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Dimitris ChristofiasCypriot politician, communist, 6th President of Cyprus
Date of Birth: 29.08.1946
Country:  Cyprus |
Content:
Biography of Dimitris Christofias
Dimitris Christofias, a Cypriot politician and communist, served as the 6th President of Cyprus. He was born in 1946 in the village of Dikomo, located in the northern part of the island. From a young age, Christofias participated in the Progressive Party of Working People of Cyprus (AKEL) youth movement. He worked during summer vacations with his father, experiencing hardships from an early age.
At the age of 14, Christofias joined the All-Greek Unified Organization of School Pupils (PEOM). In 1964, he became a member of AKEL, the Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO), and the United Democratic Youth Organisation (EDON). In 1969, he was elected as a member of the Central Council of EDON during its fifth congress. Christofias studied in Moscow from 1969 to 1974, defending his doctoral dissertation in history at the Academy of Social Sciences in Moscow.
Political Career
From the late 1960s, Christofias built his career within the AKEL party. In 1988, he became the leader of the party following the death of his predecessor and mentor, Ezekias Papaiannou. On June 7, 2001, Christofias was elected as the President of the Parliament. He was re-elected as the President of the Parliament in 2006.
On February 24, 2008, Christofias was elected as the new President of Cyprus representing the Progressive Party of Working People of Cyprus (AKEL). He secured over 53.4% of the votes, defeating his opponent in the second round of elections, former Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides. One of the main pillars of his program was the resumption of dialogue with Turkish Cypriots and the resolution of the Cyprus problem.
The day after his election, Christofias addressed his supporters in Nicosia, promising to reunite the island, which is currently de facto divided into Greek and Turkish parts. He stated, "Tomorrow begins a new day. Many difficulties await us ahead. We will unite our forces and work together to achieve the reunification of our homeland."
Presidency and Peace Efforts
His inauguration as the newly elected president took place on February 28, 2008. During the ceremony, Christofias emphasized that resolving the Cyprus problem would be the government's top priority. He stated, "The solution should unite the territory, people, institutions, and economy of our country within the framework of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. The settlement must be based on UN resolutions on Cyprus and comply with international law and EU laws."
On March 21, the first official meeting between Dimitris Christofias and the president of the Turkish Cypriot community, Mehmet Ali Talat, took place. The community leaders agreed to resume the peace negotiation process on the island, establish expert groups to work on the details of a new agreement, and open checkpoints on the inter-communal border in the center of Nicosia.
Personal Life
Dimitris Christofias is the first candidate from the Communist Party to hold the position of President of Cyprus. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Department of International and European Economic and Political Studies of the University of Macedonia in 2004. Christofias is fluent in Russian. He is married to Elsie Haratu-Christofia, whom he met during his studies in the Soviet Union. They have two daughters and a son.
