Press release, 30 April 2014
Ten European countries (including eight post-communist countries such as Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary along with Cyprus and Malta) mark their 10th Anniversary of EU Membership on 1 May 2014. In the context of events in Ukraine, solidarity, cohesion and unity of democratic Europe are of extreme importance in our attempt to preserve peace and ensure welfare in the old continent together with the USA and NATO partners.
The crisis in Ukraine, which sparked off during the Eastern Partnership Summit in late November 2013 and has been lasting for almost 6 months, has highlighted how significant the return to and establishment of those new EU Member States in the political and economic space of democratic Europe is. Already 13 countries have joined the EU since 2004, including Bulgaria and Romania which acceded the EU on 1 January 2007, and Croatia which became an EU Member State on 1 July 2013 during the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU.
We have to realise that 1 May 2004 is a symbol of an enormous historical turning point, especially bearing in mind that it was the day, when three former Soviet republics, the three Baltic States as well as Slovenia, a former Republic of Yugoslavia, acceded the EU; Slovenias example was later followed by Croatia which had survived the tragedy of the war in early 1990s. It was 1 May 2004 that changed the history of Europe and the world bringing about a true unification of the Western and Eastern Europe.
Therefore, today, we can see very clearly how notable our achievements are and how important it is to preserve them, as well as peace in the entire Europe which started regarding the absence of war as a norm after World War II despite the Cold War that lasted several decades and ethnic conflicts that followed in some post-communist territories.
We should not forget that it is not only Lithuania, but also those countries which acceded the EU at the same time, including 7 other post-communist countries as well as Cyprus and Malta are marking the membership anniversary. It is a special occasion for all these European countries and all democratic Europe. It is the day of unification and solidarity in Europe. Let us celebrate and cherish this, and seek for more democracy and everlasting peace.
Gediminas Kirkilas, Deputy Speaker of the Seimas, Chair of the Committee on European Affairs, mob. +370 698 42 669
