Ioannis Paleokrassas has passed away

Former Minister Ioannis Paleokrassas passed away today at the age of 85.

Ioannis Paleokrassas, was born in Athens and studied at the Varvakeio School and continued his studies at the London School of Economics, while serving his military service in the Navy.

He was a member of parliament and minister of ND, commissioner of Greece in the European Commission and president of PPC, while he assumed his first political post in 1977, as Deputy Minister of Coordination. He was in the seats of the Parliament for the first time in 1981, a success that he repeated in the electoral contests of 1985, 1989 and 2004.

A highlight of his political career was the assumption of the Ministry of Finance in the period 1990-1992 under the government of Konstantinos Mitsotakis. From this position he succeeded in restoring the Greek economy to primary surpluses, with a significant increase in public revenues.

In July 1992 he came into the sights of 17N. While he was in his car with his wife and teenage niece, he was attacked with a rocket. Thanos Axarlian ho happened to be passing by the spot lost his life, while Giannis Paleokrassas came out of the terrorist attack with burns on his face and hands.

Giannis Paleokrassas had survived for the second time by a miracle from a murderous attack. The first attempt was made in 1984 in Didymoteicho at the Plotini Hotel where New Democracy was gathering. The entire hotel was trapped with 4 time bombs, three of which exploded shortly after the rally, causing extensive damage.

Giannis Paleokrassas was honored with the medals of the Officer of the Legion of Honor of France and the Grand Cross Leopold II of Belgium.

He was married to Natalia Paleokrassa and had three children and seven grandchildren.