Lithuanian president Grybauskaite inaugurated for 2nd term

Presidential inauguration was held here on Saturday, bringing Dalia Grybauskaite to her second five-year term as leader of the Baltic country.

Grybauskaite, successfully defended her presidency during the election in May, attended the solemn ceremony held in the Seimas, Lithuania's parliament.

She addressed her audience in March 11 Hall of the Seimas and Lithuanian people live on television after taking an oath for the second term.

During her speech, Grybauskaite called for enhanced efforts to fight against corruption in the Baltic country.

"By placing a special focus on transparency in civil service and keeping a close eye on the use of the EU's support funds, we will make sure that corrupt groupings do not get rich at the expense of the Lithuanian people," she was quoted by BNS news agency as saying.

Military, energy and information security of Lithuania are of concern to all leaders and people of Lithuania, according to Grybauskaite.

"Lithuania's military, energy and information security is the greatest concern for all of us. We must be properly prepared to defend our country because only if we are free and secure can we create a welfare state," she said.

"Let us not wander away from the path of European nations - Lithuania's foreign policy must protect its economic and political interests," she stressed.

The ceremony was also attended by Speaker of the Seimas of Lithuania Loreta Grauziniene, PM Algirdas Butkevicius and former president Valdas Adamkus.

Lithuania's government is willing to work with the president as a team, according to Butkevicius in the ceremony.

"Cooperation with you was a great challenge and a highly useful experience for the 16th government. You continue leading Lithuania amid the huge international tensions and in the time of disturbances, which we could not have imagined a few years ago," said Butkevicius.

As the first female president of Lithuania, Grybauskaite won her second presidency with roughly 58 percent supportive votes in this May, which also made her the first president of the Baltic country to be consecutively elected. Endi