Sifis Valirakis facts for kids

Iosif Valirakis, often called Sifis, was a Greek politician. He was a key member of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) party. Sifis is a common nickname for Iosif in Crete, where he was born. He was known for his strong stand against the military government that ruled Greece for several years.

Early Life and Education

Sifis Valirakis was born in 1943 in Chania, a city on the island of Crete in Greece. His father, Ioannis Valirakis, was an officer in the Greek Army. He was also involved in politics.

Sifis studied electrical engineering in both Germany and Sweden. He focused on industrial automation, which is about using machines to control processes in factories. He was very good with languages, speaking English, German, and Swedish, besides his native Greek.

Fighting the Military Government

Sifis Valirakis became an important leader in the group that resisted the military government in Greece (1967-1974). This group was called the Panhellenic Liberation Movement. He was wanted by the military government for his actions, which included setting off small explosions.

In 1971, he was caught and put in jail by the military police. But Sifis was determined to escape! He managed to cut the bars of his cell. He also caused a short-circuit in the jail's electricity, which helped him get away.

He stayed hidden in Athens for about two weeks. Then, he tried to escape to Yugoslavia by riding on the roof of a train. Unfortunately, the train stopped at the border, and he was caught again. This time, he was sent to a prison on the island of Corfu. His new cell had extra strong bars.

But Sifis did not give up. He made another amazing escape! He swam all the way to Albania. To stay warm in the cold water, he covered himself with butter he found in the prison kitchen. He also kept his clothes dry in a plastic bag.

However, when he arrived in Albania, the government there thought he might be a spy for the Greek military. They sentenced him to three years of hard work in a camp. The conditions there were very difficult. Luckily, a famous Greek politician, Andreas Papandreou, worked with his international friends to help Sifis. Eventually, the King of Cambodia, Norodom Sihanouk, helped get Sifis released.

Political Career

After the military government fell in Greece, Sifis Valirakis began his official political career. He was first elected to the Greek parliament in 1977, representing Andreas Papandreou's PASOK party.

He served in several important government roles:

• From 1981 to 1984, he was the Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications. This role involved helping manage roads, trains, and how people communicate.
• From 1985 to 1988, he was the Deputy Minister of Culture and Sport. Here, he helped with things like arts, museums, and sports.
• He was Deputy Minister of Public Order twice, from 1988 to 1989 and again from 1994 to 1995. This role is about keeping public safety and order.
• Finally, from 1995 to 1996, he became the full Minister of Public Order.

Sifis Valirakis was married to Mina Papatheodorou-Valiraki, who is a well-known painter. She has won many awards for her artwork around the world. They had two children together.

Death

On January 24, 2021, Sifis Valirakis went on a boat trip by himself near Eretria, Greece. When his wife could not reach him by phone, she called the police and coast guard for help. His boat was found with its engine still running. Later that evening, his body was found, and he was declared dead. He was 77 years old.