2024 in Greece

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Decades:	2000s 2010s 2020s
See also:	Other events of 2024 List of years in Greece

Events in the year 2024 in Greece .

Incumbents

• President: Katerina Sakellaropoulou
• Prime Minister: Kyriakos Mitsotakis

Events

January

• 23 January: Three ancient Greek artefacts, among them a statuette of Terpsichore, are repatriated to Greece from the Michael C. Carlos Museum in Atlanta, after sixteen years of negotiations. ^[1]

February

• 6 February: The island of Aegina is left without drinking water after an explosion disables a 12-kilometer-long (7.5-mile) undersea fresh water pipeline. Greater Athens governor Nikos Hardalias calls it an act of sabotage. ^[2]
• 12 February: A man opens fire at a shipping company in Glyfada, killing three people, before killing himself. ^[3]
• 15 February: The Hellenic Parliament votes 176–76 to legalise same-sex marriage and adoption, making it the first Eastern Orthodox country to do so. ^[4]

March

• 28 March: Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis survives a no-confidence motion filed by the PASOK party over allegations that it mishandled the investigation into the Tempi train crash in 2023. ^[5]
• 29 March: Roula Pispirigou was sentenced to life in prison for murdering her eldest daughter Georgina in the Patras sisters death case. ^[6]

May

• 3 May: Nikolaos Michaloliakos, the leader of the far-right Golden Dawn party, is granted early release following a legal request and on account of his elderly age, albeit with several conditions such as a ban on traveling outside the greater Athens area. ^[7] However, the decision is overturned by another panel of judges following an appeal, leading to his arrest on 3 June. ^[8]
• 16 May: Forty-two migrants and rescued and three others are reported missing after their vessel undergoes an emergency south of Crete. ^[9]
• 19 May: PAOK wins its fourth Greek championship after beating city rivals Aris 1–2 away on the final matchday of the season. ^[10]
• 21 May: A court in Kalamata acquits nine Egyptians on charges of human trafficking and manslaughter relating to the 2023 Messenia migrant boat disaster, citing a lack of jurisdiction due to the incident occurring in international waters. ^[11]

June

• 9 June – 2024 European Parliament election
• 12 June – Papoura Hill Circular Structure: The Ministry of Culture announces the discovery of a large Bronze Age-era Minoan architectural construction used between 2000 and 1700 BCE at the construction site of the Kasteli Airport in Crete. ^[12]
• 13 June – A heatwave forces authorities to close the Acropolis for visits during the afternoon. ^[13]
• 21 June:
  • A wildfire caused by fireworks coming from a yacht destroys 75 acres of pine forest in Hydra. The vessel's crew is subsequently arrested. ^[14]
  • A volunteer firefighter dies during operations against wildfires in Elis. ^[15]
• 27 June – A police officer is injured in a firebomb attack on the residence of Supreme Civil and Criminal Court of Greece president Ioanna Klapa outside Athens. ^[16]

July

• 1 July – Law 5053/2023, which allows a six-day work week for several industries, officially comes into effect. ^[17]
• 3 July – MP for Crete and former minister Lefteris Avgenakis is expelled from the ruling New Democracy party following an altercation with an employee at Athens International Airport. ^[18]
• 4 July – Anti-terrorism police arrest seven people over arson attacks against an Israeli-owned hotel and a synagogue in central Athens. ^[19]
• 20 July – A border guard is shot and injured while on patrol along the Evros River forming the border with Turkey. ^[20]
• 29 July – A ban on the commercial slaughter of goats and sheep as well as movement for reproduction of the animals is imposed nationwide following an outbreak of ovine rinderpest that results in the culling of at least 8,200 animals in Thessaly. ^[21]
• 30 July – A report from a two-year investigation clears the National Intelligence Service, the Hellenic Police and the Special Suppressive Antiterrorist Unit of using Predator spyware in a scandal involving the surveillance of opposition politicians. ^[22]

