BBSF spring Ambassadors Meeting, June 2025

The 5th “Ambassadors’ Meeting” of the Balkans & Black Sea Forum was held on Thursday, June 26, 2025, from 16:00 to 19:00, hosted by the Ambassador of Israel to Greece, H.E. Mr. Noam Katz.

Participants engaged in a lively and constructive dialogue, exchanging views on the upcoming activities of both the Balkans & Black Sea Forum and the AgriBusiness Forum.

Guest speaker Mr. Mathios Rigas, CEO of Energean, delivered an insightful presentation on natural gas reserves and challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Participants in the meeting have been (A-Z order):

Ambassadors

  • HE Stavros Avgoustides, Ambassador of Cyprus
  • HE Noam Katz, Ambassador of Israel
  • HE Arif Mammadov, Ambassador of Azerbaijan
  • HE Valentin Poriazov, Ambassador of Bulgaria
  • HE Andrei Popov, Ambassador of Moldova
  • HE Zsolt Sandor, Ambassador of Hungary
  • HE Timur Sultangozhin, Ambassador of Kazakhstan
  • HE Aleksandar Sunko, Ambassador of Croatia
  • HE Gerda Vogl, Ambassador of Austria
  • ΗΕ Dragan Vukovic, Ambassador of Bosnia-Herzegovina
  • Mr Boris Mirchevski, Chargé d’Affaires, North Macedonia

Embassy of Israel

  • Mr. Doron Lebovich, Deputy Chief  of Mission, Embassy of Israel
  • Ms. Nelly Leon, Economic Coordinator, Embassy of Israel

Energean PLC

  • Mr. Mathios Rigas, Chief Executive Officer
  • Mr. Sotiris Chiotakis, Head Corporate Affairs & Comm. Greece, Balkans, SEE

Balkans & Black Sea Forum

  • Mr. Giannis Balakakis, Chair, Organizing Committee
  • Ms. Christina Mangou, V.P. Comm-External Relations

The next Ambassadorial meeting will be held in late Autumn 2025