Dead in the sea area of Eretria near the small island of Pezonisi Eretria, was found by the coast guard the 77-year-old former minister of PASOK Sifis Valyrakis, who was missing since Sunday afternoon (24/1) when he was on board an inflatable boat.
According to information, the inflatable boat was found beached by another boat near the Aspronisi islet, without even boarding it himself. The boat's engine was working normally, while two snorkelers were inside the inflatable.
The Coast Guard's operation to locate the former minister began this afternoon with the participation of two floating and private vessels, a navy helicopter and a team from the Submarine Operations Unit.
Around 8.30 in the evening the body of the former minister was found near the island of «Pezonisi» about a mile away from the boat.
According to coast guard officials, the 77-year-old probably slipped from the boat for some reason and fell into the sea, causing the inflatable to continue its course.
However, more light on the cause of death of the former minister is expected to shed more light on the autopsy - autopsy.
Biography of Joseph (Sifi) Valyrakis
A restless spirit, a man of freedom, always present in the great democratic struggles of our people from the years of the dictatorship onwards, Joseph (Sifis) Valyrakis was born in Chania on 12 March 1943, in the «heart» of the German occupation...
Raised in a political environment - his father was the former MP of the Centre Union and commander of the «Iron Artillery» in the Albanian Front, Ioannis Valyrakis - S. Valyrakis was also politicised early on, first as a member of the Greek Democratic Youth (EDYN), the youth organisation of the Centre Union.
During the dictatorship he developed resistance activities and organised himself in the PAC. In 1971, however, he was arrested and sentenced to seven years in prison. The following year he achieved the impossible and escaped from the notorious Corfu prison and fled to Albania, where he was arrested and sentenced to three years in prison. He was released after international interventions and settled in Italy, where he became the organizer of the PAC of Greek students in Italy.
He was one of the founding members of PASOK and a member of the Central Committee since 1974. From 1974 to 1975, he was secretary of the PASOK Organizational Committee and member of the International Relations Office. In 1975, he became a member of the PASOK Executive Bureau.
In 1977, he was elected for the first time MP for Chania on the Movement's ticket and in 1981, he assumed for the first time a government office in the first government of Andreas Papandreou as Deputy Minister of Transport, while later he served as Deputy Minister of Culture (Sports).
Having been a constant presence in the Movement's processes, on 24 September 1990, at the second PASOK Congress, he was re-elected member of the party's Central Committee, as well as at the third Congress of the party on 17 April 1994.
On 4 April 1995 he was sworn in as Minister of Public Order.
On 30 June 1996, at the 4th Congress of PASOK, he was re-elected member of the Central Committee of the Movement and in March 1999, he was re-elected at the 5th Congress.
The deceased was married to the artist Mina Papatheodorou-Valyrakis and they have two sons.
Statement by the Prime Minister on the death of S. Valyrakis
«Sifis Valyrakis was a brave and solid democrat. A fearless resistance fighter in the dictatorship and a selfless deputy and minister in the Republic. A political opponent, but never an enemy. And always, a proud Chaniotis, »says in a statement by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, on the loss of Sifis Valyrakis. «Sincere condolences to his beloved Mina and to his loved ones,» the Prime Minister's statement concludes.
Statement by Fofi Gennimata on the death of Sifi Valyrakis
“The sudden loss of our comrade and friend Sifi Valyrakis fills us with sadness”, noted the president of the Change Movement, Fofi Gennimata, in a statement on the death of Sifi Valyrakis and underlined: “Always at the forefront of the struggle for democracy and the progressive party. A fighter through the PAK in the fight against the Junta. He was a companion of Andreas Papandreou in the great march of PASOK that led to the great victory of 1981. Wherever he served the country and the progressive party, as a member of parliament and minister, he was distinguished for his ethics, his hard work, his dedication to the goals of the party and his debt to his homeland”. Gennimata expressed “sincere condolences to his family.”
Statement C. Papandreou on the death of Sifi Valyrakis
«We are deeply saddened by the unexpected loss of our very good friend and fighter for democracy, Sifi Valyrakis. His struggles for the overthrow of the junta and his contribution to the great work of the country's change are a legacy for all of us. Have a good journey, Sifi.» George Papandreou said in a statement on the death of Sifi Valyrakis.
Statement by Antonis Samaras on the death of Sifi Valyrakis
«With deep sorrow for the unexpected loss of a fighter and my personal friend, I express my sincere condolences to his wife Mina and his family,» former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said in a statement on the loss of Sifi Valyrakis. «Sifis was an ideologist and an honest politician, with faith in his country and its forces,» Samaras' statement concludes.
