Cyprus Defence Minister dies after illness

Cyprus Defence Minister Nicos Symeonides died Thursday morning at the Intensive Care Unit of Nicosia General Hospital, where he was admitted a month ago, with symptoms of infection of the urinary system.

Symeonides, who was 68, was a career civil servant who served in all ranks within most of the government departments, reaching the highest position of Director General of several ministries.

He was first admitted to Nicosia General Hospital on January 5 with symptoms of pneumonia. He later suffered a heart attack while undergoing a biopsy on his lungs.

He had only been in office since last September when he replaced Phivos Klokkaris who resigned after only three months in the job citing personal and health reasons, following allegations that he tried to unravel a paramilitary unit operating within the National Guard.

Klokkaris, a career officer who had risen within the ranks of the Greek army from 1968, joined the National Guard in 1993 and was promoted to deputy commander until he retired in April last year.

The pro-administration Simerini newspaper had reported at the time that the minister resigned because President Papadopoulos rejected Klokkaris’ pleas to dismantle a paramilitary unit within the army which allegedly enjoyed ties to the communist party Akel.