The Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Predrag Markovic, today met a delegation of the lower house of the Italian Parliament (the Camera dei Deputati), headed by Umberto Ranieri, President of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr Markovic expressed great pleasure at the confirmation of Serbia’s new Constitution, and told the visitors about preliminary results of the referendum where more than 97% of those who turned out to vote ‘said “yes” to Serbia’s democratic future’, despite the fact that conditions for approving the charter were ‘very strict’.

Mr Markovic underlined that Italy was one of Serbia’s key partners, both politically and economically, and expressed his gratitude for all forms of assistance provided by Italy continuously since 2000. Finally, he stressed that the National Assembly would ratify an accord making Italy the first Schengen Agreement visa regime country liberalising visas for Serbian nationals.

Mr Ranieri emphasised his pleasure at the referendum confirmation of the new Constitution, adding that it not only further underlined Serbia’s democratic orientation and brought Serbia a step closer to the European Union, but that it also marked a clear break with the past. He also expressed his satisfaction with the excellent relations between the two nations, saying that he hoped that co-operation between the two parliaments would thrive in both countries’ interests.