Former Cyprus President Papadopoulos passes away

Former President of the Republic of Cyprus, Tassos Papadopoulos, passed away today.

Papadopoulos’ 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 the 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.

During his presidency, Cyprus became full member of the EU and adopted the single European currency, the euro.

In April 2004, he called upon the people of Cyprus to reject the UN brokered Annan plan for a solution of the Cyprus problem, saying that the Annan plan did not lead to the reunification of the island but in fact made the division permanent.

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.