At 94, the former President of the Republic of Cyprus, George Vassiliou, has passed away. He made a big impact on Cyprus’s modern political history.
His wife, Androulla Vassiliou, shared the sad news on social media. She said that after two years of suffering, George Vassiliou died peacefully at Nicosia General Hospital, surrounded by family. In her heartfelt message, she called him a kind man, a loving husband and father, with a deep love for his country and its people.
The former President had been in the hospital since January 6, 2026, due to a respiratory infection.
George Vassiliou was the third President of the Republic of Cyprus. He followed Archbishop Makarios and Spyros Kyprianou. He was elected on February 21, 1988, and served until February 28, 1993.
During his time in office, he worked hard for a fair solution to the Cyprus issue. It was also when Cyprus applied to join the European Union. Later, under President Glafcos Clerides, he led the Negotiating Delegation for Cyprus’s EU accession, helping to align with EU laws.
His contributions were officially recognized in October 2002 when he received the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Cyprus, the highest honor in the country.
