The President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades, in a Twitter message, said the country lost “one of its historic leaders who helped shape its identity.”
“He made his mark on our political life over many decades. We owe him a lot. Above all, however, we owe it to him to fight for a free homeland,” Anastasiades said.
Archbishop Chrysostomos said he was deeply moved by Lyssarides’ death. He described him a renowned politician and fighter for the rights of Cyprus, adding he met him on many occasions where they exchanged views on different issues concerning the people and Cyprus.
President of the House of Representatives, Adamos Adamou, expressed great sadness over Lyssarides’ death. The late politician had served as speaker from 1985 to 1991. A House press release said that Lyssarides was a multidimensional personality who identified with the history and the culture of Cyprus.
The current president of the party, Marinos Sizopoulos, who is in Geneva accompanying the President of the Republic for the Informal Five-party meeting on Cyprus in Geneva said that it was with great sadness that he was informed of the death of the founder and historical leader of EDEK, the doctor, the poet, the painter, Vassos Lyssarides “.
He described Lyssarides as the defender of democracy, who fought for a free Cyprus and the defender of human and political rights of all citizens, regardless of their origin or race, or the nationality.
Lyssarides’ personality, vision and insight will inspire our struggles for the freedom of our homeland, for democracy and socialism”, he added.
Former President of EDEK and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yiannakis Omirou said “we are saying goodbye to a great visionary, the protagonist and flag bearer for the rights of Cyprus and Hellenism, a firm supporter of national liberation movements around the world”.
The former socialist’s funeral will be held at public expense. Government spokesman Kyriakos Koushos, also in Geneva, praised Lyssarides’ political career and contribution to Cyprus and politics in general.
Lyssarides was born at Lefkara village on 13th May 1920. He graduated from the Medical School of the University of Athens, was a general practitioner and chairman of the Medical Association from 1967-1981.
An idealist and visionary, he took part in the EOKA national liberation struggle from 1955-1959 and due to his intense political action became the target of an assassination attempt which resulted with the death of his friend and poet Doros Loizou. He served as member of Parliament from 1960 until 2006, both as member of the House and also speaker.
In 1969 he founded the Socialist Party EDEK which he led until July 2001 when he became honourary President.
A leading personality with international dimension, Lyssarides maintained excellent relations with the Arab world and many progressive leaders and peoples who fought for their freedom and self-determination like Fidel Castro, Yasser Arafat and others.
As an EOKA representative, he voted against the Zurich-London agreements because he believed they legalised the political and military involvement of Turkey and was based on racial discrimination, making the constitution ineffective and leading it to a deadlock with negative repercussions for the people of Cyprus. After the coup in Greece and the military dictatorship, he worked with resistance organizations of the Greek people against the junta and mainly with Andreas Papandreou.