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.