Georgios Souflias
Encyclopedia
Georgios Ath. Souflias (born 1941) is a Greek
politician. He is a member of the New Democracy
political party and was Minister for the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works for the duration of the Karamanlis administration.
Born in Farsala
, Larissa Prefecture
to a family of Sarakatsani
, he graduated in civil engineering from the National Technical University of Athens
and he successfully exercised the profession in Larisa from 1966 to 1974. In each election from 1974 to 1996, he was elected as a member of the Greek Parliament from Larissa. He was Deputy Minister for Interior Affairs from November 1977 to May 1980 and Deputy Minister for Coordination from May 1980 to September 1981. From July 1989 to October 1989, was Minister for the National Economy, and from November 1989 to February 1990, he was Minister for Finance. He served as Minister for the National Economy again from April 1990 to October 1990; he was also Minister for Tourism from April 1990 to May 1990, and from January 1991 to October 1993 he was Minister for National Education and Religious Affairs
. He was a candidate for the presidency of New Democracy in 1997, but the presidency was won by Kostas Karamanlis. On February 4, 1998 he was expelled from the party, along with two other members of parliament, for failing to vote along with the party in its opposition to a government policy. He did not run in the 2000 parliamentary election. On the first day of the party's 5th Congress, March 30, 2001, Karamanlis publicly invited Souflias to return to the party, describing the decision to expel him as "painful" and saying that it was made at a "politically-charged time". Souflias returned on the last day of the congress, April 1.
Souflias subsequently became policy planning director of New Democracy while it was in opposition. He was injured, along with his wife, in a car crash on November 29, 2003, and two of his ribs were broken. He was released from the hospital on December 24.
He was elected in the 2004 parliamentary election
as a deputy at large for New Democracy. Following this election he became Minister for the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works in the government of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis on March 10, 2004.
In May 1993, he was nominated emeritus professor of human studies of the Greek College of Boston
, United States
. He is married to Marianna Koraka and he has two daughters, Olga and Ioanna.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
politician. He is a member of the New Democracy
New Democracy (Greece)
New Democracy is the main centre-right political party and one of the two major parties in Greece. It was founded in 1974 by Konstantinos Karamanlis and formed the first cabinet of the Third Hellenic Republic...
political party and was Minister for the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works for the duration of the Karamanlis administration.
Born in Farsala
Farsala
Farsala , known in Antiquity as Φάρσαλος, Pharsalos or Pharsalus, is a city in southern Thessaly, in Greece. Farsala is located in the southern part of Larissa regional unit, and is one of its largest towns. The city is linked with GR-3, the old highway linking Larissa and Lamia and is also...
, Larissa Prefecture
Larissa Prefecture
Larissa is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Thessaly. Its capital is the city of Larissa. -Geography:...
to a family of Sarakatsani
Sarakatsani
The Sarakatsani are a group of Greek transhumant shepherds inhabiting chiefly Greece, with a smaller presence in neighbouring Bulgaria, southern Albania and the Republic of Macedonia. Historically centered around the Pindus mountains, they have been currently urbanised to a significant degree...
, he graduated in civil engineering from the National Technical University of Athens
National Technical University of Athens
The National Technical University of Athens , sometimes simply known as Athens Polytechnic, is among the oldest and most prestigious higher education institutions of Greece....
and he successfully exercised the profession in Larisa from 1966 to 1974. In each election from 1974 to 1996, he was elected as a member of the Greek Parliament from Larissa. He was Deputy Minister for Interior Affairs from November 1977 to May 1980 and Deputy Minister for Coordination from May 1980 to September 1981. From July 1989 to October 1989, was Minister for the National Economy, and from November 1989 to February 1990, he was Minister for Finance. He served as Minister for the National Economy again from April 1990 to October 1990; he was also Minister for Tourism from April 1990 to May 1990, and from January 1991 to October 1993 he was Minister for National Education and Religious Affairs
Minister for National Education and Religious Affairs (Greece)
The Ministry of Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs , formerly the Ministry for National Education and Religious Affairs , is a government department of Greece...
. He was a candidate for the presidency of New Democracy in 1997, but the presidency was won by Kostas Karamanlis. On February 4, 1998 he was expelled from the party, along with two other members of parliament, for failing to vote along with the party in its opposition to a government policy. He did not run in the 2000 parliamentary election. On the first day of the party's 5th Congress, March 30, 2001, Karamanlis publicly invited Souflias to return to the party, describing the decision to expel him as "painful" and saying that it was made at a "politically-charged time". Souflias returned on the last day of the congress, April 1.
Souflias subsequently became policy planning director of New Democracy while it was in opposition. He was injured, along with his wife, in a car crash on November 29, 2003, and two of his ribs were broken. He was released from the hospital on December 24.
He was elected in the 2004 parliamentary election
Greek legislative election, 2004
Legislative elections were held in Greece on March 7, 2004. At stake were 300 seats in the Greek Parliament, the Vouli . The New Democracy Party of Kostas Karamanlis won a decisive victory in the elections, ending eleven years of rule by the Panhellenic Socialist Movement .PASOK was led into the...
as a deputy at large for New Democracy. Following this election he became Minister for the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works in the government of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis on March 10, 2004.
In May 1993, he was nominated emeritus professor of human studies of the Greek College of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He is married to Marianna Koraka and he has two daughters, Olga and Ioanna.