Leonidas Kouris

Leonidas Kouris (Greek: Λεωνίδας Κουρής) (born in Athens, 1949) is a Greek politician; former mayor of Athens and prefect of eastern Attica.

Kouris graduated from the Varvakeio high school and has degrees in mineralogical engineering from the National Technical University of Athens and in economics from the Athens University of Economics and Business. He received postgraduate training in the Administration of Enterprises and Regional Growth.

Kouris is a member of the Technical and Economic Chamber, and of many Greek and foreign scientific associations. He has been elected repeatedly to the boards of the Technical Chamber of Greece and of the Association of Engineers. Since 1971, he has been an executive in large private and public enterprises, such as the Public Power Corporation. He was an advisor in the Ministries of Industry, Energy and Finance between 1977 and 1981.

From 1986 Kouris served as Municipal Advisor of Athens under Mayors Miltiadis Evert and Antonis Tritsis, as Vice-Mayor of Athens from 1987 to 1992, overseeing the city's technical, administrative and economic services, and was elected mayor in April 1992, after the death of Antonis Tritsis. During his term, he put forward a wide program of work, the construction of Athens tram being a key project.

In 1994, to his consternation, Kouris failed to run as New Democracy candidate mayor for Athens, with Dimitris Avramopoulos earning the nomination instead. In 1995, Mayor Avramopoulos awarded his predecessor, Kouris, the Golden Medal of Athens, a major honour of this municipality.

As head of [KEDKE], he pursued the enlargement of the administrative autonomy and financial self-reliance of municipalities and their communities. During his tern, the elected prefectural self-government by the people was first introduced in Greece.

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