Crvenkovski succeeds Boris Trajkovski, who died in a plane crash

Mr Crvenkovski - a social democrat - was elected in a special vote called after the previous president Boris Trajkovski was killed in a plane crash.

In his inaugural speech Mr Crvenkovksi promised to continue efforts to take Macedonia into the EU and Nato.

The ceremony was boycotted by opposition lawmakers, who accuse the new president of electoral fraud.

'Highest aim'

Mr Crvenkovski promised to continue reconciliation with ethnic Albanian insurgents, who clashed with security forces in 2001, bringing the country to the brink of civil war.

"Good interethnic relations are the shortest way to bring Macedonia to Europe," he said, adding that "the European project is our highest strategic aim".

Macedonia formally applied to join the European Union on 22 March, the first step toward full membership negotiations.

The new president has 10 days to appoint a prime minister, and local media have speculated the most likely candidate is Interior Minister Hari Kostov, a close ally of Mr Crvenkovski.

The things Macedonia does not need - and I will fight against them with all my power - are extremism and radicalism, regardless of their background Branko Crvenkovski Profile: Branko Crvenkovski

Mr Crvenkovski, 41, won the presidential vote last month with a sweeping 63% of the vote.

But the results are disputed by opposition parties including the biggest, VMRO-DPMNE, whose deputies failed to show up for the inauguration and refuse to recognise the new president.

European election observers have said the ballot was generally in line with international norms, but urged the state to investigate reports of "serious irregularities".

However, the state electoral commission later rejected the claims, according to Reuters news agency.