NTA Workshops: A Source of Integrity, A Bridge of Trust

More than 1,440 officials from the public and private sectors attended the two consecutive workshops organized by the National Transparency Authority (NTA) on November 19 and 20, 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 the Elpida Resort & Spa Hotel in Serres, bringing together representatives of political leadership, the academic community, and local organizations.

The workshops were opened by the NTA Governor, Ms. Alexandra Rogakou, who highlighted the Authority’s pivotal role in promoting transparency and accountability, as well as the value of public trust in institutions. In Thessaloniki, welcoming remarks were delivered by the Deputy Minister of the Interior, Mr. Konstantinos Gioulekas; 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 law enforcement agencies.

In Serres, similar remarks were made by the Mayor of Serres, Ms. Varvara Matliaga, the Deputy Regional Governor for the Environment and Energy of Eastern Macedonia – Thrace, Mr. Anargyros Patakakis, Professor Kyriakos Anastasiadis, Rector of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Professor Stelios Xanthos, Vice Rector for Finance, Planning & Development at the International University of Greece, Police Director Alexandros Karagiannidis, Deputy Director of the Serres Police Department, and Mr. Ioannis Andritsos, Deputy Commander of the 4th Health Region of Macedonia and Thrace.

The presentations highlighted the need to strengthen oversight mechanisms and cooperation with the NTA, particularly in critical sectors such as public administration, health, and security.

The first session of the workshops focused on the Authority’s institutional framework and modern approaches to integrity governance. The Head of the General Directorate of Financial & Administrative Affairs and e-Government, Ms. Konstantina Mastrogianni, presented the basic principles, objectives, and digital infrastructure of the NTA. Joining her, the Deputy Head of the Directorate of Strategic Planning & Behavioral Analysis, Mr. Georgios Kasapas, analyzed the role of behavioral methods and prevention strategies in modern supervisory policy. The presentations were common to both cities, highlighting the Authority’s unified direction.

In the second thematic section, the substantive work of the Regional Services of Thessaloniki and Serres was presented, with an emphasis on audit methodologies, contemporary challenges, and conclusions drawn from their activities.

In Thessaloniki, the Governor of the NTA, together with the Head of the Thessaloniki Regional Directorate, Mr. Alexandros Kelesidis, and the office’s staff, outlined the findings and priorities of audits in critical areas, such as financial management, procurement procedures, and compliance with regulatory obligations in public entities.

Similarly, at the Regional Directorate of Serres, the Head, Ms. Sotiria Papadopoulou, and the agency’s executives presented the specificities of the audit work in the wider region, highlighting the need to strengthen local administrative capacity and prevent instances of mismanagement.

The common conclusion drawn from the two workshops is the need for continuous strengthening of cooperation among institutions, audit mechanisms, and society. Participants emphasized the importance of prevention, transparency, and the EAD’s stable institutional presence as the cornerstone of a modern, open, and trustworthy public administration.

The workshops concluded with a discussion and dialogue with the public, confirming the positive response and interest of local communities in the EAD’s activities.

This initiative is being implemented as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan ‘’Greece 2.0’’, funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.