The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic received the newly-appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Serbia, Archbishop Orlando Antonini. The newly-appointed Apostolic Nuncio and National Assembly Speaker agreed that the relations between the Holy Seat and the Republic of Serbia are excellent, adding that they shall continue to improve in the future and that the National Assembly shall contribute to strengthen and intensify cooperation in line with its competencies.

Assembly Speaker Djukic-Dejanovic thanked the Archbishop for Vatican’s principled position regarding Kosovo’s declaration of independence, as well as the Holy Seat’s full support of Serbia’s process of integration into the European Union.

Apostolic Nuncio Antonini informed the Assembly Speaker that Serbia can expect a visit from the highest Vatican delegation, headed by cardinal Sudano, on the occasion of the death of His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle. The Apostolic Nuncio stressed that Patriarch Pavle was a holy man who strived for unity in the Christian world, adding that he sympathises with the Serbian citizens in these difficult times.