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.
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.