On the passing away of comrade Panikos Lapithiotis
Statement of the C.C of AKEL
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 13th June 2020, Nicosia
The Central Committee of AKEL announces with deep sorrow the passing away of Panikos Lapithiotis, a historical and leading militant of AKEL and the People’s Movement of the Left, who took part in the democratic Resistance against the coup d’état, and was active in the youth and workers movement.
Panikos Lapithiotis was born in February 1945 in Lapithos and joined the ranks of AKEL in 1961. He got organized in the class-based trade union movement of PEO. In the period 1970-1973 he served as the District Secretary of the PEO Nicosia-Kyrenia Hotel Workers Trade Union. He held leadership positions in the youth movement of the Left serving as Secretary of EDON Nicosia-Kyrenia District Organisation. He was a member of the Central Secretariat of EDON Youth Organisation.
As a member of AKEL and EDON, in July 1974 he took part in the democratic anti-fascist resistance in the working class neighborhood of Kaimakli in Nicosia and until the very end of his life he defended the historical truth and the memory of the democratic Resistance against the fascist coup d’état with his public interventions. He was a member of the Executive Secretariat of the Pancyprian Union of refugees.
Panikos Lapithiotis connected his life with AKEL and its struggles. He served as Secretary of the City and Suburbs Committee of AKEL Nicosia-Kyrenia. He was a member of the Central Committee and Political Bureau of AKEL. He stood out for his devotion to the ideology and values of the Left, for his ethos and integrity.
AKEL bids farewell to comrade Panikos Lapithiotis with respect and immense gratitude. We express our sincere condolences to the family of Panikos Lapithiotis.
His funeral will take place on Monday, 15th June 2020 at 15:00 p.m. in the church of St. Barbara in Kaimakli. Instead of wreaths, contributions will be made to the Comrades Solidarity Fund.
