Hatzidakis: Konstantinos Mitsotakis was a politician ahead of his time

Eight years have passed since the death of Konstantinos Mitsotakis, and Kostis Hatzidakis chose to honor him with a very personal post.

The deputy prime minister referred to his first contact with Konstantinos Mitsotakis, when he was still a student and listened to him in a television interview, impressed by “the purity of his thinking, his calmness and his arguments.”

As he writes, he met him a little later, at 21, as a student and then he started a collaboration that lasted almost three decades. “The discussions with him have always been a spiritual exercise,” he notes.

Hatzidakis outlines Mitsotakis’ political profile as a leader “in front of his time”, with a “square mind and open spirit”. He describes him as tolerant, liberal, truly patriotic and insightful to populism and demagogy, stressing that “he ignored political costs when he believed that something was necessary for the good of the place”.

See Kostis Hatzidakis’ post:

“As of today, 8 years ago, Konstantinos Mitsotakis left us. A great Greek politician who deeply influenced my own political path.

I still remember, then a student, watching a television interview. I was very impressed by the purity of his thinking, his calmness, his arguments. I met him a little later, in my 21st, as a student. And our cooperation began when I took over as secretary of DAP-NDFK. Since then, for almost three decades, he has been kept alive. I had the pleasure and honor to meet him often, either as a MEP or as a minister. Discussions with him have always been a spiritual exercise.

Konstantinos Mitsotakis was a politician ahead of his time. With a square mind and an open spirit. Tolerant of opposing views, deeply liberal, really patriot. He ignored political costs when he believed that something was necessary for his good place. And he warned, with insight, of the painful consequences of populism and demagogy.

Today, in the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, we have the opportunity to raise Greece higher. To do other modern reforms that improve citizens’ lives. Without great words and policies “soap bubble”. But with truth and tangible work. And this is the best way to honor the memory of Konstantinos Mitsotakis! “