Esteemed participants,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear friends,

I have the honor to address this International Conference dedicated to our great people's saint and educator, St. Clement of Ohrid. This year, as we mark 11 centuries since his physical death, we are reminded of his messages, which should help us remain faithful to the enduring and eternal moral and ethical principles and values. But, to be able to do so, we must go back to the well-spring from which St. Clement drank water since the water at the well-spring is always the purest and the teachings are the clearest.

At the very beginning of his mission, Jesus Christ shared his first messages in the famous Sermon on the Mount. Yet, of all the messages contained in the sermon, first are the eight beatitudes. Among these eight beatitudes, the fourth is devoted to justice: "Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied".

As humans, we all deeply strive to satisfy justice. We are in pain when there is injustice.

The concept of justice is pre-political, which means that justice existed before the state. The need for justice is deeply embedded in humans and in humanity.

Justinian in Corpus Iuris Civilis, defined justice as "the constant and perpetual desire to give to each one that to which he is entitled". Not coincidentally, Justitia, with the veil over her eyes, became a universal symbol of one thing - all people, regardless of their gender, ethnic, religious, linguistic, political, social background deserve equality before the letter of the law. Equality before law, however, has become a cornerstone of the rule of law in the modern democratic states and societies.

Today, the struggle for justice is in the core of what some call "a global movement of movements". The abolition of slavery and apartheid, post-colonialism, emancipation, civil rights and social justice movements, gender and political equality commitment are part of this movement of movements.

The struggle for justice is the basic thread in the Macedonian story. It is not by chance, that our anthem praises "the Macedonians (who) fight for their own rights". It is not by chance that all Macedonian manifestos and declarations call for justice for Macedonia. It is not by chance either, that all of our uprisings were fought for human rights. Justice was done when, 25 years ago, the Republic of Macedonia became an independent and sovereign country. Then, a great historical injustice done to the people of Macedonia was corrected. However, for the past 25 years, as a country we have always felt bitterness when faced with injustice; when our name, identity, the right to self-identification and the right to human dignity is disputed. We sense the same bitterness seeing that we are unfairly blocked in our European and Euro-Atlantic integration. We have that same feeling when we see that our past is challenged, our present is blocked and our future is taken away.

As a nation and people, we are hungry and thirsty for righteousness. However, this does not mean that we, as people, are completely righteous.

In the Book of Romans, Paul the Apostle reminds us that: "There is no one righteous ... not even one".

In other words, since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, the whole mankind was trapped in a state of injustice, transmitted from man to man, from generation to generation for centuries and millennia.

We in the Republic of Macedonia are victims of this injustice. But the injustice done to us with the blockades has created an atmosphere of frustration in which we have become unfair to each other. As a society, we spiraled into a cycle which, from self-righteousness through self-pity, leads to alienation and condemnation of the opponent. We have started to condemn and blame each other as cruel opponents. It was especially evident during the political crisis that culminated in this 2016.

Is there a way out of this situation?

Right after the fourth beatitude on justice, it seems that Christ revealed the grand plan of salvation of humanity from the chains of injustice. And that plan is explicated in the fifth beatitude on mercy. Hence, he says: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy".

Distinguished Guests,

Nothing happens by chance, and even if something appears to have, it still has a particular purpose. I believe this also refers to the order of these two beatitudes on justice and mercy, which are mentioned in succession.

Perfect justice is something we are deeply longing for, but we cannot reach or achieve it alone, relying on our own strength only. As our people say, no man is faultless. The principles of justice mean that every wrongdoer should pay. But the price for the mistakes of humanity against people as well as those against nature, which are constantly increasing, is so high that none of us can pay. Therefore, as people, aware of our imperfections, we ask for mercy in repentance. Mercy, by definition, is not earned. Mercy is bestowed.

Where our human capacity for justice and justification ends, the grace of God that justifies us begins.

Mercy is given a central position in the Bible, in the words and deeds of Christ, who showed mercy to anyone who asked for it.

