George Penintaex is to become a member of parliament for Dipa after one of the party’s MPs, Marinos Mousiouttas left parliament to become labour minister on Friday.

He joins three colleagues from his party – its leader Marios Garoyian, Alekos Tryfonides, and Michalis Giakoumis – in the House.

Speaking after Mousiouttas was named as the new labour minister, Penintaex told the Cyprus News Agency he will “remain faithful to the principles with which I ran for office”.

“My pure ambition is to achieve everything I can for our fellow people, to offer the best possible service to the people of the Republic of Cyprus … Realising the high position I am assuming, I will try to do the best possible for our ordinary fellow people, who have many problems, and to contribute as much as possible to the solutions,” he said.

Born in 1956, Penintaex is most well known for his work as the chairman of the “Ena  Oneiro, Mia Efxi” foundation, which helps children with cancer, while he is a journalist by trade.

He studied journalism and public relations at the United Kingdom’s Middlesex University, before returning to the island to work as a journalist, working, among other outlets, for the Cyprus Mail.

Additionally, he served as the director of the Cyprus News Agency and the secretary-general of the alliance of Mediterranean news agencies.

Just as the other 55 serving members of Cyprus’ parliament, Penintaex will be up for re-election in May.