Bulgaria's President Plevneliev takes office

(SOFIA) - Bulgaria's conservative President Rosen Plevneliev took office Sunday, urging national unity around the goal of improving the economy and the country's image within the EU.

"We can succeed when we unite around a common goal... to be a deserving European Union member," Plevneliev said in an address.

He pledged to work for "economic growth, employment, efficient justice, balanced regional development, an improved business environment and more investment" in the poor EU newcomer, often criticised by Brussels for its slow judiciary and failure to battle corruption.

Plevneliev, 47, who entered politics as construction minister just two years ago, took over from two-term Socialist President Georgy Parvanov at a lavish military ceremony in downtown Sofia.

The two successively reviewed the guard of honour on a chilly winter morning before addressing the nation at a ceremony accompanied by the national anthem and a 21-gun salute.

Plevneliev was then blessed in the golden-domed Alexander Nevski cathedral before joining Parvanov at the presidential headquarters.

Bulgaria's head of state is elected directly by the people and is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, but otherwise has largely ceremonial and representative functions.

Plevneliev, who gained popularity as an energetic minister, is the fourth democratically elected president since the fall of communism in 1989 and the first to come from the business sector and not politics.

His victory in an October 30 run-off against a Socialist candidate was seen as cementing the grip on power of the ruling right-wing GERB party, which has a near-majority in parliament and a minority government.