ZAGREB — Leftist former prime minister Zoran Milanovic was sworn in on Tuesday as Croatia's new president pledging tolerance and to turn the page on the country's wartime past.

Milanovic took over the largely ceremonial post for the next five years after winning a January run-off vote by advocating a "normal Croatia" as a liberal democracy which promotes equality for all citizens.

The 53-year-old candidate of Social Democrats succeeded conservative Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, who was the former Yugoslav republic's first female president.

"The wars are over," Milanovic said at a modest inauguration ceremony at the presidency.

He made a reference to Croatia's 1990s independence war, one in a series that accompanied the collapse of Yugoslavia.

"Today ... no Croatian citizen should feel frightened, discriminated or in any way excluded due to being different," Milanovic said.

"When I say different I mean both weaker and smaller according to several criteria -- gender, ethnic, social, religious, sexual, labor, age."

Croatia's president is the supreme commander of the country's armed forces and has a say in foreign policy.

Regarding the latter, Milanovic pledged to focus on "cooperation and prosperity" including with countries with which Croatia has open issues, notably neighboring Serbia and Slovenia.

Milanovic took over the post as the European Union's newest member, currently holding the bloc's rotating helm, is struggling with a mass exodus of its people, corruption and a lackluster economy.

The former leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) was prime minister from 2011 to 2016.

But his government, which led Croatia into EU in 2013, failed to live up to expectations and implement much-needed reforms, perpetuating widespread patronage and poor economic trends.

By winning the presidency Milanovic made a comeback after being absent from politics for three years. — AFP