On the basis of Article 86, Paragraph 5, of the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, the Chairman of the National Assembly, Predrag Markovic, convened a Ceremonial session of the Assembly, at which the President-elect of the Republic of Serbia, Boris Tadic, took the oath of office.

The session, which began at 12 p.m. on 11 July, was attended by the Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Vojislav Kostunica, the Deputy Prime Minister, Miroljub Labus, Ministers in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, religious leaders, heads of deputies’ groups in the Parliament of Serbia and Montenegro, representatives of the Republic Electoral Commission, as well as Chief Justices of the Supreme and Constitutional Courts.

After taking the oath of office, the President of the Republic of Serbia, Boris Tadic, gave an inaugural speech, in which, among other things, he said: ‘Today we are concluding a process of institutionalising our country. Three institutions are the political foundations of stability - the Parliament, the Government and the President of the Republic. I am certain that we will, in the forthcoming period of my presidency, co-operate to the mutual benefit of all these institutions, and in the name of the welfare of our people and the stability of our society and our nation. I am certain that this communication between the Parliament and the President must provide all that is needed to make this society’s stability the guarantee of its prosperity.’

Mr Markovic noted that Boris Tadic had assumed the office of President of the Republic of Serbia by taking the oath of office.