August

• 9 August – The Independent Authority for Public Revenue announces the discovery by the Customs Service of Greece of 93 kilograms of cocaine valued at more than 2.9 million euros from a ship originating from Ecuador that was docked at the port of Thessaloniki. ^[23]
• 12 August – One person is found dead in Vrilissia following a wildfire that reaches the northern suburbs of Athens. ^[24]
• 23 August – The Hellenic Coast Guard opens fire on a boat carrying migrants after it tries to ram their vessel near Symi, killing one person. ^[25]
• 29 August – More than 100 metric tons of dead fish are recovered from the port of Volos following a fish kill believed to have been caused by climate-related complications in Lake Karla. ^[26] A state of emergency is subsequently declared in the city on 31 August. ^[27]

September

• 8 September – Stefanos Kasselakis is removed as leader of Syriza following a motion of no-confidence against him in the party's central committee. ^[28]
• 17 September – A fire at a refinery of Motor Oil Hellas near Agioi Theodoroi injures three workers and leads to evacuation orders in the surrounding area. ^[29]
• 18 September – One person is killed in a rockfall at the Samaria Gorge in Crete. ^[30]
• 23 September – A boat carrying migrants sinks off the coast of Samos, killing four passengers. ^[31]
• 30 September – Two people are killed in a wildfire near Xylokastro. ^[32]

October

• 3 October – The Hellenic Air Force evacuates Greek and Cypriot nationals from Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport in Lebanon. ^[33]
• 9 October – Eleven pilgrims from Romania are hospitalised after ingesting wild mushrooms taken while hiking in Mount Athos. ^[34]
• 15 October – Four migrants are killed after falling from their boat off the coast of Kos. ^[35]
• 31 October – One person is killed and another is injured in an explosion believed to have been caused by an improvised bomb at an apartment in Ampelokipoi, Athens. ^[36]

November

• 6 November – Four migrants are found dead off the coast of Rhodes after reportedly being thrown overboard by smugglers. ^[37]
• 21 November – Syriza loses its status as the country's main opposition party following the departure of two of its MPs from the party. ^[38]
• 25 November – A boat carrying migrants sinks off the coast of Samos, killing eight passengers. ^[39]
• 28 November – A boat carrying migrants runs aground off the coast of Samos, killing four passengers. ^[40]
• 30 November–1 December – Three people are killed in Lemnos and Chalkidiki amid extreme weather caused by Storm Bora. ^[41]
• 30 November – The first line of the Thessaloniki Metro is inaugurated. ^[42]

December

• 20 December –
  • A speedboat carrying migrants capsizes the coast of Rhodes, killing eight passengers. ^[43]
  • The living descendants of Greece's last king, Constantine II, regain Greek citizenship under the surname De Grèce ("of Greece" in French) after being stripped of the status by the Greek government in 1994. ^[44]
• 30 December – One person is killed after jumping out of a window during a fire at a hotel in Kalambaka, 10 more are left injured. ^[45]

Holidays

Further information: Public holidays in Greece

Source: ^[46]

• 1 January - New Year's Day
• 6 January - Epiphany
• 18 March - Clean Monday
• 25 March - Greek Independence Day
• 1 May - Labour Day
• 3 May - Orthodox Good Friday
• 5 May - Orthodox Easter Sunday
• 6 May - Orthodox Easter Monday
• 23 June - Orthodox Whit Sunday
• 24 June - Orthodox Whit Monday
• 15 August - Assumption Day
• 28 October - Greek National Anniversary Day
• 25 December - Christmas Day
• 26 December – Glorifying Mother of God

Deaths

• 6 January – Iasos, 76, Greek-born American musician. ^[47]
• 15 January – Georgios Darivas, 97, football player (Olympiacos, national team) and manager (Olympiacos). ^[48]
• 19 January – Sonia Ilinskagia, 86, Greek-Russian writer, translator and professor. ^[49]
• 20 January – Charis Kostopoulos, 59, singer-songwriter. ^[50]
• 8 May – Ifigeneia Asteriadi, 57, actress. ^[51]
• 9 June – Michael Mosley, British doctor and TV presenter who died after he went on a tour in Symi. ^{[52] [53]}
• 11 June – Marialena Oikonomidou, 67, Greek singer, cancer. ^[54]
• 9 October – George Baldock, 31, football player. ^[55]
• 17 October – Vasso Papandreou, 79, former minister and first Greek woman to become a member of the European Commission. ^[56]
• 9 November – Yiannis Boutaris, 82, former mayor of Thessaloniki (2011–2019). ^[57]
• 12 November – Vardis Vardinogiannis, 90, businessman. ^[58]

