Pro-Western political veteran Mr Branko Crvenkovski was sworn in as president of Macedonia today, pledging to build on the ethnic reconciliation his late predecessor was hailed for.
The Social Democrat, a two-time prime minister at the age of 41, won the presidential election at the end of April to succeed Mr Boris Trajkovski, the "peacemaker" head of state who died in a plane crash in February.
Mr Crvenkovski had earlier resigned as prime minister and was due to name a successor within the next 10 days.
Analysts say his close ally Mr Hari Kostov, the current interior minister, will get the job, with progress towards European Union and NATO membership his priority goals.
In his inaugural speech to parliament, the new president promised to consolidate a peace deal brokered by Trajkovski with ethnic Albanian insurgents who clashed with Macedonian security forces in 2001, threatening the country with civil war.
"As president of Macedonia I will work to strengthen inter-ethnic confidence, ethnic and religious tolerance," said Mr Crvenkovski. He insisted the so-called Ohrid Agreement, giving ethnic Albanians greater rights and representation, would be "fully implemented, and on time".
Opposition deputies boycotted the parliament session over allegations of ballot stuffing during the runoff ballot last month, in which Mr Crvenkovski took more than 62 per cent of votes.