit always remained free from the confines of dogma and prejudice. I experienced this during our last, unfortunately final, meeting just before the recent elections, when he hosted me at his renowned winery.
I still remember the peace in his smile. The spark in his eyes. And the calmness in his words. This is how those who knew him will remember him. And even those who did not have the chance to meet him in person will surely remember him this way. Because, indeed, Mr. Boutaris possessed a special radiance that will endure.
My sincere condolences to his family.”