Good morning. It's wonderful to be in Bratislava. I would like to congratulate you on the 15th Anniversary of the Slovak Chamber of Auditors, and I bring warm greetings and affection from the entire IFAC family that joins you today in this celebration.
I thank you very much for this invitation, which has allowed me, among many other things, to visit for the first time, the country where my mother was born. I must confess that I regret that it took me so long to get here, and therefore, appreciate this invitation very much.
I can honestly tell you that I feel a strong connection with this country, and I am sure that the bond will become stronger in the days to come.
For 30 years, IFAC's mission has been to work in the public interest to strengthen the worldwide accountancy profession by establishing and promoting adherence to high quality professional standards, furthering the convergence of those standards, and speaking as the voice of the profession on relevant public policy issues.