Reading the four Gospels, we see that His mercy was unrelenting. To the blind who wanted to see. To the sick who wanted to be healed. To lepers who wanted to be cleansed. To the foreigners who were shunned. But also to the sinners who were excluded.

At the same time, he constantly speaks of mercy through his parables. One is the parable of the servant who owed a lot of money to his master. When the master was to collect the debt, the servant begged for mercy, and the large debt was forgiven to him. And the first thing the servant did afterwards illustrates the fallen human condition. The servant refused to forgive the small debt to his friend. He refused to show a little bit of mercy, although he received great mercy.

We, as a people, were given great mercy for our wrong thoughts, words and deeds. All we need to do is show a little bit of mercy to those who ask that from us.

St. Clement called mercy a wing of prayer. He mentions mercy in almost all of his lessons and sermons.

In his Lesson on Pentecost St. Clement of Ohrid said, "... let us not call ourselves Christians only by name, but try, through good deeds, to attain peace of mind and love for all ... May the mercy you give be unrelenting, for it shall wash away all sins and open the gates of heaven, turning God's wrath into gentleness and grace; mercy shall pave the way for us to heaven and courageously place us by God's throne; as the apostle said, mercy shall be on our Judgment day. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy, and judgment will be merciless those who have not shown mercy".

Ladies and gentlemen,

If there is one word to describe St. Clement of Ohrid, then that word is mercy. And we will not be mistaken, because mercy is contained even in his name. Clement, i.e. Clementia, is the Latin name for mercy.

St. Clement of Ohrid received his spiritual name in the year 868 by the Roman Pope Adrian II, in honor of St. Clement of Rome, whose relics were brought by his teachers, St. Constantine - Cyril and Methodius, in Rome.

Faithful to his name, St. Clement of Ohrid devoted the monastery he built in Plaosnik to another saint, whose Greek name again hides the word mercy – Panteleimon which means all-merciful.

Why do I say all this? Because I believe that through St. Clement of Ohrid, our great people's teacher and saint, we have a reminder. A reminder of how to get out of the vicious circle of self-righteousness that leads to self-pity, alienation and condemnation. The key to get out of that circle is mercy.

Let us strive for justice, aware of our imperfection; and to be merciful, so that we can find mercy for ourselves.

All of this is not only important for Macedonia, but for the whole Balkan region and Europe, where mercy has become an expensive and rare value.

Globalization has created generations that grew up surrounded by consumerism, moral relativism and extreme individualism. In a world full of people who are full of themselves, where personal success is everything, personality is reduced to a matter of personal choice. Postmodernism undermined the foundations of the concepts of justice, morality and mercy, which are vulgarized.

At the same time, the refugee and migrant crisis showed the real face of Europe. The fear of diversity has prevented Europe of seeing humanity in refugees and migrants. The fear has entrapped mercy.

Therefore, let us recall the message of St. Clement. Let us remember everything he taught our ancestors of. At one point he says: "let us compete in terms of love; let us uplift our mind through enlightening it with mercy and purity". Today I will also add, may we all uplift our minds and not allow ourselves to sink. Let us build our societies and states in height, with the highest ethical and moral standards and values.

But for this, we need the Church. The seed sown will bear good fruit only if it falls on fertile soil and is irrigated from the pure well-spring of life-giving water.

In Ohrid, we see the mercy of God, who gave us such nature and beauty. Moreover, the poet Konstantin Miladinov, referring in his poems to the lake, says: "God's beauty is everywhere". Therefore, over the centuries, people were building churches and monasteries which at one point amounted to 365. One of them is the monastery of St. Clement of Ohrid, built in the most beautiful site in Ohrid.

Just like Ohrid, St. Clement of Ohrid is part of God's mercy to the Slavdom and especially to Macedonia. We must be grateful for this mercy. A true appreciation is not expressed by mentioning his name only, but by respecting and bringing his words and teachings into life.

