Hours after his appointment was finally confirmed by the Italian parliament, new Venice Biennale president Davide Croff issued a statement saying that he intends to "guarantee the Biennale's autonomy" and appoint a festival director as soon as possible.

"The Venice Biennale needs stability and transparency at this delicate time. I therefore intend to guarantee its autonomy and respect schedules," Croff said after the Parliamentary commission ratified his appointment on Wednesday.

In a reference to the appointment of a new artistic director for the festival, he added: "I have already prepared the ground to face the most urgent deadlines."

Current artistic director Moritz de Hadeln's contract was recently extended until March to "allow for a smooth transition."

Croff was appointed by Italian culture minister Giuliano Urbani in January. Earlier this week, however, Italian newspapers reported that he had threatened to step down if he faced more political opposition, after a Senate commission publicly rejected his nomination.