Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 08-12-15

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From: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>

CONTENTS

[01] FORMER PRESIDENT PAPADOPOULOS FUNERAL

[01] FORMER PRESIDENT PAPADOPOULOS FUNERAL

He died of lung cancer on Friday at the Intensive Care Unit of Nicosia General Hospital. He was 74.

The funeral service, which will be held at Saint Sophia church in Nicosia, will be officiated by the head of the Cyprus Orthodox Church Archbishop Chrysostomos II.

A book of condolences will open at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.

President of the Republic Demetris Christofias, the members of the Council of Ministers, the Government Spokesman and the Undersecretary to the President will sign the book Monday morning.

The book of condolences will be open to the public on Monday and Tuesday.

The family of Tassos Papadopoulos will accept condolences on Monday, at Saint Sophia church, where the funeral is to take place.

Honorary President of the Social Democrats Movement EDEK Vassos Lyssarides will read the funeral oration. President Christofias, Archbishop Chrysostomos II, President of the House of Representatives Marios Garoyian, Christodoulos Pashiardis on behalf of the friends of the deceased and Anastasia Papadopoulou on behalf of his family will read valedictory speeches.

Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis will be attending the funeral, accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Dora Bakoyiannis. George Papandreou, President of the Socialist party PASOK in Greece, will also attend the funeral, so will George Karazaferis, leader of LAOS party.

Tassos Papadopoulos will be buried at the cemetery in Deftera village, near Nicosia.

The bereaved family has requested that, instead of wreaths, donations be made to the Red Cross, the Intensive Care Forum and the Patients Welfare Council of the Makarios Hospital.

The Council of Ministers declared on Friday a three-day official mourning in memory of Tassos Papadopoulos. During the official mourning, flags at all public buildings and schools will fly at half mast, while all official events and public engagements of members of the government have been postponed.

Tassos Papadopoulos passed away on Friday at 13:05 local time. His death was announced by Director of the Intensive Care Unit of the Nicosia General Hospital Theodoros Kyprianou.

The former President was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Nicosia General Hospital on November 22nd, suffering from small cell lung cancer.

Papadopoulos was elected President of the Republic in February 2003 for a five years term. In April 2003, he signed the EU-Cyprus Accession Treaty in Athens.

During his presidency, Cyprus became full member of the EU in May 2004 and adopted the single European currency, the euro, in January 2008.

In April 2004, he called on the people of Cyprus to reject a UN-brokered solution plan the Annan plan - saying that it did not lead to the reunification of the island nor did it serve the interests of the country.

Tassos Papadopoulos ran unsuccessfully for re-election in the 2008 presidential elections.

Born in January 1934, Papadopoulos was married to Fotini Michaelides, of the family of Anastassios Leventis.

They had four children, Constantinos, Maria, Nicholas and Anastasia.

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