Costas Papacostas, Cypriot politician, died at 76

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Costas Papacostas, born November 12, 1939 and died September 21, 2015, he was the Cypriot Minister of Defence from 2008 to 2011.

Following the Evangelos Florakis Naval Base explosion he resigned as Minister of Defence and was succeeded by Demetris Eliades, the Minister of Agriculture.

In July 2013 Costas was found guilty of manslaughter, with the court saying he “closed his eyes to the danger” regarding the storage of explosives, for which he received a sentence of 5 years imprisonment.

Costas Papacostas was born in Ayia Trias in British administered Cyprus (now part of the illegally occupied northern Cyprus).

From 1955 to 1959 he took part in the EOKA armed resistance against the British.

In 1966 Costas joined the Cyprus Army and was twice seconded to the Cypriot police.

Costas retired from the Army in 1984 having risen to the rank of colonel.

He was elected to the House of Representatives representing Famagusta District for Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL) on 26 May 1996 and re-elected in 2001 and 2006.