Akis Tsochatzopoulos
Apostolos-Athanasios 'Akis' Tsochatzopoulos is a Greek politician and central figure in the PASOK party.
Tsochatzopoulos was born in Athens in December of 1939 but spent his formative years in Thessaloniki. He studied civil engineering and economics in Munich and early on became a close political ally of Andreas Papandreou.
In 1968, Tsochatzopoulos became a member of the anti-junta resistance movement PAK. Due to his activities, he was stripped of his Greek citizenship in 1971.
After the restoration of democracy in July 1974, he became a founding member of the PASOK party and was elected to the Hellenic Parliament in the elections of October 1981.
Tsochatzopoulos served in the cabinet of most Papandreou governments except for a brief period when he was Secretary of the Central Committee of PASOK:
- As Minister of Public Works (1981 - 1984)
- As Minister of Labour (1985)
- As Minister of Public Order (1989)
- As Minister of Transportation (1989 - 1990)
- As Minister of the Interior (1993 - 1994)
- As Minister of Defence (1996 - 2001)
- As Minister of Development (2001 - 2004)
Tsochatzopoulos was acting PM during Papandreou's illnesses and twice sought the leadership of PASOK losing to Constantine Simitis.
In June 2010, he came under investigation for possible illegal financial activities.
He is married with two children.