Xenophon Zolotas

Xenophon Euthymiou Zolotas (in Greek: ??????? ??????? )(March 26, 1904 – June 11, 2004) an eminent Greek economist, served as an interim non-party Prime Minister of Greece.

Related Topics:
Greek - March 26 - 1904 - June 11 - 2004 - Greek - Economist

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Born in Athens in 1904, Zolotas studied economics at the University of Athens, and later studied in Leipzig and Paris. He was a scion of a wealthy family of goldsmiths with roots in pre-revolutionary Russia. In 1928 he became Professor of Economics at Athens University, a post he held until 1968, when he resigned in protest at the military regime which had come to power in 1967. He was a member of the Board of Directors of UNRRA in 1946 and held senior posts in the International Monetary Fund and other international organistions 1946 and 1981.

Related Topics:
Athens - 1904 - University of Athens - Leipzig - Paris - 1928 - 1968 - 1967 - UNRRA - 1946 - International Monetary Fund - 1981

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Zolotas was governor of the Bank of Greece in 1944-1945, 1955-1967 (when he resigned in protest at the regime), and 1974-1981. He published many works on Greek and international economic topics. He was considered a moderate, a champion of fiscal conservatism and of monetary stability.

Related Topics:
Bank of Greece - 1944 - 1945 - 1955 - 1967 - 1974 - 1981

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When the elections of November 1989 failed to give a majority to either the PASOK party of Andreas Papandreou or the New Democracy party of Constantine Mitsotakis, Zolotas, then aged 85, agreed to become Prime Minister at head of a non-party administration until fresh elections could be held. He resigned when the election of April 1990 gave Mitsotakis a narrow majority.

Related Topics:
1989 - PASOK - Andreas Papandreou - New Democracy - Constantine Mitsotakis - 1990

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He was a workaholic and an avid winter swimmer, making a point of swimming every morning throughout the year even into his nineties.

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On his life

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One of his famous speech

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