Writer and politician Michalis Charalambidis, a founding member of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) and a long-time friend of the Kurds from Pontus, died at the age of 73 from cancer, which he had been fighting for a long time. Charalambidis' funeral was held in Athens on Saturday with the participation of his family and friends, representatives of political parties and many Greeks. Members and representatives of the Kurdistan Democratic Cultural Centre and Democratic Union Party (PYD) also attended the ceremony.

Dr Ibrahim Muslim, PYD Representative in Greece and the Balkans, said: "Michalis was a great friend of ours. He said that the Pontic and Kurdish peoples were one, that their resistance was one. He was working like a guerrilla for Kurdistan and Kurdish people in Greece. He never held back from his work. He felt himself to be a part of the Kurdish Freedom Movement and worked on that basis. There was no politician like him in the world. He highlighted nothing but the success of the revolution. For him there was no such thing as 'no', as he always said 'we can do anything'. He was of the understanding that the injustices committed in history against Kurds, Pontus, Armenians and all the peoples in this region should be redressed. He advocated a common life. In his writings and speeches he constantly said, 'Abdullah Öcalan is the father of democracy in the Middle East. For this reason, he should receive the Nobel Peace Prize'."

As per Charalambidis' wish, instead of a wreath, his family asked for a donation for the reconstruction of the church of his village, which was severely damaged in the recent fires in Evros.

The body of Charalambidis was buried in his village to the accompaniment of Pontic melodies.