Distinguished attendees,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my special pleasure to greet you here, on the shore of the Ohrid Lake. The Republic of Macedonia has the honor to be the host of the 14th European Conference on Power Electronics and Drives. However, this is not the only contribution that Macedonia has provided thereof. It is not wide known that Mihajlo Pupin comes from a Vlach family from the beautiful village Vevchani. Mihajlo Pupin, at the same time is the most precious person Macedonia has ever shared with the world in the sphere of physics and electronics.
Respected ladies and gentlemen,
Every profession has an ideal it strives for. The ideal of astrophysics is to understand universe. The ideal of medicine is protection and promotion of health as physical, psychic, social and economic well-being of a human being. The ideal of legal sciences is respect of law and unbiased and impartial justice. Your ideal is to direct energy of the society.
As someone noted wittily, efficiency is thought-out laziness. It is known that real driving forces of progress are those individuals who find ways how to finish their tasks faster, more effective and efficient, without putting much effort. If this is true, then vast part of those individuals are here today, among us, attending this important Conference.
Notwithstanding, your knowledge results in overall benefit, improvement and success.
Distinguished attendees,
We live in times when one of the crucial issues is exactly the efficient energy exploitation; first and foremost, due to the expensive price we pay, as air pollution or economy slowdown. The investments in production development, energy usage and distribution are high on the agenda of the decision-makers in Europe and in the world. Our future and our energy systems depend on this. Indeed, the advancement and prosperity of us all, of our common home, Europe and of the humankind in general depend on this as well.
Macedonia and Europe today are faced with energy dependence. Macedonia, as European country, considers the possibilities for its inclusion in the gas pipeline system, as more efficient and cheaper source of energy.
Therefore, now is your time. We expect from you the answer how to overcome this energy dependence.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your creativity contributes to the answer of another question, which is neither less important nor insignificant. Global warming and global efforts to reduce the harmful gas emissions are probably the greatest challenge the humankind is being faced with. Climate changes are a reality with consequences felt all over the world, both in the developing and in the developed countries. 
The solution should be sought in pure, sustainable technology for future. Technology based on renewable, inexhaustible sources of energy. Hence, as I already said, now is your time.
Traditional sources of energy, including coal and water, are being less and less used, thus providing an opportunity for new alternative sources of energy to be utilized. Sources deriving from the infinite human creativity. It is the creativity that has paved the path to use solar energy. It is the creativity that gave zest to use wind and waves energy, to utilize geothermal waters. However, every answer should lead to new questions and challenges.
At the end, let me conclude with the following ascertainment – one should not let the Republic of Macedonia and Europe lag behind the other regions in the world. Our common future is particularly in the developed technology and power electronics. European energy dependence and global warming are reasons enough to promote and improve the efficiency of energy transformation and distribution systems. 
It is only with joint efforts that we can succeed in providing future for the upcoming generations.
I declare this Conference open and wish you successful work.