“The upcoming elections are of great value in terms of claiming resources from Europe,” emphasized the Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance, Nikos Papathanasisfrom the work of the Balkan Energy Forum held in Kozani.

Mr. Papathanasis emphasized that “Greece’s public investment program for 2024 amounts to 12.2 billion euros and is the largest of the last 14 years”. Of these, 8 billion come from European resources and thus “we finance, either through the Recovery Fund or the NSRF, programs of citizens’ daily life, from issues related to health prevention, to actions related to energy saving”.

The Deputy Minister of National Economy explained that Greece is the first country to receive financial aid through the plan submitted for the Just Development Transition, amounting to 1.6 billion euros, that Europe is watching us and we must succeed not to lose even a euro that could change the image of Western Macedonia”.

He also stated that “western Macedonia receives 67% of the resources from the Just Transition Fund, while for the period 2021-27 it received an increased NSRF amounting to 394 million euros”. At the same time, a national development program for western Macedonia in the amount of 126 million euros is also running.

Mr. Papathanasis referred to the small business support program of the Just Transition Fund, the call for which was completed a few days ago where 840 business plans were submitted amounting to 72 million euros, in which Western Macedonia has 619 plans with a budget of 52 million euros. According to the investment plans, the creation of 1,600 new jobs is foreseen, of which 1,197 concern Western Macedonia.

Mr. Papathanasis expressed his optimism that in the large program amounting to 280 million euros which concerns large companies and will be open until June 30, “large companies wishing to settle in the area will show interest”.

The Deputy Minister of the Interior responsible for Macedonian Thrace issues, Stathis Konstantinidis, said that “for the first time the energy forum is held outside of Thessaloniki and also for the first time, in addition to the conference character, it also acquires an exhibition dimension, with the participation of universities, businesses and investors in the issues of electrification, production hydrogen and CO2 sequestration’.

Referring to the de-lignitization issue, he stated that “we have to change the identity of our country and that this will be done with the help of the tools we have in our hands”.

“We have the burden of responsibility for what is happening in the region,” stressed Mr. Konstantinidis, asking the local governments, investors and agencies “to jointly create new components for western Macedonia.”

The US consul in Greece, Jerry Ismael, referred to US plans for “the development of a Greece-Ukraine energy corridor”. In his short greeting he explained that “the vertical corridor could in the near future support the development of green hydrogen”.

Referring to the procurement of renewable energy technologies, he stated that “one should not depend only on one country” and that “overconcentration of manufacturing potential can pose a risk to the security of sources and at the same time create new dependencies”.

Kyriakos Pozrikidis, managing director of TIF Helexpo, emphasized that “after 12 years we are returning to the heart of energy developments in Kozani with the organization of the Balkan Energy Forum”.

Outside the site of the Exhibition Center of Western Macedonia in Koila Kozani, there were protests by groups of citizens for the uncontrolled installations of photovoltaic parks in areas of Western Macedonia and others, which claimed the creation of electrical space on behalf of the energy communities.