MOSCOW, December 21. /TASS/. Valentina Matviyenko, Speaker of the Federation Council (the upper house of Russia’s parliament), is expected to head the Russian delegation at the inauguration ceremony of Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, she told a press conference on the results of the fall parliamentary session on Wednesday.

"I have been commissioned by President [Vladimir Putin] to lead the delegation at the inauguration of Brazil’s newly elected president, scheduled for January 1," she said.

Matviyenko added jokingly that "I will greet the New Year aboard the plane," noting that her "position requires it."

When asked about her plans for the rest of the New Year festive period, the upper house speaker said that her schedule has not been made yet, so she plans to have a winter vacation in Russia and go skiing for a few days.

"I am looking forward to catching up on my sleep," Matviyenko said.

On October 30, Brazil held its presidential runoff election, with Workers’ Party leader Lula da Silva winning and being declared the next president.