President to visit still critical Labour Minister

President Nicos Anastasiades is flying to Athens to visit Labour Minister Zeta Emilianidou, receiving treatment at a private hospital after suffering a brain haemorrhage.

According to the latest update by the Health Ministry, Emilianidou, 67, is critical after being placed in an induced coma following surgery for a rupture of a cerebral aneurism.

Government spokesperson Marios Pelekanos confirmed that the President will be travelling to Athens and would visit the minister on Wednesday.

He is to be personally briefed about her health by doctors at the Hygeia clinic.

The minister suffered a brain aneurism rupture on May 15, causing a brain haemorrhage and underwent a lengthy surgery after being flown to Athens.

There was an outpouring of warm wishes across the political spectrum, praising Emilianidou for her hard work and dedication as labour minister, a post she has held since April 2013.

She is the longest-serving minister in the Anastasiades administration.

In her absence, Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos has taken over her portfolio.

Karousos said he hoped that Emilianidou would return to her duties soon “as we already miss her”.

Nine days ago, the Labour Minister was rushed to a private hospital in Nicosia after having severe headaches; she was diagnosed with a subarachnoid haemorrhage in the brain due to a ruptured aneurysm.

A subarachnoid haemorrhage means bleeding in the space surrounding the brain.

Emilianidou is a popular minister in the administration and is only one of three women in the government.

A lawyer by profession, she was part of Anastasiades’ first cabinet in 2013.

Anastasiades kept her in the cabinet after winning the 2018 Presidential Election.