Excellences, honourable guests, dear friends, ashab alsa ada, al doujouf al keram, asdiká i el a ajzaa

one year has passed and we are here again altogether to celebrate this time two important events: the 95^th anniversary of Czech Airlines and another very nice experience – that we can, even this year, until October, fly directly, in other words easily and comfortably, between our two capitals. And I can assure you, that for my Czech compatriots the fact, that they can reach such a wonderful country as Lebanon in 3 and a half hour, is very appealing.  The hot evidence was my flight last Sunday from Prague – the airplane was crop-full. And you know what - it didn´t bother me, on the contrary - it made me very happy. I am sure as well, with all the modesty, that the Lebanese people are keen to visit my country as often and as smoothly as possible especially because of their love of Prague and Karlovy Vary.

This easy travelling between our two countries is feasible thanks to the efforts of very competent and high qualified people who know and love their job. They are bringing us closer in a quick way and at the same time they are helping us to see each other more often, to visit the cities we like without wasting our time on transfers and also to do business without logistic delays.

So, as last year, I still appreciate their work very deeply and as last year I would like to express my acknowledgments here namely to: Mr. Ján Tóth and Mr. Pavel Dohnal from Czech Airlines, Mr. César Assouad and Mr. Georges Beyrouti from the Transas company and of cause Mme Nayla Assouad and Mr. Majid El Zein from the travel bureau Kaysas.

Closing my little speech I´ d like to share with you my dream: On the 96^th anniversary of Czech Airlines I see its airplanes coming from Prague to Beirut and vice versa all year round. They are completely full. Every passenger is satisfied by the service. The demand for visiting Lebanon and the Czech Republic is increasing and so is bilateral business. Thus finally the machines operating between Beirut and Prague will have to be up in the air daily and the current Airbus A 319 will have to be replaced by the bigger Airbus A 320.

You see, I dream big.

Thank you for your attention.