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A man of the market, a successful professional, a front-line trade unionist with a strong disposition to offer the public, a philanthropist, a family man. Cleanthis Tsironis, who He lost the battle with the coronavirus last night at the age of 68, that was it. Above all, however, he was the iconic figure in Athens’ most historic marketplace, Varvakeio. Something that, of course, was helped by the countless television reports of the last two decades when it gave the “pulse” of the holiday market.
However, beyond the television “showcase”, Kleanthis Tsironis was an active man who managed with his union action, his professional career and his charity to leave an indelible mark on the very same Varvakeio Market, to his colleagues but also to many people whom he supported.
He led the efforts for the promotion and improvement of Varvakeio, pressing each Autonomous Authority and political leadership for its regeneration. And he got away with it. The ministerial doors were always open for Cleantes and his colleagues blindly trusted him.
In fact, as they say “the market, without Tsironis in the difficult years of the crisis would have collapsed very early, as always he mediated so as not to cut off the electricity to colleagues who had or could not pay the rent to the municipality ”.
Despite the “national depression” he managed with his colleagues who endured the crisis to recharge Varvakeio with people, on the one hand by maintaining competitive prices, on the other hand by strengthening the “living organism” of the market through actions. For him, for example, it is the initiative of the Meat Merchants to offer meat on Thursday Swan in collaboration with the City Council of Athens, setting up a mini celebration.
His communicative nature will help you a lot by drawing attention to him. On Christmas Eve 2013, with Greek society going up to financial Golgotha, it will come out to talk about some well-dressed young ladies who bought meat in Varvakeio and distributed it among the people who counted their money to get some meat. Something that he repeated a few months later, on the eve of the Resurrection of 2014 … A myth he coined or a true story he managed to create fear that ultimately attracted more people to Varvakeio.
He was a philanthropist. There are many stories about people in need that he and other professionals at Varvakeio supported, especially during the difficult years. In addition, the Institutions and Public Charitable Organizations used to receive quantities of meat for their kitchens, while every year on their own initiative they organized, together with the municipality, a table at the parties of the homeless and the needy in the center of Athens .
Shortly before Easter 2014, when the story of the unknown and well-dressed ladies of Varvakeio still dominated the press, he will be an assistant in the work of the Family Support Center – Ecclesiastical Foundation of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens (KESO ) with a generous donation. 500 families with serious financial problems to have what they need for the Easter table. Something for which he was praised by the Archbishop of Athens and all Greece Ieronymos.
During that visit to the Holy Archdiocese, his wife (right in photo), Athanasia, his life partner and business partner, would be by his side. His great weakness, as he himself said, like his daughters of 29 and 28 years today.
After family, his biggest weakness was … PAOK. In fact, at a point where the Frenchman from Kilkis, on the day PAOK emerged as Greek champion in 2019, gave away 2 kilos of resin and a 20% discount to his clients!
Overall, Kleanthis Tsironis was probably the most recognizable member of the market. Apart from Varvakeio, he ran in the elections for the Athens Chamber of Commerce, while he also tried three times to negotiate with the local government, falling with Giannis Sgouros in the Attica region. “I want to be chosen to fix the market, there are a lot of NSRF funds that can be used,” he said at the time.
With a statement of or Mayor of Athens, Costas Bakogiannis, notes on the loss of Kleanthis Tsironis: “Kleanthis Tsironis remains in the hearts and minds of all of us for the fighting spirit and thunderous voice with which he defended and promoted the work of his colleagues and the value of the Varvakeio market. It was connected, not only with its history, but also with its evolution and development. A friend left. A family man and an honest man. Clean, Athens thanks you and says goodbye “.
For his part Giannis Sgouros states: “Kleanthis Tsironis stood out all these years for its ethos, honesty and endless struggles for the promotion and modernization of the Central Market of Athens, for the defense of employment and the rights of butchers and producers without ever ignoring the rights of the consumer citizen , who always took care to stand out in the most appropriate way. He was especially loved for his honesty and frankness in offering social work by providing goods to economically weak populations. As an active progressive citizen, he was always present in public and was a candidate for the faction of the “Independent Local Government of Attica” in the last three electoral contests of the Attica Region. Giannis Sgouros and the “Independent Local Government of Attica” faction express their deepest condolences to the family of Kleanthis Tsironis. Good journey our old friend … »
The funeral of the president of Varvakeio agora will take place on Sunday at 12 noon in his wife’s village, in Eleonas, Ilia, as it was his personal wish.
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