Lithuania's new president sworn in, vowing to tackle inequality

Pro-EU centre-right economist Gitanas Nauseda was sworn in as Lithuania's new president on Friday, vowing to tackle inequality in the Baltic eurozone state.

The 55-year-old independent, who replaces outgoing Dalia Grybauskaite, is a political novice who spent most of his career in commercial banking.

Although Lithuanian presidents do not directly craft economic policy, Nauseda said he would seek cross-party deals to bridge the gap between the rich and poor and decrease regional differences.

"We talked about a two-speed Europe but we did not notice that we created a two-speed Lithuania," Nauseda said in parliament after taking the oath of office.

"We will not have a welfare state if we care only about ourselves while social inequality increases."