In an atmosphere of mourning and pain, the funeral of the former Deputy Minister of Shipping and Island Policy and Member of Parliament for Dodecanese of SYRIZA Nektarios Santorinios, who lost his battle with cancer, at the age of 51, last Monday morning, took place on the island of Rhodes.

The exodus procession held in the holy church of the Annunciation of Rhodes was attended by the president of SYRIZA-PS Alexis Tsipras, the speaker of the Parliament Konstantinos Tassoulas, the Minister of Shipping and Islands Policy Yiannis Plakiotakis, the entire Parliamentary Group of SYRIZA, dozens of former ministers, current and former MPs of all parties, the regional governor of South Aegean Giorgos Hatzimarkos and mayors from the islands of the Dodecanese.

“You will always be by our side, our dear friend” emphasized in his funeral speech the president of SYRIZA who did not hide his emotion.

“Today we say goodbye to our own Nektarios, the Nektarios of Rhodes, of the Dodecanese, of the Aegean, a rare man, a fellow fighter who left an indelible markAlexis Tsipras pointed out, among others.

He also referred to the offer of Nektarios Santorini, pointing out that he was an honest selfless but also a politician who worked hard fighting battles even when he was fighting his own personal battle.

“As a worthy and beloved colleague” described the deceased the president of the Parliament K.Tasiulas, conveying the condolences of all the parliamentary groups to his relatives. He also characterized Nektarios Santorinios as a combative, effective self-made politician with a significant contribution.

“His contribution to the place was significant and his imprint large» pointed out in his farewell speech the Metropolitan of Rhodes Kyrillos who referred to the personality of the deceased.

“Nektarios Santorinios served with ethics, dignity, honesty and consistency in the public life of the country and our place, both from the positions of Deputy Minister and Deputy Minister of Shipping and Islands Policy and from the seats of the Parliament and the Regional Council of the South Aegean» states in a resolution issued today by the regional council of the South Aegean.

The funeral of the president of SYRIZA-PS Alexis Tsipras:

Today we say goodbye to our own Nektarios.

The partner, the fellow traveler, the friend.

Together with all of SYRIZA that he had closed in his heart, his family that he adored, his compatriots and all the islanders of our homeland that he served with passion and love.

Nektarios is a representative of a generation that grew up accepting the defeat of the ideas that shook the world, but never abandoned them.

And he was lucky enough to experience their triumphant return with the historic first time, the joys but also the great difficulties.

He was present at everything.

With honesty, selflessness, dedication and a lot of work.

When the false euphoria that drove Greece into bankruptcy gave rise to arguments that the ideas of social justice, history, the left, were over, Nektarios was there.

When later the draft of the memorandums came and the Greek people tasked us to get the country out of the swamp, Nektarios was present.

When we were daily fighting the creditors and their domestic agents, who saw the commission as an opportunity to impose injustice as a regime, Nektarios was present.

He was present until his last moments, when he had the courage to fight his illness, and at the same time not leave his place on our front lines.

Present with the modesty, kindness, sobriety that characterized him.

Present with a smile and optimism even in the most difficult moments.

“Personally, fighting a parallel and difficult battle with cancer, I declare myself present in the fight for the country to breathe again and for society to stand up.

Present on the winning ballots of our faction.

Present in the effort to overthrow the regime that blackens our lives.

Always present for the needs of our islands and islanders.

Whatever our personal hardship, we owe it to History and future generations to stand on the right side of the river and fight for Change.

Because without Democracy and Justice, we cannot look to the future.

This is what I will do, despite the difficult struggle I am fighting, and I call on you all to fight for the victory of SYRIZA-PS which will mean the formation of a strong progressive government”.

These are his own words in his own latest post.

In the most difficult moments, when he was fighting for his life, he did not give up the fight for the lives of others.

Because our companion, whom we say goodbye to today, was not a stowaway of history.

Nor a professional of power.

He studied chemical engineering at NTUA.

But he fell in love from his youth and the chemistry of justice.

He stuck many badges as a successful engineer.

But he aspired from being a pupil and student to being an engineer of freedom.

It was organized in the Communist Youth.

He took his place in the front lines of the trade union movement.

Later he joined the Coalition and SYRIZA.

He became the coordinator of the party in the Dodecanese and a member of its Central Committee.

And then, in the battle for redemption from the noose of the memoranda, in 2015 he emerged as a Member of Parliament for the Dodecanese.

And then he becomes deputy minister and deputy minister of Shipping and Island Policy.

To give as much as he could, to give himself and his soul, to the Dodecanese but also to all the islands and the islanders he loved.

To associate his name with the Transport Equivalent.

And to prove that not all of us are concerned with the stereotype that power corrupts.

Remaining modest, unwavering in his ideas and dedicated to those he represented in Parliament.

Faithful to the end in what he believed in and defined his life.

Nektarios was one of the most effective ministers in the SYRIZA government.

And perhaps one of the best Ministers of Shipping and Island Policy to come through this ministry.

I’m not saying it today Nektarios, I’ve said it many times because that was the truth.

And the last time I said it publicly, last summer, you turned around and told me I was exaggerating.

It’s not an exaggeration, it’s the truth.

Which your modesty did not even allow to say.

And it was the truth because you knew how to work in the field.

Be close to people and their needs.

To put forward the right, their right and your own values.

To be next to the islanders in every difficulty, big or small.

To fight for the ferry routes of the barren line.

To sleeplessly and tirelessly coordinate the rescue operations.

And at the same time have the vision but also the stubbornness, for a policy of justice that can be put into practice even in the most difficult conditions, as we did with the metaphorical equivalent in time of memoranda.

This was our Nektarios Santorini.

This IS our Nektarios Santorini.

Because Nektarios will be present.

As he stated in his last post.

They will be present in our lines in the battles to come. Present in the beauty of justice and in the justice of beauty.

With his smile giving our difficult or less difficult path, the light that burns.

I know we cannot ease the pain of the family he adored with words.

Of Matina, Melina and Konstantinos.

All we can do is share their pain and grief.

Let’s be on their side.

And to promise that we will strive to make Nektarios’ vision a reality.

For a society of justice.

Nektario, with your life you taught us to love people and fight for the right.

By your flight, you taught us to fight for life and defy death.

Till the end.

We promise you that we too will fight to the end. In our battles, we will also fight for you.

In sorrows, we will grieve for you too.

In our joys we will smile for you too.

You will be by our side.

Present, forever.

Have a good trip, dear friend.