John Mpanias, a former deputy of the Greek political party “SYRIZA” and a distinguished member of the Greek Communist and Consevationist Party, has passed away this morning. He had been hospitalized for the last few weeks, suffering from a serious disease.
He was born in 1939 in a village, called Melisourgi, in the preference of Arta. As a member of the pre-dictatorial Left, he was strongly opposed to the dictatorship of Greece during the years 1967-1974.
After graduating from the Greek Polytechnic University as a civil engineer, he moved for studies to Gratz, Austria, where he continued his labor union and political activity. While abroad, he became a member of the Communist Party of Germany. When he returned, he got elected as Secretary General of Labrakis’ Democratic Student Party.
By enlisting in the armed forces in 1968, during the period of the Greek dictatorship, he also joined the Greek Communist Party. After his discharge in 1969, he became an active political person, being involved in almost every Communist party or organization.
Mpanias got arrested, imprisoned and tortured in this exact year. He was held in the military camp for political exiles on the island of Leros.
During the period of the political changeover in Greece, he got elected in 1982 as the Secretary General of the Communist Party of Greece. His political activity included the Political Side of the civil engineers, as well.
In 2007 he got elected as a parliamentary member, on the side of the Greek Party “SYRIZA”.
His funeral will be held on Friday at the A’ Cemetery of Athens.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
