10/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - EP pays homage to Lothar Bisky, who passed away this summer. At the opening of the plenary session on Monday 9 September, MEPs paid homage with a minute's silence, to their colleague Lothar Bisky (GUE/NGL, Germany), who passed away on 13 August last. EP president, Martin Schulz described the death of Mr Bisky as a “serious loss to the European Parliament”. He described the MEP as “a loyal, humble friend, and a highly educated and pleasant interlocutor”. He added that the MEP was also “always a formidable interlocutor” who had been very well respected by all the political parties, “loyal” to his colleagues and had helped towards the development of both European and German politics. Mr Bisky was a former president of the GUE Group at the EP. He was 71. (CG/transl.fl)