Deputy Presiding Officer meets new President of CALRE

The National Assembly for Wales’s Deputy Presiding Officer, Rosemary Butler AM, has been representing Wales at the annual meeting of CALRE – the body that represents the regional law-making parliaments of Europe.

At the meeting, Mrs Butler met with President Nazario Pagano - the Presiding Officer of the Abruzzo Parliament in Italy.

He has also been appointed President of CALRE for the next year.

The capital of Abruzzo, L’Aquila, which was heavily damaged by an earthquake last year, will host the next CALRE plenary meeting in 2011.

"At a time when the regions of Europe are playing a greater role in the work of the European Union, this is a very exciting time for Wales to work with our sister regions for the benefit of people throughout Europe. We know that it is the regional level that is most responsive to people’s needs." said Mrs Butler.