20 years since Greece adopted the euro

Twenty years ago Greece’s then Prime Minister Kostas Simitis made the first withdrawal of a euro banknote from a Greek bank, marking the official adoption of the euro and the switch away from the drachma.

Over the last 20 years, the euro has overcome initial doubts, price concerns, and a debt crisis to spread across the European continent. George Pagoulatos joins The Greek Current to look back over the last two decades and talk about the euro’s legacy in Greece. We also discuss how the Greek financial crisis impacted the euro, the steps that were taken in response on a European level, and the ways Greece is shaping the debate today when it comes to the future of the single currency. 

George Pagoulatos is the Director General of ELIAMEP, the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy, is Professor of European Politics and Economy at the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB), and Visiting Professor at the College of Europe.