Deputy Macedonia-Thrace Minister Stavros Kalafatis on Monday launched the Association of Balkan News Agencies - Southeastern Europe (ABNA-SE) Conference on "The role of news information in the new Balkan reality", which has been organised by the Athens-Macedonian News Agency and is taking place at the Emilios Riadis Multipurpose Hall at Helexpo in Thessaloniki.

In his opening greeting, the minister expressed Greece's support for the European prospects of the western Balkans and noted that, despite the occasional turbulence in the region, the journalists working at Balkan and Southeastern European news agencies maintain open channels of communication.
"ABNA has undoubtedly managed to find common factors for dialogue, exchanges and cooperation and this is in itself hugely important and excellent for informing societies in our countries and creating a climate of peace and security in the Balkans and the wider region," Kalafatis said.

Finding a common step and approach for dealing with issues that concern the mass media in SE Europe and the world, especially the fake news mechanisms that are constantly active and adapting to developments, remained a major goal, he added, while he also referred to the impact of the tragic rail accident at Tempi.
The conference is being organised in the framework of the Athens-Macedonian News Agency's presidency of ABNA-SE, with the participation of the presidents and general directors of Balkan, Mediterranean and other European news agencies.

It will examine the role of news and the media in Southeastern Europe in the asymmetrical reality of the 21st century, the European prospects of the Western Balkans, the shaping of the new energy map in the region and the importance of the interconnection of transport, trade, telecommunications and tourist networks for growth.
The conference can be viewed live in either Greek: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dNZ8yTCNDg or English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kILNDMfSy6M
Further information is also available at the following websites:

https://www.amna.gr/abnaconference (in Greek)

https://www.amna.gr/en/abnaconference (in English)

SPONSORS - SUPPORTERS

MEGA SPONSOR: Aegean Airlines. GOLD SPONSOR: HELLENiQ ENERGY, Papastratos, AVAX, MYTILINEOS, CISCO - International Centre of Digital Transformation and Digital Skills.
SUPPORTERS: General Secretariat for Media and Communication, Central Macedonia Region, Thessaloniki Municipality, Greek National Tourism Organisation, Tourism Organisation of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki Port Authority, European Interbalkan Medical Centre, the Association of Winemakers of Northern Greece and Elenidis.