Pendarovski sworn in as new North Macedonia president
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Stevo Pendarovski has been sworn in as the new president of North Macedonia, promising he will serve all citizens in a deeply divided society and will lobby European Union leaders to approve the start of his country's accession talks in June.
The 56-year-old was sworn in before lawmakers Sunday. He won the election May 5 in a tightly contested runoff with a conservative rival.
The presidents of Albania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Kosovo attended the inauguration ceremony.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Pendarovski is a strong supporter of the deal with Greece, finalized in February, that ended a decades-long dispute over the name Macedonia, in exchange for the prospect of NATO and European Union membership.
Former president Gjorge Ivanov, who ended his second and last five-year term Sunday, was a fierce opponent of the name deal.