New Latvian president sworn into office

Raimonds Vejonis was sworn into office as the 9th President of the Republic of Latvia in a solemn ceremony on Wednesday.

The office powers of Latvia's outgoing President Andris Berzins expired at midnight, July 7, and parliamentary speaker Inara Murniece formally became head of the Latvian state until Vejonis' inauguration.

Defense Minister Raimonds Vejonis of the ruling centrist Greens and Farmers Union (ZZS) was elected Latvia's president at an extraordinary parliament session on June 3 by 55 votes to 42. Since the ruling coalition had failed to agree on a single presidential candidate, it took five rounds of secret voting and some votes from the opposition to ensure Vejonis' victory in the presidential election.

Murniece told the new president that the main priorities defined by Vejonis in his inaugural speech, such as national security, economic growth and dealing with divisions in Latvia's society, were all areas in which Latvia's top state officials were expected to deliver on a daily basis.

After the inauguration and awards ceremonies, which took place at the parliament house in Riga's Old City, the new Latvian president and his spouse Iveta Vejone were greeted by people on the street.

On Thursday, Vejonis is scheduled to embark on his first foreign visit, which traditionally will be to Latvia's northern neighbouring country Estonia where he will meet with Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves and other top state officials. Endit