Tassos Papadopoulos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tassos Papadopoulos
Τάσσος Παπαδόπουλος |
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| 5th President of Cyprus | |
| In office 28 February 2003 – 28 February 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Glafcos Clerides |
| Succeeded by | Demetris Christofias |
| 2nd President of the Democratic Party | |
| In office 7 October 2000 – 22 October 2006 |
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| Preceded by | Spyros Kyprianou |
| Succeeded by | Marios Karoyian |
| 2nd President of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 22 July 1976 – 20 September 1976 |
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| Preceded by | Glafcos Clerides |
| Succeeded by | Spyros Kyprianou |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 January 1934 Nicosia, British Cyprus |
| Died | 12 December 2008 (aged 74) Nicosia, Cyprus |
| Nationality | Greek Cypriot |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse |
Fotini Georkadji
(m. 1972) |
| Children |
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| Alma mater | King's College London |
| Signature |  |
Tassos Papadopoulos (born Efstathios Nikolaou Papadopoulos; January 7, 1934 – December 12, 2008) was a Greek Cypriot politician and lawyer. He served as the fifth President of Cyprus from 2003 to 2008.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Tassos Papadopoulos was born in Nicosia, British Cyprus. His parents were Nicolas and Aggeliki. He was the oldest of three children.
He went to primary schools in Nicosia and then attended the Pancyprian Gymnasium. His father was a lawyer, and many of his father's friends were also lawyers or judges. This influenced Tassos to study law. He went to King's College London and later became a barrister, which is a type of lawyer.
His time in London was very important for his future in politics. In his second year of studies, he lived with Spyros Kyprianou, who also became a politician. They both helped start EFEKA, a student union for Cypriots in England.
Political Beginnings
Papadopoulos returned to Cyprus on March 20, 1955. This was just before EOKA began its fight against British rule. He joined EOKA and became a leader in Nicosia.
Later, he became active in PEKA, which was the political part of EOKA. In 1958, when he was 24, he became PEKA's general secretary.
In 1959, he took part in the London Conference. He was one of the few delegates who voted against signing the London and Zurich Agreements. He also helped write the Constitution for the Republic of Cyprus.
Serving as a Minister
After Cyprus became independent, Papadopoulos was appointed as a minister. He was only 25 years old. He first served as the temporary Minister of Internal Affairs. Soon after, he became the Minister of Labour.
He was the youngest person ever to serve as a minister in the Cypriot government. For the next 12 years, he held many different minister roles. These included Minister of Finance, Minister of Health, and Minister of Agriculture.
Forming the United Party
In 1969, Papadopoulos helped create the Eniaion Komma (United Party). This party supported Makarios III, who was the President at the time. Glafcos Clerides became the president of the party, and Papadopoulos was the vice-president.
In 1970, he was elected to the House of Representatives for Nicosia. However, he later left the party because he disagreed with its leader.
The 1974 Coup
In 1974, there was a military coup in Cyprus. Because Papadopoulos was part of Makarios's government, he was arrested. He was held in Famagusta. He was released just before the first Turkish invasion of Cyprus.
Other Important Roles
Papadopoulos advised Glafcos Clerides in talks between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. Later, he took over this role himself. He represented Cyprus at many international meetings, like those of the International Labour Organization (ILO). He also represented the Greek Cypriot community at the United Nations and the Council of Europe.
Before becoming president, he worked as a lawyer in Nicosia.
He was re-elected to the House of Representatives in 1976. From July to September 1976, he served as the President of the House of Representatives. He was elected again in 1991 and 1996 as a member of the Democratic Party.
Leading the Democratic Party
On October 7, 2000, he became the President of the Democratic Party. He was the only candidate for the position. He was re-elected in 2001.
He was also a member of the National Council. He chaired the committee on European Affairs and was part of other important committees. He also co-chaired the committee that worked with the European Union.
President of Cyprus
Tassos Papadopoulos ran for president in the 2003 election. He promised to get a better solution for the Cyprus dispute. His own party, Diko, supported him. He also had support from the AKEL party and the Kisos party. Even some members of the Democratic Rally party supported him.
Papadopoulos became President on February 28, 2003. He won more than half of the votes in the first round.
Before the 2004 Annan Plan Referendum, he told Greek Cypriots to vote "No." He famously said, "I received a state. I will not deliver a community."
Papadopoulos ran for a second term in the 2008 election. In the first round, he came in third place and was not able to go to the second round. This was a surprise, as polls had shown him doing better. He accepted his defeat on the day of the election.
Family Life
Tassos Papadopoulos married Fotini Georkadji in 1972. Fotini was the daughter of Anastasios G. Leventis. She was also the widow of a politician named Polykarpos Georkadjis. Tassos had been the best man at Fotini's first wedding.
They had two children together, Nikolas and Anastasia. Papadopoulos also helped raise Fotini's older children, Constantinos and Maria, from her first marriage.
Death
Tassos Papadopoulos passed away on December 12, 2008. He died from lung cancer. He had been a heavy smoker. His funeral was held on December 15, 2008, in Nicosia.
2009 Grave Robbing
On December 11, 2009, it was reported that thieves had dug up his grave and stolen his body. The President of Cyprus, Dimitris Christofias, called it a "sacrilege," meaning a great disrespect.
On March 8, 2010, his body was found in a cemetery near the capital city. His family was very relieved. Police used DNA to confirm it was his body after getting a tip.
Awards and Honors
Grand Star of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria (Austria, 2007)
Medal of the Grand Order of King Tomislav (Croatia, 2006)
Grand Cross with Chain of the National Order of Merit (Malta, 2005)
Collar of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana (Estonia, 2004)
Commander Grand Cross with Chain of the Order of Three Stars (Latvia, 2007)
1st Class of the Order of the White Double Cross (Slovakia, 2007)
Medal of the Order for Exceptional Merits (Slovenia, 2006)
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Images for kids
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Tassos Papadopoulos and Antigoni Papadopoulou
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Photo session of participants in Russia – EU Summit
See also
In Spanish: Tassos Papadopoulos para niños
