Mourners lined the streets outside Athens’ central cathedral for the state funeral for former Prime Minister Costas Simitis, the architect of Greece’s joining the European Union’s common currency.

Greeks bid farewell on Thursday to former prime minister Costas Simitis, a law professor and reformist, who died last week at the age of 88 and was praised for steering Greece into the European Union's single currency in 2001.

Mr. Simitis imposed financial measures to prepare for Greece’s entry into the eurozone and laid the groundwork for the Olympic Games’ return to Athens.

Costas Simitis, former prime minister of Greece and the architect of the country’s joining the common European currency, the euro, has died at 88, state TV ERT reports.

Greek former prime minister Costas Simitis, the architect of the country's eurozone entry, was laid to rest Thursday in a state funeral. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in an address at the funeral that Simitis will be remembered for "his unwavering belief in (Greece's) European orientation and his constant effort for Greece to converge with the most developed,

Eulogies were delivered among others by the President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, main opposition PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis.

Costas Simitis, former prime minister of Greece credited as the architect of the country’s joining the common European currency, the euro, died Jan. 5 at a hospital in Corinth. He was 88. State TV ERT announced the death but did not provide further details.

Athens: Greece held a funeral on Thursday in Athens for former Prime Minister Costas Simitis who passed away on Sunday at the age of 88. Thousands of people including Greece's Political leaders, Simitis' family and friends bid the last farewell to the former prime minister.

The family of the late Costas Simitis former Prime Minister, his wife Daphne Simitis, left, daughters Fiona, center, and Marilena attend the state funeral in Athens' central cathedral, Thursday, Jan.