EUROPE CELEBRATES ITS ENLARGEMENT EUROPE

 CELEBRATES ITS ENLARGEMENT

 

Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia are now members of the European Union. As from the weekend, the EU of 15 has become the EU of 25.

"May 1st 2004 is an historic day for Europe, when we welcome into the EU family 10 new member countries and 75 million new EU citizens. Five decades after our great project of European integration began, the divisions of the Cold War are gone - once and for all", said Romano Prodi, European Commission President. "Our new members bring to the Union the cultures and diversity of ten countries with distinct historical roots stretching back through the centuries."

The weekend saw a chain of events from the west coast of Ireland to the eastern border of Poland, and from Valletta in the south to the northernmost tip of Finland. A huge variety of events, large and small, ranging from concerts and exhibitions to food fairs, debates and border exchanges, were organised all across Europe. And there was a strongly personal note in the celebrations, as European citizens as well as European politicians marked the occasion.

On 30 April, the eve of enlargement, there was a gala concert with some of the most popular artists from the new member states, including the Latvian group Brainstorm, Estonia's Neiokõsõ, Michalis Hadjiyiannis from Cyprus, the Hungarian Cotton Club Singers, Poland's Blue Café, Rozmarinke from Slovenia, Slovakia's Jenis Dalibor, Lukáš Vondrácek from the Czech Republic, and Lithuania's Violeta Urmana. There was also a special guest appearance by the Turkish singer Sertab. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union with the support of the European Commission, it culminated in a spectacular midnight firework display from Malta harbour. The concert could be seen live in most EU countries and further afield.

 

On the eve of enlargement, on April 30, European Commission President Romano Prodi said in Gorizia, on the border of Slovenia, Italy and Austria: "The construction of a united Europe has shown that it is possible to regulate relations between countries by right not might. Thanks to the patient and continuous progress made by European integration a magnificent tree has grown up, whose roots now reach deep into our collective soul and whose branches are spreading ever further outwards."

And on May 1 itself, the Taoiseach and President of the European Council Bertie Ahern said: "Today is a day of welcomes, it's a day of celebration, it is a hugely historic day particularly for the countries who have worked so hard to achieve it". He was speaking at the joint press conference in Dublin on May 1 with European Parliament President Pat Cox and European Commission President Romano Prodi to mark Accession Day.

"Today marks a new beginning for Europeans", said Ahern. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the many millions of people across Europe for whom this day - the first of May 2004 - is a day of hope and opportunity. To the people of Europe who are joining us in the European Union, I extend the hand of friendship."

"We feel honoured that you are joining us. We feel pride that the European
Union has attracted, and continues to attract, new members. Enlargement
is a testament to the European Union's success."

Cox said "This new continent-wide Europe, stretching from Dublin in the west to Lublin in the east, from Connemara to Latgale, is witness to the success of the new member states and those societies which have undergone a radical transformation over the last 15 years. It is also the result of the determined and consistent effort by successive Presidencies, member states and the European institutions, who have overcome obstacles on the road and provided sustained leadership for the earliest possible enlargement."

Leaders from all twenty-five European Union member states came to Dublin for a special flag-raising ceremony to mark the enlargement. They issue a declaration of celebration, which looked forward as well as back, and concluded: "Today's enlargement is the best testimony to the success that is the European Union. We now pledge to build on all that we have achieved together. We will construct closer partnerships, deeper union, enhanced democracy, greater equality and even greater prosperity and well-being. This is the legacy we leave our children. And our children's children. This is a good and noble legacy. Today, on the first of May 2004, we, the democratic representatives of the people of Europe celebrate Europeans - Working Together for continued peace, for even greater harmony and for increased prosperity for all our people."

The President of the Party of European Socialists welcomed EU enlargement to 25 countries on 1 May as "the best news since the collapse of the Berlin Wall 15 years ago." Pointing out that the EU would become the world's largest economy, ten per cent greater than the United States, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen said enlargement would be a "win-win" situation for all involved and "should be a start and not a conclusion". He said: "This is a true birthday present on 1 May for all people who on exactly that day think of solidarity, of coherence, of sharing a common destiny and values.

"The European Union's greatest political success" is how the head of the CDU candidates' list for the European elections, EPP-ED Group chairman Hans-Gert Poettering, described the EU enlargement of May 1. "It means that for the first time in European history peace can be ensured for the long term."

But not everyone was celebrating the enlargement. The authorities in Belarus were so uncooperative about attempts to organise celebrations in Minsk that the EU issued a formal statement of regret. The planned public event was to begin with the transmission on a screen of a message from the President of the Commission, Romano Prodi. It had to be cancelled, however, at the last moment because the administrative authorizations necessary for holding it were not received from the Belarus authorities. "The European Union regrets that the only events likely to take place on 1 May will be confined to embassy enclosures and cannot therefore involve the general public of Belarus. It fails to understand why the authorizations have not been forthcoming and wonders about the consistency of this refusal with the reaffirmation by the highest authority of the State of the wish on the part of Belarus 'to have not only good relations with the European Union but very good relations'".