1979

Events

January

• January 9: Greek television begins broadcasting in color using the French system SECAM. It will later be replaced by the German PAL.
• January 11: Yiangos Pesmazoglou leaves the Centrist Democratic Union to form the Party of Democratic Socialism (KODISO, Greek: ΚΟΔΗΣΟ)

February

• February 12: Weapons are stolen from an army base in Rethymno, Crete.
• February 13: The Greek government publishes the new law allowing divorce for reason of "long-term separation".

March

• March 27: An earthquake in Elis prefecture causes considerable damage.

April

• April 23: Nikos Sampson is temporarilly released from prison for health reasons.

May

• May 2: Panagiotis Kelesidis holds Hungary to a 0-0 tie with Greece, in Budapest, in a qualifier for the European Cup of Nations.
• May 28: PM Constantine Karamanlis signs, on behalf of Greece, the country's entry into the European Union.

June

• June 9: Panionios upset AEK 3-1 and win the Greek Football Cup for the first time in their history.
• June 13: Philippos Syrigos begins his career as sportscaster in a basketball game (Greece - France 74-76, for the European Championship in Torino.
• June 16: Maroula Lambrou breaks the Greek women's record in the long jump with a jump of 6.64m.

July

• July 7: Bank employees strike across Greece.
• July 17: The Vardinogiannis Group purchases Panathinaikos FC.
• July 30: The professional football team of AEK is formed with Loukas Barlos the first president.

August

• August 9: A medical certificate is no longer required for a wedding in Greece.

September

• September 6: Two AE Larisa FC players - Mousiaris and Koukoulitsios - are killed in a traffic accident. Their teammate, Yiannis Valaoras, miraculously survives.
• September 12: With a goal from Takis Nikoloudis, Greece is almost qualified for the first time for a European Championship (Euro 1980) as they overcome USSR 1-0 at Leoforos. As the opponents Finland and USSR, both trailing two points, have two resp. one game in hand Greece has to wait seven weeks in agony to learn its fate.

October

• October 18: The Greek government announces measures to save the Parthenon and other antiquites from pollution.
• October 18: Odysseus Elytis wins the Nobel prize for literature.
• October 27: Prime Minister Constantine Karamanlis meets Pope John Paul II in Rome.
• October 31: As USSR (needed a win with a seven goal margin) and Finland (needed just a win) drew, Greece qualifies for Euro 1980.

November

• November 7: Aris Thessaloniki defeat Perugia 3-0, in Italy, in the UEFA Cup.
• November 12: An earthquake strikes Thesprotia leaving 7,000 people homeless.
• November 13: PM Constantine Karamanlis visits the PR of China.

December

• December 2: Nikos Galis debuts in Greek Basketball with Aris BC and scores 30 points with his team against Iraklis BC.
• December 10: The Nobel for Literature is awarded to Odysseus Elytis.
• December 10: Argentinian Juan Ramon Rocha is signed illegally by Panathinaikos as "Boublis".
• December 30: Iraklis thrash Panathinaikos 6-0 in Kaftantzoglio Stadium.

Births

January

• January 15: Michalis Morfis, Cypriot footballer

February

• February 2: Fani Chalkia, athlete

March

• March 24: Periklis Iakovakis, Greek record holder of the 400m hurdles

June

• June 21: Kostas Katsouranis, footballer.

July

• July 3: Sotiris Kyrgiakos, footballer
• July 7: Tasos Gousis, athlete (200m, 400m)

Deaths

March

• March 29: Nikos Pentzaropoulos, footballer.

August

• August 3: Angelos Terzakis, author

September

• September 11: Solon Michaelidis, Cypriot composer.

October

• October 23: Prodromos Tsaousakis, rebetika singer.

November

• November 12: Pythagoras, lyricist
• November 13: Dimitris Psathas, reporter, theatrical writer.