As part of preparations for European integration and creating preconditions for more substantial investments in Serbia, the Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Predrag Markovic, and the chairperson of the European Integrations Committee of the National Assembly, Ksenija Milivojevic, visited several towns in Eastern and Southern Serbia on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 September 2005.

Mr Markovic began his tour of less developed Serbian regions, designed to acquaint him with their tourist and industrial resources, by visiting Golubac, Donji Milanovac, Tekija and Kladovo, where he learned more about the tourist potential of the Djerdap region. While sailing down the Djerdap Gorge accompanied by the press, Mr Markovic underlined that Eastern Serbia was one of the most beautiful regions of our country, with a large tourist potential. Mr Markovic added that Serbia not only had riches to show the world, but that it was also necessary for it to keep what makes it distinct from others, so that it could enter Europe as an equal competitor. Visiting Kladovo municipality, Mr Markovic met local officials who further briefed him on the area’s potentials and plans for the future.

Mr Markovic then went on to visit Negotin, where he attended the opening ceremony of the 40^th Mokranjac Days, and was presented with a Mokranjac Days memorial plaque. Mr Markovic stressed that it was important for Serbia to keep its tradition, in order for it to be part of European cultural heritage with all its distinguishing marks.

At the invitation of the president of the Sokobanja municipality, Mr Markovic visited an exhibition of paintings at the Sokobanja municipal foundation, and visited the Sokobanja Museum, devoted to the area’s handicrafts. Local officials acquainted Mr Markovic with tourist and spa resources and development plans of the Sokobanja municipality.

As part of his visit to Southern Serbia, at the invitation of the management of Porecje company, Mr Markovic visited Vucje, was acquainted with the company’s product line, toured its plantations in Beli Potok, where he said that certain legislation needed to be amended in order to allow successful domestic companies to be treated better than failing ones, and to create a better environment for business that would ensure Serbian companies are integrated into European and global business trends as quickly as possible.

Mr Markovic continued his tour of Southern Serbia by visiting Leskovac where, accompanied by deputies, he attended the traditional Grill Festival. Mr Markovic ended his visit to Leskovac by visiting the local museum, where he was treated to a display of finds from the Hisar archaeological site, and saw the latest discovery, an iron needle dating from the 14^th century BC – proof that present-day Leskovac is located at the site of Europe’s oldest iron works.

The Chairman of the National Assembly ended his tour of Serbia on Sunday 18 September 2005 in Trsic, where, at the invitation of the president of the Loznica municipality, he attended the closing ceremony of the 71^st Vuk Gathering, devoted to the 19^th century Serbian educator, Vuk Karadzic.