Retired army general Petr Pavel inaugurated Czech president

Prague (AP) — A retired army general and former senior NATO official has been sworn in as the Czech Republic’s new president, succeeding the controversy-courting Milos Zeman. Petr Pavel took the formal oath during a joint session of both houses of Parliament Thursday at Prague Castle, the seat of the presidency. He was elected to the largely ceremonial but prestigious post in a runoff vote on Jan 28, beating populist billionaire Andrej Babis. Pavel, 61, ran as an independent in the election and is a former chairman of NATO’s military committee, the alliance’s highest military body. His election is expected to cement the country’s Western orientation.