More than 1440 public and private sector executives attended the two consecutive workshops organized by the National Transparency Authority (NTA) on 19 and 20 November 2025, in Thessaloniki and Serres respectively.
The aim of the events was to inform the local community, local government, and citizens themselves about the role and mission of the NTA. The workshops were held at the Mediterranean Palace Hotel in Thessaloniki and at the Elpida Resort & Spa Hotel in Serres, bringing together representatives of the political leadership, the academic community and local bodies.
The opening of the conference was marked by the Director of the National Anti-Corruption Authority, Ms. Alexandra Rogakou, who referred to the Authority’s pivotal role in enhancing transparency, accountability and the value of citizens’ trust in institutions. In Thessaloniki, greetings were delivered by the Deputy Minister of Interior, Mr. Konstantinos Gkoulekas, the Regional Governor of Central Macedonia, Ms. Athina Athanasiadou-Aidona, the Secretary of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia-Thrace, Mr. Dimitrios Galamatis, as well as representatives of the academic community and the security forces.
In Serres, corresponding interventions were made by the Mayor of Serres, Mrs. Varvara Matliaga, the Deputy Regional Governor for Environment and Energy of Eastern Macedonia – Thrace, Mr. Anargyros Patakakis, Professor Kyriakos Anastasiades, Rector of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Professor Stelios Xanthos, Vice-Rector for Finance, Planning & Development of the International Hellenic University, Police Director Alexandros Karagiannidis, 4th Deputy Director of the Serres Police Directorate and Mr. Ioannis Andritsos, Deputy Governor of the 4th Health Region of Macedonia and Thrace.
The presentations highlighted the need to strengthen the supervisory mechanisms and cooperation with the Authority, especially in critical areas such as public administration, health and safety.
The first section of the workshops focused on the institutional framework of the Authority’s operation and modern approaches to integrity governance. The Head of the General Directorate of Financial & Administrative Services and E-Government, Ms. Konstantina Mastrogianni, presented the basic principles, objectives and digital infrastructure of the Authority. Together with her, the Deputy Head of the Strategic Planning & Behavioral Analysis Directorate, Mr. Georgios Kasapas analyzed the role of behavioral methods and strategic prevention in modern supervisory policy. The presentations were common to both cities, highlighting the unified direction of the Authority.
The second thematic section presented the essential work of the Regional Services of Thessaloniki and Serres, with emphasis on audit methodologies, modern challenges and conclusions from their activities.
In Thessaloniki, the Director of the Public Procurement Office, together with the Head of the Thessaloniki Regional Service, Mr. Alexandros Kelesidis and the service executives, developed the findings and priorities of the audits in critical areas, such as financial management, procurement procedures and compliance with regulatory obligations in public bodies.
Correspondingly, in the Serres Regional Service, the Head, Ms. Sotiria Papadopoulou and the service executives presented the specificities of the audit work in the wider region, highlighting the needs to strengthen local administrative efficiency and prevent maladministration.
The common conclusion that emerged from the two workshops is the need for continuous strengthening of cooperation between institutions, control mechanisms and society. The participants underlined the importance of prevention, transparency and the stable institutional presence of the OA as a cornerstone for a modern, open and reliable public administration.
The workshops concluded with a discussion and dialogue with the public, confirming the response and interest of local communities for the actions of the OA.
