Slovenia's new president Danilo Tuerk was sworn at a ceremonial session of parliament on Saturday evening, becoming the third head of state for the tiny former Yugoslav nation since its independence in 1991.
"I will dedicate my best powers to presidential duties, working for the benefit of all people in Slovenia and our entire community," Tuerk said in his inaugural address, the Slovenian national news agency STA reported from the capital Ljubljana.
The 55 year-old Turk, who was backed by three center-left parties, was elected president in the Nov. 11 run-off against the government-sponsored Lojze Peterle with 68 percent of the vote.
Tuerk said his election reflected the will of the people, which he accepts with "a deep sense of responsibility and commitment to all people in our country. I will do my utmost to justify this trust."
The election of the left-leaning Tuerk disturbed Prime MinisterJanez Jansa, who heads the center-right government.
Laying out a policy blueprint for his five-year term, Tuerk said that he would strive for "constructive, coordinated and balanced cooperation with the government and parliament."
The ceremony was to be followed on Sunday by the official handing over of duties from outgoing President Janez Drnovsek, who did not seek another term.
Tuerk comes to office with no home political experience. Being an expert in international law, Tuerk spent most of his career in diplomacy: he was Slovenia's first ambassador to the United Nations in New York from 1992-2002 and then the assistant to the then U.N. secretary general, Kofi Annan. He returned to Slovenia in 2005, becoming a deputy dean at the Ljubljana Law Faculty.
Slovenian presidential duties are largely ceremonial and most of the powers lie with the Cabinet and parliament, but Tuerk's longtime diplomatic experience could be appreciated, especially during Slovenia's six-month rotating EU presidency, which starts on Jan. 1.
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article