See also

• 2024 in the European Union
• 2024 in Europe

References

1. Renault, Gillian Anne (January 23, 2024). "Carlos Museum returns three ancient artifacts from its collection to Greece". www.artsatl.org. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
2. "A Greek island is without drinking water after pipeline damage that authorities blame on sabotage". AP News. 2024-02-06. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
3. "Shooting at Greek shipping company kills four, including owner and suspected gunman". AP News. 2024-02-12. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
4. Smith, Helena (2024-02-15). "Greece becomes first Orthodox Christian country to legalise same-sex marriage". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2024-02-15.
5. "Greece's conservative government survives a no-confidence motion called over deadly rail disaster". Associated Press . 29 March 2024. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
6. "Nurse given 3 life sentences for killing her 3 daughters in Greece in case that gripped public for years - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 2025-03-18. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
7. "Head of Greek extreme far-right Golden Dawn party is granted early release from prison". Associated Press. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
8. "Greek extreme far-right leader to return to prison after judges rescind his early release". Associated Press. 4 June 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
9. "42 rescued but 3 still missing after a migrant boat sends a distress signal south of Greece". Associated Press. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
10. "Thessaloniki Celebrates as PAOK Wins Greek Soccer Title". Greek Reporter. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
11. "Egyptians held nearly a year over deadly shipwreck are released from Greek jail after case dismissed". Associated Press. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
12. "4,000-year-old Greek hilltop site mystifies archaeologists. It could spell trouble for new airport". AP News. 2024-06-11. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
13. "Heat forces Greek authorities to shut down Acropolis during afternoon hours for a second day running". AP News. 2024-06-13. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
14. "Motor yacht crew face criminal charges over Greek island fire allegedly started by firework display". AP News. 2024-06-24. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
15. "Volunteer firefighter dies battling Greece blaze". BBC. 2024-06-22. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
16. "A Greek police officer guarding a top judge's house is injured in a predawn gasoline bomb attack". AP News. 2024-06-28. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
17. Jamal, Urooba (2024-07-12). "Why is Greece introducing a six-day working week?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
18. "Greece's governing center-right party evicts lawmaker after airport altercation over flight boarding". AP News. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
19. "Greece arrests 7 over arson attacks on synagogue, Israeli-owned hotel". Reuters . July 4, 2024.
20. "Greek border guard shot in abdomen while patrolling border with Turkey". Associated Press . July 21, 2024.
21. "Greece announces nationwide restrictions to combat 'goat plague' outbreak". Associated Press . July 30, 2024.
22. "Probe clears Greek government agencies in spyware scandal but opposition calls it a cover-up". Associated Press . July 31, 2024.
23. "Greek customs agents seize more than 90 kilograms of cocaine from a ship that originated in Ecuador". Associated Press. 11 August 2024. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
24. "Drop in winds offers hope as firefighters battle huge wildfire on fringes of Athens. 1 person dead". Associated Press. 13 August 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
25. "Greek coast guards open fire on migrant smuggling boat after alleged ramming attempt, killing 1 man". Associated Press. 2024-08-23. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
26. "Over 100 tons of dead fish collect at Greek port after climate-related mass die-off". Associated Press. 2024-08-29. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
27. "Greek port city in a state of emergency over flood of dead fish". France 24. 2024-08-31. Retrieved 2024-08-31.
28. "Greek opposition leader is ousted by his Syriza party". Associated Press. 9 September 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
