The automotive journalist and former MP Aris Stathakis passed away at the age of 71, after facing significant health issues for many years.
Stathakis, who was born in Laconia in 1943, was a car race driver between 1968 and 1984 and later worked with many newspapers, periodicals, television and radio stations.
He was later elected Deputy Mayor of Athens in 1999 and 2003 and was president of the Road Safety Organization of the Municipality of Athens since 2000. In the 2004 and 2007 he was elected MP with New Democracy.
In 1992 he received a journalism award for his contribution to Greek society as he is credited with “teaching Greeks to wear seat-belts and helmets”.
Stathakis is survived by his wife and two children.
