ATHENS – Voice of Logic leader Afroditi Latinopoulou has sharply criticized the government's decision to declare four days of national mourning for former Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, who died Monday at the age of 88.
Latinopoulou called the move "inconceivable," citing Simitis's handling of the Imia crisis, the stock market crash of the late 1990s, and the extradition of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan to Turkey as reasons why he should not be honored.
"You won't see me idealizing Kostas Simitis, as the other parties and New Democracy have done," Latinopoulou said in an interview with SKAI television. She accused Simitis of effectively ceding control of the Aegean Sea to Turkey following the Imia military crisis of 1996 and of thanking the United States for its intervention, which many Greeks viewed as biased against their country.
Latinopoulou also criticized Simitis's economic policies, alleging that government officials encouraged reckless speculation in the stock market, leading to widespread financial ruin and even suicides. She further condemned his decision to extradite Öcalan, whom she described as "a true ally of Greece," to Turkey.
The Voice of Logic leader reserved her harshest criticism for New Democracy and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. "New Democracy – and justifiably so – called Kostas Simitis the high priest of corruption," she stated. "And now Mr. Mitsotakis declares four days of mourning? What is there left to say after that? It's inconceivable."
The government's decision to declare national mourning for Simitis has been met with mixed reactions. While many acknowledge his role in modernizing Greece and leading the country into the Eurozone, others criticize his handling of key events and his alleged involvement in corruption scandals. Latinopoulou's strong condemnation highlights the continuing controversy surrounding Simitis's legacy.
Greece Mourns Former Prime Minister Costas Simitis
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