Tributes have been pouring in from across the Greek political world to honour former President of the Hellenic Republic, Karolos Papoulias, after his passing on Sunday at the age of 92.
Papoulias served in the largely ceremonial office for two terms, from 2005 to 2015. One of the founding members of the socialist PASOK party, he was its foreign minister in 1985-89 and 1993-96, and served as MP for his native Ioannina for 26 years.
Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, was one of the first to release a statement following Papoulias’ death, calling him a “visionary minister… and dedicated patriot.”
“Greeks bow their head in respect to the responsible President… They hold up the decades of his life as an exemplary journey of a true public servant. They are inspired by his message of unity and dignity that he will eternally stand for,” Mitsotakis wrote in his statement.
Opposition leader, Alexis Tsipras, said Papoulias will be commemorated “respectfully and with deep emotion as a politician and a President who brought together what is true with what is patriotic.”
Papoulias’ successor and former President, Prokopis Pavlopoulos, also paid his respects and said: “He served Greek public life in many ways, especially as President of the Republic, with a high feeling of patriotism, selfless dedication, and impeccable morals.”
Current President, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, said Papoulias “vigorously defended social cohesion and national unity,” whilst noting his role in the fight against WWII Nazi occupation and the 1967-74 junta.
The new leader of the Movement for Change party, Nikos Androulakis, also added to the tributes, praising Papoulias’ long tenure with the party and calling him “a visionary of peace and humanism, a tireless defender of democracy.”
Papoulias’ funeral service will be held at the Church of Agios Spyridonas in Pangrati in Athens on Wednesday and he will be buried in Ioannina on Thursday.
Greek flags also flew at half-mast over Athens University and other public buildings on Monday, after three days of mourning were declared in Greece over Papoulias’ death.
Source: Ekathimerini.
