The Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Predrag Markovic, today met a delegation of the Council of the Tour of Serbia International Bicycle Race, headed by the chairman of the Council, Borivoje Ivkovic. At its session held on 9 April 2005, the Council had unanimously elected the Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia president of this year’s event.

Mr Markovic accepted his election with great pleasure, and underlined the importance of such an international event for the development of cycling and tourism in Serbia.

The meeting was attended by the Minister of Trade, Tourism and Services in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Bojan Dimitrijevic, also chairman of the Organising Committee of the race.

The Tour of Serbia International Bicycle Race has a sixty-six-year history. The first race was held as early as 1939, under the auspices of HRH King Peter II Karadjordjevic. The race did not take place during the war years, only to be restored in 1963; it has been held every year since.

This year’s Tour of Serbia 2005 will last six days, and involve 350 participants from 20 countries around the globe, who will pass through 95 Serbian towns and cities along a route 1,200 kilometres long.