Eleni Mavrou (, ) is a Cypriot politician currently serving as the Executive Chairman of Dialogos Media Group. She served as Minister of Interior of the

Republic of Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the third lar ...

until February 2013. From 2007 to 2011, she served as the mayor of the capital city,

Nicosia Nicosia, also known as Lefkosia and Lefkoşa, is the capital and largest city of Cyprus. It is the southeasternmost of all EU member states' capital cities. Nicosia has been continuously inhabited for over 5,500 years and has been the capi ...

. Thus, Mavrou became the first female mayor of Nicosia, as well as the first female Minister of Interior. Born in Kyrenia in 1961, her family was forced to leave their house in 1974 due to the

Turkish invasion of Cyprus The Turkish invasion of Cyprus began on 20 July 1974 and progressed in two phases over the following month. Taking place upon a background of Cypriot intercommunal violence, intercommunal violence between Greek Cypriots, Greek and Turkish Cy ...

, and since then they have lived in Nicosia.

Student career

Mavrou initially studied Civil Engineering at the Higher Technical Institute in Nicosia, but continued her education at the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...

, where she obtained her BSc degree in Politics and International Relations. During her student years, Mavrou was actively involved in Cypriot local student movement, and later in the progressive youth movement. Among other things, she held the position of Vice President of the Cyprus Federation of Students and Young Scientists, and was appointed Secretary General of EDON.

Political career

As a member of AKEL's Central Committee, Mavrou's efforts were focused on the areas of Local Authority and the Environment for many years. She demonstrated a great interest in human rights issues, and played an active role in the women's movement. She served as a Councilor on the Nicosia Municipal Council for two consecutive terms, from 1986 to 1996. In 2001, she was elected in

to be among AKEL's members of the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...

, and was re-elected to the same position in

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

. She served as President of the House Committee on the Environment, and as a member of the House Committees on Internal Affairs and Human Rights. She was a member of the European Convention on the Future of the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

, and in 2003 was appointed by the House of Representatives as a Cyprus observer at the

European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it ...

. After Cyprus's accession to the European Union, and until the elected Cyprus

Members of the European Parliament A member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Comm ...

took office, Mavrou represented Cyprus at the European Parliament. During the same period, she was a member of the Committee for the Environment, Public Health, and Food Safety, as well as the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice, and Internal Affairs. In the municipal elections which were held on 17 December 2006, she ran as the candidate of the Municipal Coalition which united the three parties of AKEL, DIKO, and EDEK. She was elected Mayor of

, and became the first female mayor of the capital of Cyprus. She took office on 2 January 2007, and held the post until 31 December 2011. On 20 March 2012 she was appointed Minister of Interior. Mavrou has been awarded the decoration of Chevalier of the National Order of the Legion of Honour of the

French Republic France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, as well as the ''Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver with Sash'' for Services to the Republic of Austria (2007). She is also long-listed for the 2008 World Mayor award.

References

External links

CityMayors profileRepublic of Cyprus: Press and Information Office
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mavrou, Eleni 1961 births Living people Alumni of University of London Worldwide Alumni of the University of London Cypriot city councillors Cypriot refugees Mayors of places in Cyprus Members of the House of Representatives (Cyprus) Politicians from Nicosia Women mayors of places in Cyprus Progressive Party of Working People politicians Recipients of the Grand Decoration with Sash for Services to the Republic of Austria Women government ministers of Cyprus 21st-century Cypriot women politicians 21st-century Cypriot politicians Female interior ministers Mayors of Nicosia Ministers of interior of Cyprus