Vassos Lyssarides facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vassos Lyssarides
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Βάσος Λυσσαρίδης
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Lyssarides in 2011
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| President of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 30 December 1985 – 30 May 1991 |
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| Preceded by | Georgios Ladas |
| Succeeded by | Alexis Galanos |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 16 August 1960 – 31 May 2006 |
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| Constituency | Nicosia |
| President of EDEK | |
| In office 6 February 1969 – 21 July 2001 |
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| Preceded by | None (party established) |
| Succeeded by | Yiannakis Omirou |
| Representative of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe | |
| In office 21 April 1986 – 28 June 1991 |
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| Constituency | Cyprus |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 May 1920 Pano Lefkara, British Cyprus |
| Died | 26 April 2021 (aged 100) Nicosia, Cyprus |
| Political party | EDEK (since 1969) |
| Other political affiliations |
PM (1959–1969) |
| Spouse |
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Vassos Lyssarides (born May 13, 1920 – died April 26, 2021) was an important politician and doctor from Cyprus. He played a big role in Cypriot politics after the island became independent.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Vassos Lyssarides was born in 1920 in the village of Pano Lefkara, Cyprus. He went to the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens to study medicine. After finishing his studies, he worked as a doctor. He was very close to Archbishop Makarios III, who was the first President of Cyprus. Lyssarides was even his personal doctor for many years.
Political Journey and Key Roles
Student Activism and Independence Struggle
During his time as a student, Lyssarides was the leader of a student committee. This group organized large events to support the idea of Enosis, which meant the union of Cyprus with Greece. He also led the Student Union of Cypriots.
Later, Vassos Lyssarides took part in the EOKA struggle from 1955 to 1959. This was a fight against British rule to gain independence for Cyprus. He helped convince Georgios Grivas, a leader in EOKA, to create a special group. This group aimed to bring people from the Cypriot Left (a political group) into the fight for independence.
Lyssarides was a member of the Cypriot team that went to London in 1959. They were there to decide on the independence of Cyprus. He, along with Tassos Papadopoulos, voted against the agreements made. They believed these agreements would allow Turkey to have too much power in Cyprus.
Founding a Political Party
In 1969, Lyssarides started his own political party called EDEK. This was the first socialist party in Cyprus. He was elected as the party's president many times until 2002. EDEK was popular among people who were not communists but still believed in left-wing ideas. It also attracted intellectuals and office workers. In 2001, he stepped down as president and became the honorary president in 2002.
Resisting the 1974 Coup
In 1974, there was a military coup in Cyprus. This was an attempt to overthrow the government. Lyssarides strongly resisted this coup. On August 30, 1974, someone tried to assassinate him. Sadly, during this attack, Doros Loizou, a young leader from his party, was killed.
Serving in the House of Representatives
Lyssarides was first elected as a member of the House of Representatives in 1960. This is like the parliament of Cyprus, where laws are made. He represented the Nicosia area. He was re-elected many times in later elections.
On December 30, 1985, he was chosen to be the President of the House of Representatives. He held this important position for several years. He continued to be a member of parliament until 2006, when he decided not to run again.
Presidential Election Campaigns
Vassos Lyssarides ran for president of Cyprus three times. These were in the 1983, 1988, and 1998 presidential elections. His own party, EDEK, mainly supported him. In each election, he received around 10% of the votes.
Lyssarides' Special Armed Groups
In 1960, Lyssarides formed his own armed group. These men were given weapons by Archbishop Makarios III, who trusted them completely. Lyssarides' men mostly came from the mountains around Nicosia. They wore red berets, which earned them the nickname Kokkinoskoufides (meaning "Red Caps").
These groups were trained by Greek officers. One of their trainers was Miltiadis Laskaris, who later became a high-ranking general.
Actions of the Kokkinoskoufides
Lyssarides' Kokkinoskoufides were active during two main periods.
- 1963–1964: They fought in conflicts between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. They helped clear the Pentadaktylos mountains of armed Turkish Cypriots. This operation was completed on April 29, 1964.
- 1971–1974: These groups protected Archbishop Makarios from another group called EOKA B. EOKA B was attacking police stations and stealing weapons. Lyssarides' groups worked with the police to reduce these activities. After the coup in July 1974, Lyssarides' groups were among the main forces that resisted. They suffered many losses during this time.
Views on the Cyprus Problem
Lyssarides had strong opinions on the Cyprus problem. This is the ongoing issue about the division of the island. He was against the idea of a "bi-zonal and bi-communal federation." He believed this type of federation was unfair and would lead to problems. He also argued that Britain should give up its military bases in Cyprus unless they supported the Greek Cypriot side more.
Community Involvement and Recognition
Social Activities
Lyssarides was involved in many community and professional groups. He served as the president of the Pancyprian Medical Association. He was also the vice-president of the Afro-Asian Solidarity Organization. This group works for peace and cooperation between countries in Africa and Asia. He was also a secretary for an international committee against racism.
Awards and Honors
In 1996, he received an honorary doctorate from Panteion University in Greece. In 2002, he was given a very high award by Yasser Arafat from the Palestinian Authority. He was also made an honorary citizen in several cities in Greece.
Personal Life
Vassos Lyssarides was married to Barbara Cornwall. They got married in 1963. Barbara passed away in 2019 at the age of 86. Vassos Lyssarides himself died in 2021, just before his 101st birthday.
See also
In Spanish: Vassos Lyssaridis para niños
