NEW MACEDONIAN PRESIDENT OFFICIALLY ASSUMES HIS DUTY

SKOPJE, May 12 (Hina) - The newly elected Macedonian President, Branko Crvenkovski, officially assumed his duty after the inauguration ceremony in the Macedonian parliament.#L# Crvenkovski, a former prime minister who won at recent presidential elections, officially succeeded Boris Trajkovski, who died in a plane crash earlier this year, at a ceremony in parliament which was also attended by public and political figures, the diplomatic corps and representatives of the ruling coalition. After the inauguration ceremony, Crvenkovski said his priority would be Macedonia's drawing closer to the European Union and NATO. He said a strong unity in the country was important for that objective. He also said he would advocate the strengthening of a multiethnic and multi-religious trust and tolerance. Crvenkovski said he was committed to active cooperation with the government and parliament and would try to improve the economic situation in the country through reforms in all segments of the society. He also announced a struggle against crime and corruption. The inauguration ceremony was not attended by representatives of the opposition who do not recognise the legitimacy of the election. The head of the VMRO-DPMNE party, Nikola Gruevski, said his party would initiate a procedure to analyse the election material, adding that international experts would be invited to monitor the process. (Hina) it