Latvia's Vejonis sworn in as EU's first Green president
Raimonds Vejonis - Photo EU Council
(RIGA) - Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis was on Wednesday sworn into office, becoming the first Green head of state in the European Union and pledging to make national security his top priority.
"Today, many in Europe have woken up from a deep slumber. Our neighbouring country's aggression in Ukraine proves that military and technological security still matters," he told parliament, referring to concerns over Russian activity in the region.
"And we must affirm that not only in words, but also in actions."
The 49-year-old Green Party member was elected president of the NATO and eurozone member state last month in a controversial secret parliamentary ballot.
He replaces centrist president Andris Berzins, who took office in 2011 and did not stand for re-election.
Vejonis served as defence minister from 2014 and took a tough stance on Soviet-era master Russia after it annexed Crimea from Ukraine last year and increased its military presence in the Baltic Sea and regional airspace.
The trained biologist, who until recently listed his religious views as "pagan" on his Facebook page, also served as environment minister in 2002-2011.
The parliament also voted in fellow Green Party member Raimonds Bergmanis -- an Olympic weightlifter and retired strongman competitor -- to succeed Vejonis as defence minister.
The Latvian president is commander in chief of the armed forces, nominates the prime minister and has the right to propose and return legislation to parliament.
Married with two children, Vejonis speaks fluent Russian and English in addition to his native Latvian.
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