Incumbent Lithuanian president takes oath for second term

Vilnius, July 12 (IANS) Dalia Grybauskaite Saturday took oath of office for a second five-year term as president of Lithuania.

Grybauskaite, who successfully defended her presidency during the election in May, attended the solemn ceremony held in the Seimas, Lithuania's parliament, Xinhua reported.

"By placing a special focus on transparency in civil service and keeping a close eye on the use of the EU's support funds, we will make sure that corrupt groupings do not get rich at the expense of the Lithuanian people," Grybauskaite said.

"Lithuania's military, energy and information security is the greatest concern for all of us. We must be properly prepared to defend our country because only if we are free and secure can we create a welfare state," she said.

The ceremony was also attended by Seimas speaker Loreta Grauziniene, Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius and former president Valdas Adamkus.

As the first female president of Lithuania, Grybauskaite won her second presidency with 58 percent of the votes in May, which also made her the first president of the Baltic country to be consecutively elected.