Costas Simitis, former prime minister of Greece credited as the architect of the country’s joining the common European currency, the euro, died Jan. 5 at a hospital in Corinth. He was 88. State TV ERT announced the death but did not provide further details.

Former Greek prime minister Costas Simitis, who led the country into the European Union's single currency in 2001, died on Sunday aged 88 at his summer house in the Peloponnese.

Costas Simitis, former prime minister of Greece and the architect of the country’s joining the common European currency, the euro, has died at 88, state TV ERT reports.

Costas Simitis, the reformist prime minister whose governments oversaw Greece's eurozone entry, helped Cyprus join the EU and planned for the Athens 2004 Olympics, died Sunday at the age of 88.

Costas Simitis, the former Greek PM and former PASOK socialist party leader died on Sunday at 7:30 in the morning in Corinth, Greece.

Mr. Simitis imposed financial measures to prepare for Greece’s entry into the eurozone and laid the groundwork for the Olympic Games’ return to Athens.