At the very end, I am convinced that each of the participants at this international conference will add at least one pebble in the mosaic that brings us closer to the life and deeds of St. Clement and the mercy he reveals.

Thank you.

Esteemed Governor of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends,

Nothing happens without people, yet nothing lasts without institutions. Despite this significant difference, there is something that is common for people and institutions. And that is the issue of trust.

This 2016, we faced and are still facing a deep political crisis, which is a reflection of lack of mutual trust in our society. However, even in such complex conditions, it proved that the state institutions are functional and have justified the trust of the citizens. One of those institutions is the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia, which celebrates this year a jubilee - 70 years of the central banking activities in Macedonia.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
25 years ago we proclaimed sovereignty and independence. We all know that a key part of independence of a country is its monetary independence. Although we proclaimed monetary independence along with the independence, the foundations of the central banking were set at the dawn of the Macedonian state, back in 1946. Although it long functioned as a branch of the Central Bank of the former common state, the National Bank of Macedonia in that time succeeded in building the capacity necessary for quality banking.

By proclaiming independence in 1991, our central bank gained experience from two very different economic and political systems.

That experience helped us in the dawn of our independence when we faced numerous challenges. The treasury was almost empty. There was a danger of spillover of destabilization and hyperinflation from the neighborhood. However, in these exceptionally difficult times, the National Bank successfully overcame the challenges.
Is there anyone among us who does not remember the historic moment when in April 1992, Prime Minister Kljusev, from the parliamentary podium, presented the banknotes of the new Macedonian currency – the Denar? As citizens, we rejoiced at those first, modestly designed banknotes not only for their purchase, but also for their symbolic value. They symbolized that the Republic of Macedonia is monetary independent state. Establishing a stable exchange rate of the Denar, the National Bank stabilized the inflation at a low level and increased the state reserves.

Distinguished Guests,
At the beginning of my speech I mentioned trust. The trust in the banking system is being built for years and can be lost in a moment.

The global financial and credit crisis of 2008 have shaken the foundations of trust in the banking systems around the world. Still, in times when many powerful countries faced slowing economic growth, the Republic of Macedonia managed not only to keep pace but to grow into one of the fastest growing economies in Europe. As an attractive destination for foreign investment in times of crisis, we have become a positive exception to the negative rule. And this exception is due to several factors. These include numerous and fundamental economic reforms and tireless promotion of Macedonia's investment opportunities. And I, personally, as President, never miss the opportunity to open the Macedonian economy for entrepreneurs, for developed and emerging economies from around the world. But all this was possible thanks to the wise and balanced macroeconomic policy of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia.

For many countries, these critical years are, as they say, years eaten by locusts. Many economies have suffered huge losses. However, the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia was a protector of the trust in the economy. Precisely, dual trust. The trust of foreign investors, but even more importantly, the trust of the Macedonian citizens in their own institutions.

The National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia is one of the pillars of the functional and competitive Macedonian market economy. Because of all that, as President of the Republic of Macedonia, it is my honor to thank the National Bank with the Order of Merits for Macedonia. This Order is a recognition for all individuals involved in the construction and development of the National Bank in the past 70 years, and thus of the Macedonian economy.
Moreover, this Order represents a commitment. The National Bank should continue, as before, to enforce prudent, proper and independent monetary policy in line with the state interests. It should continue to be the pillar of macroeconomic stability of the independent and sovereign Republic of Macedonia. With transparent policy, it should be the guarantor of the fundamental role of the financial sector. And that is to support the real economy, to create conditions for new jobs, goods and services that will meet the real needs of the citizens. And with that, to contribute to the prosperity, well-being and progress of the Macedonian citizens, the Macedonian economy and the Macedonian state.

Finally, this Order is an expression of desire. The Macedonian Denar is today among the 164 currencies circulating in the world. As a sovereign state, we are proud of the Denar. However, we would not mind if one day the Macedonian Denar is melted into the European currency - the Euro. And thus, the dream of full-fledged membership of the Republic of Macedonia in the European Union to be fully attained. To be part of the single European market. I wish this is achieved by the next big anniversary, when we will celebrate 80 years of the Macedonian central banking activities.

