Veteran journalist Kokos Leonida passes away

Veteran journalist Yiorgos (Kokos) Leonida died on Wednesday at the age of 87, the Cyprus Union of Journalists, of which he was a founding member, announced on Thursday.

During his long career, he worked at Eleftheria and Agon newspapers, and was the Cyprus correspondent of the Athens News Agency from 1974 to 2004.

He was also the correspondent for a number of Athens newspapers such as Kathimerini, Mesimvrini and To Vima, as well as of New York newspaper for the Greek diaspora Proini.

Leonida was a founding member of the union in 1959 – he held the number seven on the register of members – and was also a founder of the union’s branch of veteran journalists in 2010, of which he served as vice president.