National Assembly members witnessed on January 19 the presidential swearing-in ceremony after which current President Georgi Purvanov and Vice-President Angel Marin are to assume their second term in office.

Purvanov took an oath of office after Parliament speaker Georgi Pirinski read the decision of the Central Electoral Committee that Purvanov was the winner of Bulgaria's October 2006 presidential elections.

The electoral victory made Purvanov the first Bulgarian president to win two terms in office.

In the first weeks of the new term in office the presidency will generate various ideas and political decisions, Purvanov told MPs after he took the oath.

Some of the priorities for Bulgaria's development in the coming years included the turning of the country into an energy, transport and communications centre of the Balkans and the active participation in EU policies, Purvanov said as quoted by Focus news agency.

Energy projects were going to be determining for the future of the Balkan region and of Europe as well, said Purvanov.

Bulgaria had to overcome the lack of co-ordination between institutions and businesses, Purvanov said. New science and education policies were needed through increased investment in the two sectors, said he.