Celebrations set to herald a new EU
The arrival of the 10 newcomers to the European Union will be marked from midnight tonight with celebrations in all corners of the new 25-nation club.
From the west coast of Ireland to the eastern border of Poland and from Valletta, Malta, in the south to the northernmost tip of Finland, a series of concerts and cultural events this weekend will usher in the nations.
The European Commission has chipped in with more than €6m to help the parties go with a swing – splashing out mainly on gala music concerts in Berlin and Warsaw and a midnight firework display in Valletta harbour, Malta, all screened live in more than 3O countries.
The EU began with six member states, becoming nine in 1973 with the arrival of the UK, Ireland and Denmark. Greece followed in 1981, and Portugal and Spain in 1986. Austria, Sweden and Finland made in 15 in 1995.
Now, from tomorrow, the accession of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, plus Cyprus and Malta, denotes the end of years of enforced European division.
The celebration concerts will feature the most popular performers from the new member states in a two-hour show linking the Berliner Konzerthaus and an open air stage in Warsaw.
Meanwhile in Malta, part of a new opera by former Pink Floyd singer Roger Waters will be performed for the first time.
The work, called Ca Ira (It Will be Fine), is in English and French and involves an 84-piece orchestra, three soloists and an adult and children’s choir.
Elsewhere across the new, larger EU, embassies, ministries and municipalities in the member states will mark the event with their own parties and concerts.
Tony Blair will join a largely-ceremonial summit of all 25 EU leaders tomorrow in Dublin, chosen as the venue because Ireland currently holds the EU presidency.
On the eve of the celebrations, EU Commission President Romano Prodi declared that the divisions of the Cold War had been removed once and for all: “We are bringing into the EU family 10 new member states and 75 million new EU citizens.
“Five decades after our great project of European integration began, we are celebrating the fact that Europeans are no longer kept apart by artificial ideological barriers.
“We share the same destiny and we are stronger when we act together. I urge all Europeans to join in celebrations of this astonishing achievement.”
The President of the Party of European Socialists Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, said May Day marked the point at which the EU becomes the world’s largest economy - 10% greater than the US.
“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,” he said.
“Enlargement represents the greatest progress for peace and prosperity for ordinary people in our part of the world.”
He added: “This is a win-win situation if we want it to be – for the newcomers as far as jobs, economic growth and political cooperation are concerned and for us who receive them it is a win-win situation because we need them.
“Being the biggest economy gives us obligations both domestically and in foreign affairs concerning the economy, politics and cooperation.
“Enlargement is all about jobs, jobs, jobs. The last dividing line in Europe disappears on this May Day.
“Europe of the past was divided by nationalism. The new Europe is one of integration.”
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