Event organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Transparency Authority titled “A Safe and Creative Work Environment in the Public Sector”

The event, which was co-organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Transparency Authority, took place on Monday, October 13, 2025. The event highlighted a contemporary aspect of work in the public sector, with the theme "A Safe and Creative Work Environment in the Public Sector: Best Practices for Conflict Resolution in Greece and Europe." The event focused on the National Transparency Authority's substantive leadership role and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' innovative initiatives in the field of preventing and addressing workplace violence and harassment. It is noteworthy that Greece was the first European nation to ratify the International Labour Organization Convention No. 190, entitled "on the elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work," as enshrined in Law 4808/2021.

Creating a modern and inclusive work environment, where every employee feels they have a voice, a role, and creative space to fully develop their potential is a key priority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Alexandra Papadopoulou, in her opening remarks.

Representing the Minister of the Interior, Theodoros Livanos, the Secretary General of Public Administration at the Ministry of the Interior, Ioannis Foustanakis, referred, among other things, to the 2023 Decision of the Minister of the Interior, which strengthens the institutional framework of Law 4808/2021 in the public sector and ensures an environment of confidentiality for reporting harassment.

In turn, the NTA Governor, Alexandra Rogkakou, emphasized that addressing workplace violence and harassment (mobbing) is a complex issue that requires challenging established perceptions and flawed “norms” of behavior, and she referred to the institution of the Integrity Advisor.

 The Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Teresa-Paraskevi Angelatou, referring to the issuance of relevant Guidelines, the establishment of a new mechanism for submitting confidential reports, and the upcoming organization of seminars on the modern concept of leadership. The practical implementation of the mechanism and the challenges it entails were analyzed by the First Deputy Director General of Human Resources and Administrative Organization at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Apostolos Baltas. The Head of the Equality Department, Natalia Panourgia, presented the Department’s role and confirmed that flagship prevention initiatives, such as the designation of February as “Month of Awareness Against Violence and Harassment in the Workplace,” have become an established part of the Ministry’s annual activities.

On behalf of the NTA, the institution of the Integrity Advisor in the Greek public administration was presented by the Director General of Integrity and Accountability, Maria Konstantinidou, who highlighted its role as a confidential point of contact for every employee within an organization. The presentation by the Head of the Department of Social Security, Social Solidarity, and Labor Relations, Nikolitsa Rapti, focused on the NTA’s role as a body for reporting incidents of violence and harassment (mobbing) in the public sector.

Drawing on best practices from Europe, the presentation by the Ombudsman of the European External Action Service, Loïc Lallemand-Zeller, who highlighted the importance of informal procedures for resolving workplace disputes and the trust these must inspire among all staff.

The British Ambassador to Greece, Matthew Lodge, spoke about the challenges in this area and initiatives by the UK Foreign Office (such as the “Speak Up 2025” programme for public sector employees).

Finally, the European Investment Bank’s (EIB) human resources policies were developed by Marianna Nathanail, Head of the EIB Office in Athens.

The event was honored by the presence of representatives of the Diplomatic Corps, Secretaries-General of Ministries, Presidents of Independent Authorities, Academics, and members of the Public Administration. The event was moderated by diplomatic editor Alexandra Fotaki and took place in the “G. Kranidiotis” Auditorium of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.