ATHENS, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Greek World War II resistance icon and veteran Leftist politician Manolis Glezos has died at the age of 98, Greek national news agency AMNA reported on Monday.

Glezos was best known for joining forces with fellow teenager Apostolos Santas in 1941 and tearing down the Nazi flag from the Acropolis hill, at a time when occupying German forces held Athens.

Glezos served as MP in the Greek parliament since the 50s with many socialist and Leftist parties, including PASOK in the 80s and SYRIZA in 2012-2014.

In the 2014 European Parliament elections he was elected member of the European Parliament with SYRIZA's ticket.

In 2015 when SYRIZA's government signed the third Greek bailout program he disagreed, quit and joined the leftist Popular Unity party.

Regardless of political beliefs, Glezos was a prominent figure in Greek politics who was respected by political opponents as well.

"We will miss him a lot. Manolis Glezos' death leaves Greeks poorer. But his life has left Greece richer, because his example, the example of a pure patriot and real fighter, remains a guiding light for all of us, giving us the strength to face united difficult times like the present," conservative Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in an e-mailed press statement.

"Together will all Greeks, I bow my head in respect at the memory of Manolis Glezos. I bid farewell with emotion and gratitude and I express deepest condolences to his family," Mitsotakis stressed.

In her emailed statement, Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou paid tribute to "a brave man, a symbol of the resistance against Nazism and an uncompromising defender of social justice."

"A dynamic and sensitive citizen until the end of his tumultuous life, he will remain in our memory as an emblematic figure in our modern history," she added. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)