2001

Events

January

• January 24: Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos visits the Vatican and meets Pope John Paul II.

February

• February 11: OFI goalkeeper, Arian Beqaj, scores with a header, 5 minutes into injury time, in the OFI - Paniliakos 2-2 game. It marks the first time a goalkeeper has scored with a header in Greece.

March

• March 16: George Koskotas is released from prison after serving 12 years of his sentence.
• March 27: The newly-built Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport begins operations.

April

• April 7: Olympiakos defeat Ferencvaros 9-7 and becomes the first Greek water polo team to qualify for the Champions' Cup final four
• April 18: AEK hand former basketball "emperor" Aris their worst defeat ever 110-56.

May

• May 12: PAOK win their first title in 16 years after defeating Olympiakos 4-2 in the Greek Cup final at Nea Philadelphia Stadium.

June

• June 1: Greece's first away win over Russia (3-1) in volleyball history
• June 27: The record-breaking 4 billion drachma transfer of Michalis Konstantinou from Iraklis to Panathinaikos is finalised.

August

• August 19: Greece win the World Juniors Water Polo Championship by beating Croatia 8-7 in Istanbul
• August 28: Greek and Turkish football authorities agree to make a joint bid to host Euro 2008. Nevertheless, UEFA's executive committee will vote in favour of the Austrian-Swiss joint bid on December 12, 2002.
• August 28: Archbishop Christodoulos announces that 3 million Greek citizens have voted to allow religious affiliation on national identity cards following a informal poll conducted by the Church of Greece.

Deaths

January

• January 14: Kostas Rigopoulos, actor.

February

• February 14: Ploutis Servas, Cypriot politician

May

• May 1: Manolis Hadjiapostolou, known as "tiger", the man who jumped on the vehicle used to assassinate MP Gregoris Lambrakis and assisted in the assassins' arrest.
• May 2: Emmanouil Emmanouilidis, one of the assassins of MP Gregoris Lambrakis.
• May 9: Nikos Sampson, Junta-appointed "President" of Cyprus

June

• June 3: Antony Quinn, actor, best known for his performance in the popular Hollywood movie Zorba the Greek
• June 4: Dinos Eliopoulos, actor

September

• September 14: Stelios Kazantzidis, Laika singer

October

• October 3: Kostas Hadjichristos, actor.

November

• November 8: Aristides Moschos, folklore musician and sandouri instrument master