Thank you.

Distinguished Attendees,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

As President of the Republic of Macedonia, I am honored to address this jubilee Paneuropean Union Congress. Among you, I feel like among friends of Macedonia. Therefore, I feel free to speak frankly.

This year 2016, the Republic of Macedonia celebrates a quarter of a century of independence. From the very beginning, we have agreed on our top strategic goals - membership in NATO and the European Union. Therefore, we have been committed to liberalization of economy, pluralism in politics and Europeanization of society.

What makes Europe so attractive? Ever since the Humanism and Renaissance, until the Industrial Revolution, Europe was the teacher of the world. Europe is the cultural and civilization space that has given the world many geniuses, creators and builders who discovered the secrets of nature and the depth of human creativity.

Here, in Europe, the most important debates were led on human rights and freedoms and the right to human dignity that originated in the Judeo-Christian idea of the innate value of every individual. For the last 60 years here, in Europe, the three things that everyone seeks: freedom, justice and peace - have been reality.

The first value is freedom. Here, in our Europe, for almost eight centuries, the thought of Alighieri that "humanity is at its best when there is the highest degree of freedom" echoes, along with the one that freedom is not only physical, but intellectual and spiritual. It is not by coincidence that in 1993, here, in our Europe, the European Court of Human Rights pointed out that freedom of thought, conscience and religion is the foundation of every democratic society.

The second value is justice. In his Corpus Iuris Civilis, Justinian stressed that justice is an unchanging and permanent desire to live honorably, not to harm anybody and give everyone what they deserve. We naturally strive for a just society, in which we all have equal rights and shared responsibilities. Driven by the desire for justice, our societies in the Balkans began to transform and implement the European standards, criteria and values. As a region we were directed towards the European Union.

Here we come to the third universal value - peace. One of the fathers of Europe, Jean Monnet said: "To build Europe is to build peace". I will add to this that European peace is nothing but concern for the welfare and dignity of the citizens. The Balkans is an excellent example of the transformative power. The European Union served as a magnet that attracted and mutually linked those in quarrel and even the Balkan countries at war. At a time of high expectations of the promises given, Balkan countries began to cooperate and build mutual trust.

These three values created conditions for economic prosperity of Europe. As one of the world's largest economies, the European Union has become the engine of global wealth. It has contributed to making Europe a super-power of lifestyle, attractive to many people in pursuit of happiness. In part, one might say that even the migrant crisis occurred due to the attractiveness of Europe. The intention of migrants was to come to the countries of European lifestyle superiority and thus be in a world where they will lead a much safer and more dignified life.

Today, many of these European benefits are in question.

Distinguished Attendees,

The year 2017 will mark six decades since the Treaties of Rome and a decade of the Treaty of Lisbon. In this period of 50 years, the European Union worked well. But the global financial and debt crisis of 2008 changed everything. The first time the EU faced a serious crisis, troubles began. The situation today is not good.

Due to the enlargement fatigue, the attractive power of the Union declined. Although the cultural and civilization roots of the idea of Europe are in the Balkans, the European Union has long neglected its roots. It left the Balkans disintegrated, outside of the European mainstreams. This is reflected on the Balkans and on the European Union itself.

The indecisiveness of the European Union and NATO to unblock the Republic of Macedonia's integration was a major reason for the political crisis in Macedonia that culminated this year. Nevertheless, the Republic of Macedonia is no exception. Almost all countries in the region face some kind of internal instability: political and economic crisis, early elections and even security threats and frequent terrorist attacks. There are again retrograde processes in the Balkans. The rhetoric used between Balkan countries is worsening by the day.

