Belarus president officially takes office

MINSK - Alexander Lukashenko officially took office as Belarusian president on Wednesday.

The inauguration ceremony took place at the Palace of Independence.

During the inauguration ceremony, Lukashenko swore to "serve the people of the Republic of Belarus, respect and protect rights and freedoms of people and citizens."

He added he believes it is necessary to return the country to the safe life that has always been in the republic, and to come to an agreement for the future.

Belarus has been witnessing mass protests after incumbent president Lukashenko won a sixth term in the Aug 9 elections, with the opposition refusing to recognize the win. According to the official results, Lukashenko won 80 percent of the vote.

After being sworn in, he was handed an official ID card showing he is the Belarusian president by the head of the country's central election commission.

This is Lukashenko's sixth inauguration. The date and time of the event were kept secret until the last moment.