Cyprus president, cabinet sign book of condolences for Defence Minister

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and the entire cabinet signed the book of condolences on Sunday that opened at the Defence Ministry in memory of Minister of Defence Tassos Mitsopoulos, who died on Saturday after suffering a ruptured cerebral aneurysm.

The text written in the book of condolences reads: "With great grief and sorrow, we bid farewell to our friend and colleague, Minister of Defence, former Minister of Communications and Works and former MP Tasos Mitsopoulos. A noble politician, who graced with his morality, his dignity and his moderation, the country`s political life. We bid farewell to an exceptional person, a great family man, a loving father. We honor him for his decency and his contribution to the struggles for Cyprus and Europe."
The Democratic Rally party (DISY) has opened an online book of condolences at www.tmitsopoulos.com and on the party website www.disy.org.cy .
Mitsopoulos, who was 48, had only taken up his new portfolio for a week, when he collapsed in his office on Friday. He was rushed to hospital but died a day later, despite the efforts of the doctors at the Nicosia General Hospital, as well as specialist neurosurgeons from Israel and Greece.
The funeral will take place in his home town of Larnaca on Monday at 12noon.
Also attending the funeral will be Greek national defence minister Demetris Avramopoulos, with whom Mitsopoulos had worked during his political career in Greece. He will be representing Prime Minister Antonis Samaras.