The Co-Presidency of the KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Executive Council released a statement paying tribute to Michalis Charalambidis, a friend of the Kurdish people who died two days ago.

The KCK statement on Saturday reads as follows:

“We were informed with great sadness that one of the leaders of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), Mr. Michalis Charalambidis, has passed away. Michalis Charalambidis was a dear friend of the Kurdish people as well as a supporter of the Pontic people’s cause for independence; he lived and worked with Kurds in Greece and the Middle East for many years. Mr. Michalis Charalambidis, had also conducted numerous visits and interviews with our leader, Abdullah Öcalan, in Syria during the 1990s.

The Charalambidis family originates from Trabzon, from which they fled to Greece as a result of the oppression and atrocities committed by the Turkish government. One of the people who worked to bring the genocide committed against the Pontic people by the Turkish state to light, was Mr. Charalambidis. As a militant of the Pontic people, Mr. Charalambidis stood out and brought attention to their cause worldwide. In addition, he established a friendly relationship between the Greek, Pontic, and Kurdish peoples by introducing them to one another.

For his entire life, Michalis Charalambidis fought for a just and democratic system, and a free and equal society in Greece. His exceptional performance in a number of fields helped him gain esteem as a Greek citizen. He worked as a friend and a comrade in the resolution of the Kurdish question. He has authored and published numerous books on the Pontic and Kurdish topics, and he backed and defended the Rojava movement from the very beginning. In this context, he has also produced and distributed several articles and interviews. Being an authority on the Pontic and Kurdish problems, he has spoken at numerous conferences, seminars, and panels all over the world.

The Kurdish, Greek, and Pontic peoples mourn his passing deeply. We would like to extend our sympathies to his family, friends, and the Greek and Pontic people, as we profoundly regret his passing.

We shall always remember Michalis Charalambidis and carry his memory ahead in the fight for Kurdistan’s independence.”