National mourning in Greece for Fofi Gennimata

The death of Fofi Gennimata, aged 57, came after a long battle with cancer. The leader of the socialist Movement for Change (KINAL) had recently resigned from the party’s leadership, with the following statement: “The deterioration of my health that demands hospitalization and management obliges me to end my electoral run as candidate for the presidency of the Movement of Change.”

Admitted into Evangelismos Hospital in Athens on 11 October, she died just two weeks after pulling out of the leadership of her party.

Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis declared Wednesday to be a national day of mourning for the politician, and Greece’s Parliament will remain closed this week to honour her memory. In Thessaloniki, the student parade scheduled for Wednesday has been cancelled though the military and student parades on Thursday will take place. Her body will lie in state at Athens Cathedral (Metropolis) as of 10am on Wednesday.

The KINAL party has announced that Ms Gennimata’s funeral service is to be held at the Athens Cathedral at 2pm on Wednesday, and will be followed by her burial at the First Cemetery of Athens.

Her burial will take place with honours accorded to an active minister and at public expense, said the government.

Ms Gennimata’s family has requested that instead of wreaths donations be made to charities Kivotos tou Kosmou (Ark of the World) and Chamogelo tou Paidiou (Smile of the Child).

Neoskosmos.com