Former President of Cyprus Glafkos Clerides passed away at age 94. On Wednesday morning, he was admitted to a private clinic in Nicosia in critical condition and this evening his doctor announced his death.
He was President from 1993 until he was defeated by Tassos Papadopoulos in 2003. During his presidency he achieved a close relationship with Greece and brought Cyprus to the brink joining EU union. He had also served in the British Royal Air Force, during World War II. He went to prison after his airplane was shot down in 1942, and remained there until the end of the war.
Furthermore he was a member of the EOKA organization, which sought the liberation of Cyprus from British Rule and participated in the struggle under the pseudonym “Ypereides.” His most important achievement during that period was the preparation of documents providing evidence of specific cases of Human Rights violations by the Imperial administration of Cyprus and its agents.
He was also the president of the Cyprus Red Cross from 1961 to 1963. He became the President of the Republic on July 23, 1974. Two years later in 1976, he founded the right-wing Democratic Rally (Democratikos Synagermos).
He was one of the most dominant 20th Century political figures in Cyprus. Clerides was respected by world leaders and during his time of presidency, he was locally a respected leader because of his accomplishments.
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