The European Union has veered off the course drawn by the founding fathers of Europe, which is building peace through cooperation, integration and enlargement. The integration engine seems to have remained out of fuel. The Union is burdened with more and more bureaucracy. Common European policies, institutions and mechanisms are losing the traction forces of the 28, soon to be 27 Member States. The terrain through which the Union passes now is highly unpredictable. The world is increasingly divided, dangerous and disoriented.

Europe faces the unresolved financial and debt crisis, the current migrant crisis and the increasingly serious security crisis. The gap between the common goals of the European Union and the specific interests of Member States has grown deeper. With the Brexit, instead of unity and enlargement, the Union slowly began to fragment and reduce.

In such complex conditions, it became fashionable to make apocalyptic predictions about the future of the European Union. Eurosceptics everywhere are booming. The Union is referred to as an unsuccessful project doomed to fail. The problem with such predictions is that they are often self-attainable. If we only lament the collapse of the Union, without offering viable solutions to the problems, at the end, those predictions will come true.

"Europe is not just a continent, it is also an idea. This idea is called Freedom". These words of Coudenhove-Kalergi were written in 1933. It was the year when Nazism came to power, which, along with fascism is the biggest enemy of freedom, of Europe and of humanity in general. At a time when many had given up on Europe, Count Kalergi believed in Europe.

Therefore, we should praise the deeds of Count Kalergi, von Habsburg, Schuman, Monnet, Adenauer and other founders of Europe. Let us not be slaves of the current mood of pessimism and fear. Fear is the filter through which we perceive only threats, not opportunities ahead. The crisis is a consequence of unused and missed opportunities. I personally believe the current crises are also opportunities for Europe.

This is the right time for a change, to recreate the European Union. This is the right time for the Union to find the strength to meet the needs of European citizens.

European leaders should help in building mechanisms for rapid decision-making in times of crisis. It took the Union 6 months to reach an agreement on the migration crisis. When the decision was finally made, there was already a new reality on the ground, which required a new decision. It turned out that bureaucratic European mechanisms are unable to clear the road of accumulated crises. Then, countries took things into their own hands. For the first time since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain, fences and wires were erected to protect against the threat of uncontrolled illegal migration.

But also, the Union should show responsibility towards its roots, the Balkans. It should find strength to continue the integration process of the countries of our region. Membership in the EU is a process that changes us. The indecision of the Union to overcome the blockades and the enlargement fatigue led to retrograde processes in South East Europe. Instead of Europeanizing the Balkans, the European Union became Balkanized. Now is time for the European Union to re-Europeanize itself and the Balkans.

Although we are not yet part of the European Union, we in Macedonia believe in the European Union. Led by the European idea, 25 years ago we started to build European Macedonia. In that endeavor we were faced with numerous challenges. But we were steadfast in achieving our strategic objectives. The Union has helped to transform our institutions. However, due to the indecisiveness of the European Union, it seems as if our house has remained unfinished. We felt on own skin the challenges of our dynamic world.

We need to re-experience the transforming power of the Union, to finish the roof of that house, of the European Republic of Macedonia in the European Balkans. Only those who best understand us can help in this endeavor. It is you, the people who, through Pan-Europe, dedicate your lives to achieving the vision of an open and united European continent.

Thank you.

Distinguished participants,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

As President of the Republic of Macedonia, it is truly an honor to wish you a warm welcome to my homeland. Tonight, we are gathered in the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle, not because we consider the past to be a place of residence, but rather - a place of reference. And we refer to it in order to draw some lessons and guidelines for the future.

When I declared this Museum open five years ago, I personally placed the key documents of our statehood in these premises. One of those documents is the Declaration for Sovereignty and Independence of the Republic of Macedonia. This Declaration was adopted by the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia on September 17, 1991, a fortnight after the referendum on which Macedonian citizens expressed their will for independence and sovereignty. This Declaration is a testimony of one thing. Namely, that in the dawn of its independence, the Republic of Macedonia accepted all the rights and responsibilities stemming from the principles of international relations, contained in the documents of the United Nations, in the Helsinki Final Act and the Paris Charter.

