Closing Ceremony - Mr Valentin Mirescu

IRU XXVIII^th World Congress
Under the Patronage of the President of Romania, Ion Iliescu

Closing Ceremony

Mr Valentin Mirescu
Founding President, UNTRR

" Message of thanks from the Romanian Congress Organising Committee "

Mr President, Mr Secretary General,  Ladies and Gentlemen,

I was truly honoured, in my capacity as Founding President of the National Union of Road Transport Operators of Romania (UNTRR), to be given the opportunity to speak before distinguished personalities and international road transport professionals on the occasion of the closing session of the XXVIIIth IRU World Congress.

It was with great pleasure that we organised this Congress which, through the adoption of the final Declaration, has marked the development trends adopted by the IRU while urging governmental and business partners to co-operate with the road transport industry so as to eliminate barriers to sustainable development.

Having worked in the field of road transport for over 40 years, I can but observe that the IRU, with its activities carried out over more than 5 decades, has played a decisive role in the industry's evolution and in the organisation and development or road transport, thus increasing the industry's quality and the responsibility of road transport professionals.

Today, I am pleased to say that all these activities aiming not only at organising, modernising and increasing the quality of road transport, but also at strengthening road safety and environmental protection, have yielded exceptional results.  Thus the body of IRU decisions and activities are seen by all transition countries and by the economy in general as a reference and a basis for the process of accession to the European Union.

The message of this Congress, as expressed in its final document, confirms the decisions previously adopted on the strategic trends of the development policy for our profession.

The Bucharest Congress has taken a historic dimension as the world's most populated country joined the IRU.  With over 65 Member countries, the IRU family now represents half of the world population.

The very theme of this Congress - "Emerging Markets - Challenges and Opportunities" - elicited much interest in that it reviewed topics relating to everyday life.  Electing Japan - the land of the rising sun - to host the next edition of the Congress in 2004 is further proof of this interest.

On behalf of all Romanian professionals engaged in road transport, I wish to express our great satisfaction with and heartfelt thanks for your attendance and contribution to this XXVIIIth IRU World Congress held in our country's capital.  This event was a great success.

May I wish you all prosperity, success and good health, as well as to your families, to whom we wish a pleasant trip home.

We shall always be pleased to welcome you in Romania.

Good-bye to all.

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