29. "Greek firefighters contain a blaze at a major oil refinery that injured 3 workers". Associated Press. 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
30. "A rockfall triggered by a rainstorm kills a woman hiker in Greece". Associated Press. 19 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
31. "4 migrants die trying to reach eastern Greek island in small boat". Associated Press. 23 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
32. "Wildfire burning through forest in southern Greece kills 2 people". Associated Press. 30 September 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
33. "Greeks, Cypriots being evacuated from Lebanon". eKathimerini.com. 2024-10-03. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
34. "11 Romanian pilgrims are in a Greek hospital after eating poisonous wild mushrooms on Mount Athos". Associated Press. 2024-10-10. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
35. "4 people die in a migrant boat accident off a Greek island". Associated Press. 2024-10-16. Retrieved 2024-10-17.
36. "Greek police say fatal Athens apartment blast was likely caused by improvised bomb". Associated Press. 1 November 2024. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
37. "4 dead, 25 survivors in Greece after migrant smuggler allegedly forced his passengers overboard". Associated Press. 6 November 2024. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
38. "Greece's left-wing Syriza loses its status as the main opposition party as infighting intensifies". Associated Press. 22 November 2024. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
39. "A migrant boat sinks near the Greek island of Samos, killing 6 children and 2 adults". Associated Press. 25 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
40. "Four dead, including two children, in latest migrant shipwreck off Greek island of Samos". Associated Press. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
41. "Third death as Storm Bora batters Greece". France 24. 2 December 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
42. "Greece's second largest city gets new metro - and it took 38 years to build". Euronews. 30 November 2024. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
43. "8 dead, 18 rescued as speedboat carrying migrants capsizes near Greek island of Rhodes". Associated Press. 20 December 2024. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
44. "Citizenship Granted to Five Children of Ex-King Constantine". To Vima . 20 December 2024. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
45. "Hotel fire near monastic sanctuary in Greece leaves 1 dead, 11 hospitalized". Associated Press. 31 December 2024. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
46. "Greece Public Holidays 2024". Public Holidays Global. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
47. "Iasos, Pioneer of New Age Music, Dies at 77". Pitchfork. 2024-01-09. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
48. "Πέθανε ο Γιώργος Δαρίβας". www.sport24.gr (in Greek). 15 January 2024. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
49. "Απεβίωσε η διαπρεπής νεοελληνίστρια και επίτιμη καθηγήτρια του Πανεπιστημίου Ιωαννίνων Σόνια Ιλίνσκαγια" (in Greek). 2024-01-21. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
50. Νούση, Αλίκη (2024-01-20). "Πέθανε ο Χάρης Κωστόπουλος σε ηλικία 59 ετών". Debater.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-01-20.
51. "Ιφιγένεια Αστεριάδη: Πέθανε η ηθοποιός σε ηλικία 57 ετών". TLIFE (in Greek). 2024-05-08. Retrieved 2024-12-31.
52. "Michael Mosley lay undiscovered for five days, CCTV shows". 10 June 2024. Archived from the original on 9 June 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
53. "British TV reporter describes 'chance' moment he spotted Michael Mosley's body after days-long search". Independent. 10 June 2024.
54. "Πέθανε η τραγουδίστρια Μαριαλένα Οικονομίδου: Ήταν κόρη του σεναριογράφου Γιώργου Οικονομίδη". The TOC (in Greek). 2024-06-12. Retrieved 2025-01-08.
55. "Σοκ στο ελληνικό ποδόσφαιρο: Βρέθηκε νεκρός ο Μπάλντοκ του Παναθηναϊκού!". www.sdna.gr (in Greek). 2024-10-09. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
56. "Vasso Papandreou, champion of women in Greek politics, dies at 79". Associated Press. 2024-10-19. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
57. "Yiannis Boutaris, winemaker and maverick former mayor of the Greek city of Thessaloniki, has died". Associated Press. 2024-11-11. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
58. "Vardis Vardinoyannis, Greek business magnate and Kennedy family friend, dies at 90". Associated Press. 2024-11-11. Retrieved 2024-11-12.

External links

• Online calendar