EPP: Clerides a great statesman, a great European

“It is with great sadness that I learned of the passing of Glafkos Clerides”, Daul says in an announcement

“Founder of the Democratic Rally, Clerides was elected president of Cyprus in 1993 having one goal in mind: the accession of Cyprus to the European Union. Clerides was a convinced European and understood that EU membership would not only be an anchor of stability for Cyprus, but that it would also promote the reunification process of the island and the end of Turkish military occupation in the north”.

He adds that thanks to the statesmanship of Clerides, Cyprus finally joined the EU in 2004.

“Moreover, during the ten-year presidency of Glafcos Clerides, DISY became a member of the EPP and Clerides was a regular and active participant at the EPP Summit meetings of heads of state and government”.

It also notes that former Cypriot President founded the ‘Glackos Clerides Institute for Eurodemocracy’, which was one of the first European think tanks to join the EPP’s ‘Centre for European Studies’.