18 years ago today 10 Central and Eastern European countries joined the European Union.

18 years ago today 10 Central and Eastern European countries joined the European Union.

They rejoined their European friends and the liberal-democratic idea of societies they aspired to be. They united a continent and brought millions of citizens together.
Many thought it came too fast, that economically, institutionally and politically some of these countries weren’t ready, and would tear the EU apart.
Many of others thought it went much too slow, remember? In 1996 Czech President Václav Havel warned that ‘the demons that so fatally affected European history are biding their time. It would be a tragic error to forget about them because of some technicalities over funds, quotas or tariffs”.
In the end it was a geopolitical decision. We did it. And time proved us absolutely right.
Today, these demons of history are back on the European continent. Now they are attacking Ukraine but without the 2004 enlargement, there is no doubt in my mind that Russian troops would be aimed, not at Odessa, Mariupol and Kyiv but at Gdansk, Budapest or Vilnius.
European accession was an ambition, not an end state. Across Central of Earstern Europe millions of people are working on the next phase of their European dream. They know that only being a part of Europe allows them to dream of peace, prosperity and democracy.
Let’s work towards a more perfect Union in the years to come together !
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