IENE’s Position Strengthened by the Admission of New Partners from SE European Countries

Apart from Greece, where IENE is based, the Institute is also active in the Western Balkans (Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia,Serbia), and in Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Israel and Cyprus.

Speaking at the recent AGM, Costis Stambolis, Chairman and Executive Director of IENE, said: "Today is a historic day for our Institute as it is the first time that our partners from the countries of SE Europe participate, following the enlargement decided at the previous General Assembly, in February 2020. Today’s meeting comes as the culmination of consistent work and efforts since the founding of the Institute in 2003. We welcome our friends and associates to this upper governing body of the Institute and aspire to continue and strengthen our cooperation. Our goal remains constant and concerns the highlighting of the challenges and opportunities of the energy sector in the countries of the region while raising public and governments’ awareness on key energy and environmental issues. Something that is achieved through the studies and research work carried out by IENE, from its public interventions but also through the regular and fully documented information that it produces on a continuous basis."

On his part, Dr. John Desypris, former Chairman and co-founder of IENE, stated in this regard: "I greet everyone participating today and also welcome the new partners- old friends and trusted collaborators - from our wider geographical region. The expansion of IENE with the participation of energy professionals from all countries in the region was from the beginning a vision of IENE that today, after a difficult journey of 17 years, is finally becoming a reality. I am absolutely sure that the active participation of the new partners will significantly help to strengthen the role and capabilities of our Institute so that it can contribute even more to the energy development of the region".

Speaking on the same wavelength, the also former Chairman and co-founder of IENE, John Chadjivassiliadis, addressed the new partners whom he encouraged to participate equally actively in the work and research programmes of the Institute, contributing their valuable knowledge and experience. "With your active participation as partners of IENE, you can be sure that you contribute to the goals of the Institute to substantially assist the governments and citizens of our countries, as well as the energy community, to face the very serious challenges during the energy transition." Chadjivassiliadis said.

With the addition of the new partners, the total number of members of the General Assembly of IENE reached 42, of which 12 come from the countries of the region. The new partners, who are already actively involved in the work of the Institute are: Prof. Vesna Borozan (North Macedonia), Slavtcho Neykov (Bulgaria), Eugenia Gusilov (Romania), Mihailo Mihailovic (Serbia), Dr. Stavri Dhima (Albania), Gokhan Yardim (Turkey), Dr. Gina Cohen (Israel), Fadil Ismajli (Kosovo), Aleksandar Mijuskovic (Montenegro), Mirsad Sabanovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Robert Bosnjak (Croatia) and Iosif Iosif (Cyprus).