25 years have passed since then. It took the OSCE almost four long years to accept the reality of Macedonian statehood and to respond positively to our application for membership.

However, although unjustly blocked, we did not renounce the OSCE because we believed deeply in the righteousness of the principles of democracy, human rights and freedoms, the right to human dignity, respect of international law and rule of law as preconditions to good governance. We did not give up, because we believed in the OSCE. That trust and persistence paid off. The input and engagement of OSCE in Macedonia have been significant. It helped is achieve many European standards, criteria and values. Thanks to all of that, today, instead of a beneficiary as it used to be, my country has become an active contributor to the goals of the Organization. This, through both the Macedonian model of coexistence and respect of diversity, and good neighborly relations.

Dear participants,

Today we have a new reality in the world. Europe, among other things, is facing a double challenge. On one hand, millions of migrants are in pursuit of a dignified life in the most developed European countries. On the other, foreign terrorist fighters are taking advantage of the European spirit of openness in order to sow the seed of hatred and destruction.

This double challenge unveiled the impotence of administration and diplomacy as primary mechanisms of democratic states. Many global and regional international organizations did not manage to build functioning decision making mechanisms in conditions of crisis. Unfortunately, OSCE was no exception. Its early warning mechanisms failed.

At the same time, in our region of Southeast Europe, we see some retrograde processes reemerging and bringing into question the cooperation that was so painstakingly built throughout these past decades.

Each of the countries in the region is facing challenges, including the Republic of Macedonia. The blockade of European and Euro-Atlantic integration of the Republic of Macedonia became one of the main reasons for the permanent political crisis that culminated this year. With this, the consequences of the blockades became reasons for new blockades. I believe that early parliamentary elections might be an exit strategy for this crisis, but only if after the elections, the integration process is unblocked. Only by opening the European perspective for Macedonian citizens will we be able to come out of the vicious cycle of political crises and mistrust.

This is exactly why we are not renouncing the OSCE – because we believe that it can provide part of the response to this challenge.

However, in order to do it, us Member States, we must also contribute to the transformation of our organization. We must help the OSCE to find its rightful place in this cruel 21st century. It is necessary for OSCE to adapt to changes in order to be able to face challenges. This can be done with less declarations and more concrete initiatives and solutions based on the real needs of the citizens of our countries. Those are namely the needs for freedom, democracy and economic development. However, in order to achieve this, we need security and cooperation.

With this thought, in conclusion, I wish to see the results of the work of this 15th Autumn Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly becoming part of the process of necessary transformation that will help us achieve one thing; To set the bases for a true multiethnic, multireligious and multilingual European society together - a society that will be free, fair, stable and secure.

Thank you.

Respected Attendees,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends,

We live in a time of fast food, fast cars and fast life which, sometimes, unfortunately, soon ends. More than 1,200,000 people die on roads worldwide annually. Between 20 and 50 million are lighter or heavier injured as a result of a traffic accident. However, from around the world, there are least victims in Europe. And in Europe, there are least victims in the most developed countries of the European Union.

I believe each of you will agree that it is ungrateful victims to be reduced to statistics. Sometimes, however, statistics helps us realize regularity. This regularity suggests the following: the more developed society, the more you care about the welfare of its members and the less frequent victims of traffic accidents. In the Republic of Macedonia, per year on average, between 160 and 170 people lose their lives in traffic accidents. The number of injured is many times larger. It is very prematurely ceased lives, unexploited opportunities and unfulfilled dreams. It's a great loss for the families, the society and the state. But this challenge is faced by almost all countries in the region of Southeast Europe.

The goal each of our countries has set is the number of casualties in traffic accidents to be reduced and be closer to the European Union average. Certainly, the situation in the entire region today would be far better if we were part of the Union. Unfortunately, in recent years, the European Union, which faces major challenges, is turned to itself and has left us alone.

However, there are issues that simply cannot wait for the opportune time to start negotiations for EU membership. One of them is the issue of traffic safety.

