20 Facts About Tassos Papadopoulos

Efstathios "Tassos" Nikolaou Papadopoulos was a Cypriot politician and barrister, who served as President of Cyprus from 2003 to 2008.

An experienced member of the Makarios III's cabinet, Papadopoulos took charge of the country's parliament in 1976, two years after the Turkish invasion, and became one the island's most notable proponents of a hardline position on Cypriot reunification.

Tassos Papadopoulos attended the Ayios Kassianos and Elenio primary schools in Nicosia and then the Pancyprian Gymnasium.

Tassos Papadopoulos returned to Cyprus on 20 March 1955, ten days before the start of EOKA's armed struggle against British colonialism.

Tassos Papadopoulos took part in the London Conference in 1959 and was one of the two delegates who voted against the signing of the London and Zurich Agreements.

Tassos Papadopoulos was one of the four representatives of the Greek Cypriot side at the Constitutional Commission which drafted the Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus.

Tassos Papadopoulos was the youngest member of the new cabinet and remains the youngest minister to date to serve in a Cypriot government.

Glafcos Clerides became president whilst Tassos Papadopoulos remained vice-president of the party.

In 1974, Tassos Papadopoulos was imprisoned by the military forces responsible for the coup d'etat.

Tassos Papadopoulos was released on the evening before the first Turkish invasion of Cyprus.

Tassos Papadopoulos served as advisor to the first representative of the Greek Cypriot side in the intercommunal talks, Glafcos Clerides, until April 1976 and subsequently he took up that post himself, serving until July 1978.

Tassos Papadopoulos represented Cyprus at many international conferences, particularly the annual congresses of the International Labour Organization.

Tassos Papadopoulos was a member of the National Council, Chairman of the Standing Parliamentary Committee on European Affairs and member of the Committee on Selection and the Committee on Financial and Budgetary Affairs.

Tassos Papadopoulos was Co-chairman of the Joint Cyprus-EU Parliamentary Committee.

Tassos Papadopoulos campaigned for the 2003 presidential election on a platform that he would be able to secure a better deal over the Cyprus dispute than the incumbent Glafcos Clerides.

Tassos Papadopoulos was a candidate for a second term in office in the 2008 presidential election.

Tassos Papadopoulos had enjoyed a slight advantage in opinion polls prior to the election and his elimination was regarded as a surprise.

Tassos Papadopoulos promptly conceded defeat on the day of the election.

Tassos Papadopoulos was married to Fotini Georkadji, daughter of Anastasios G Leventis and widow of assassinated politician Polykarpos Georkadjis, from 1972 until his death in 2008.

Tassos Papadopoulos had been best man at his wife's first wedding.