“Yiannis Boutaris was a spirit who fought to rid Thessaloniki of its ghosts and reconnect it with its historical continuity. He was unclassifiable and courageous, he breathed wherever he wanted knowing that his style made him irresistible”, says the former minister and former deputy prime minister in his post Evangelos Venizeloson the occasion of his death Yannis Boutaris who passed away on Saturday at the age of 82.

“You didn’t have to agree with Yannis Boutaris on everything because he knew how to disarm any disagreements and handle his contradictions. I thank him because he also gave me the joy of enlisting and working together to restore the city’s identity and memory, especially the memory of its future. This moves above the infrastructure, plans and operations of such a city,” added Mr. Venizelos.

“He leaves knowing that he was integrated into the history of our own Thessaloniki”, concludes the post of Mr. Venizelou.