As President of the Republic of Macedonia I accepted the invitation to be patron of this first regional conference because I believe you do not wait for the administration in Brussels to open the chapter and to raise the issue of traffic safety. I am convinced your aim is to protect the greatest value of all, which is the human life.

Esteemed participants,

We all know that every traffic participant has the right to be safe and drive safely. But often we forget that this right to road safety implies personal responsibility of each participant in the traffic. And that responsibility is expressed through obeying the laws and the rights of the other traffic participants. In other words, traffic safety depends on the triangle of law, accountability and respect. Right that implies responsibility and accountability practiced with respect.

No institution itself can achieve this. No new roads or new laws or higher penalties and stricter sanctions alone will reduce the death rate on the roads if we all do not work simultaneously on developing traffic culture. Culture and ethics that will be built and transmitted through families, schools, driving schools, until it becomes a widely accepted social habit.

To achieve all this, we need a holistic approach and closed circle of accountability: who, when and what for are we responsible. There should be an equal treatment of all before the law. Cooperation is needed within the system, engaging the public and private sector, insurance companies, academia, civil society and the media at regional, state and local level. Every relevant institution in each of our countries can contribute to solving this problem by sharing their experiences through openness and acceptance of best practices from similar institutions.

I believe this conference on traffic safety will make the road smooth to reach the goal. And the goal is not only to achieve the European average. The goal is not to be afraid when our children go to school, when our young people return from parties, when our loved ones travel. The goal is our drivers not to be a threat to their own and other people's lives. The goal is to stop human blood in our Balkan roads.

To achieve this, we should not wait for someone else to change us. We have to work and change for the better. For one day, not so distant day, our countries and our region would be an example of how traffic safety is built and maintained. To this note, at the very end, I declare the conference open.

Thank you.

Distinguished Deputy Minister of Education and Science,
Respected Representatives of City College,
Dear Scholarship Recipients,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

25 years ago, the Republic of Macedonia declared independence. But, in international relations, the independence of a state actually means interdependence and interconnectedness with other states on an equal basis. In the past quarter century, we managed to build such relations with many friendly countries in the world, near and far. An exception to this rule is only one country, with which we share the largest river and the longest border, and therefore the greatest spatial connectivity and interdependence, and that country is the Hellenic Republic.

Our two neighboring countries have one outstanding issue, but thousands of common interests. Hence, the most important common interest is to deepen the friendship between the Macedonian and the Greek society.

This year, the institutions of the Republic of Macedonia and of the Hellenic Republic started implementing confidence-building measures. As president, I am actively involved in this process. However, I may notice that some of the institutions of our countries actually lag behind our societies and businessmen who began the dialogue long ago and have thus already built confidence.

Expression of this confidence is the awarding of the scholarships in cooperation with the City College in Thessaloniki, the scholarships which, not by accident, are named after our great peacemaker, President Boris Trajkovski.

There is no more cost-effective investment than quality education aimed at building leaders for the present and the future. The Republic of Macedonia needs leaders in the field of business administration, management, marketing and finance.

Many have signed up to the competition. But few were chosen. You are the best of the best. We invest in you with a firm conviction that you will be good entrepreneurs and managers, with a successful career, but also with responsibility to the society. Your future success will be the success of the Republic of Macedonia.

Esteemed scholarship recipients,

By coincidence, today is the birthday of Confucius. In his Analects, he says: "Wherever you go, go with all your heart." In the coming period, the path of your education and personal excellence will lead you in Thessaloniki. As President and university professor, I wish you much success on this path. In the meantime, however, I remind you not to forget that "education of the mind without education of the heart is not a real education", as Aristotle says. In the future, you will be the picture of the Macedonian society in the neighboring Greece. You belong to the generation that will build new relations between the two societies, economies and countries.

Therefore, gain new knowledge but also new friends, new skills and new opportunities for building trust among our two neighboring countries.

Thank you.