The Council of Ministers decided during an extraordinary meeting that the deceased former President of the Republic, George Vassiliou, will receive a state funeral on Saturday, 17 January, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said after the meeting.
Letymbiotis said that the Cabinet on the afternoon of 14 January, decided to declare a public mourning until the day of the former President’s funeral and declare Saturday, 17 January, 2026, a public holiday.
Αccording to information from the Presidency, all official activities of the Republic of Cyprus that were scheduled to take place during the days of public mourning, are postponed. The activities related to the EU Council Presidency, will take place as scheduled.
A book of condolences will be open for signing at the Presidential Palace, on Friday, 16 January, 2026.
State Officials will be able to sign it between 10.30am and 12 noon and Members of the Diplomatic Corps will be able to sign between 12 noon and 3pm. President Nikos Christodoulides and the members of the Ministerial Council will sign the book as well. Condolence books will also be open at all of the diplomatic missions of the Republic of Cyprus.
"The President of the Republic and the entire Council of Ministers will attend the funeral, which will be held at public expense, on Saturday, 17 January, 2026 at 1pm, at the Holy Church of God’s Wisdom (Ayias Sofias) in Strovolos," the Spokesperson noted, expressing condolences to the family of the deceased former President of the Republic of Cyprus.
The Cabinet approved the text that will be written in the condolences book, which says that “it is with deep sorrow that we bid farewell to the former President of the Republic of Cyprus, George Vassiliou, and we honour his contribution to his homeland, Cyprus.”
“George Vassiliou's contribution to achieving the top strategic goal of our country's accession to the European Union was decisive, while until the end of his life he was dedicated to the effort to resolve the Cyprus problem and the reunification of our homeland," the text continues.
The Spokesperson noted that this extraordinary meeting was solely dedicated to honour the deceased former President and started with a minute of silence in his memory.
President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, expressed deep regret for the loss of the former President, noting that the name of George Vassiliou was synonymous with the efforts for the economic development of our country, for the people’s social progress and the modernisation of the state in all areas.
He also spoke of Vassiliou’s decisive contribution to the achievement of the top strategic goals of the European course of Cyprus and added that “until the end of his life he had been dedicated to the effort for the resolution of the Cyprus problem and the reunification of our country, a goal that remains for the Cypriot democracy a national priority and a historic duty.”
(Source: CNA)
