UPDATE - Anadolu Agency Athens correspondent passes away

UPDATES WITH REMARKS FROM SYRIZA PARTY

By Salih Baran, Omer Tugrul Cam and Magda Panoutsopoulou

EDIRNE/ANKARA/ATHENS (AA) - Furkan Naci Top, Anadolu Agency's chief finance correspondent in Athens, has lost his life in the university hospital where he was being treated for cancer. He was 34.

Top's funeral service was held in the city of Edirne, northwestern Turkey, where he was from.

The funeral was attended by his family, as well as Anadolu Agency International Operations Director Mucahit Muhammed Soykan, Finance Editor Yilmaz Yildiz, Edirne Region Chief Salih Baran, and other colleagues.

Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu both telephoned Senol Kazanci, the agency's director general, to express their condolences.

Kazanci said everyone did everything in their power for his recovery.

He shared his condolences with Top's family, saying the entire agency is deeply saddened by this loss.

Michalis Psilos, former head of the official Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA), said he had worked closely with Top, and praised him as a very successful journalist.

Psilos said Furkan would always be remembered for his energy and lovely smile.

The Greek Syriza party expressed their condolences to Top's family, describing him as "having served at his critical post with responsibility and professionalism, retaining before every challenge an outstanding attitude of genuine kindness and graciousness that distinguished him."

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of Furkan Naci Top who has been working successfully as Anadolu Agency's Athens correspondent since November 2016," Director General of Anadolu Agency Senol Kazanci said.

"I pray for God's grace upon him and send my heartfelt condolences to all members of the Anadolu Agency family."

Before his appointment to Athens, Furkan Naci Top also worked for a time at the agency's English News Desk.

*Writing by Firdevs Bulut