MOSCOW, June 27. /TASS/. Russian lawmakers are ready for cooperating with Marija Pejcinovic Buric, who was elected as the new Secretary General of the Council of Europe and are inviting her to pay a visit to Russia, Chairman of the Russian State Duma’s (lower house of parliament) Committee for Foreign Affairs Leonid Slutsky told reporters on Thursday.

"She is a professional politician and diplomat, besides she has a great experience of parliamentary work. I’m sure after electing its new chief, the Council of Europe as an organization will receive an additional impetus for development. In our turn, we are prepared for joint work and we would be glad if Mrs. Secretary General paid a visit to Russia," Slutsky said.

Participants of the summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on Wednesday elected Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Marija Pejcinovic Buric Secretary General of the Council of Europe for a five-year term. She will assume office on October 1.

Norwegian politician Thorbjorn Jagland has served as the Secretary General of the Council of Europe since 2009 and was re-elected in 2014.