Today marks the 15th anniversary of the biggest EU enlargement to date!

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image showing Today marks the 15th anniversary of the biggest EU enlargement to date!

Snaebel on May 1st, 2019 at 10:40 UTC »

For anyone interested, I can really recommend Christoffer Guldbrandsen's documentary on the enlargement negotiations during 2002, called "Fogh behind the facade"/"The road to Europe". It's really a fun and unusual documentary. More oriented towards the Danish audience, but it still gives a good glimpse into EU politics.

It's here on youtube

pepa-zdepa on May 1st, 2019 at 11:18 UTC »

Ok guys, you know the drill. Let's show our appreciation by not bothering to vote! /s

 

Seriously though, not sure how other 2004 members are faring, but the turnout in the Czech Republic is a colossal embarrassment. It was 18.2% in 2014.

So, as Jeb Bush would say; please vote.

toreon on May 1st, 2019 at 11:26 UTC »

Now that we're having a noticeable work-related immigration from Ukraine, the effects of 15 years in the EU are becoming apparent. We're still the ones trying to catch up to rest of the EU, but now one can also see that living standards are no longer describable as piss poor and for some countries, the pay is even good enough for gastarbeiting. Something Estonians have been doing in Finland and Sweden for decades.

No longer do we feel as second class citizens in Europe. Even with problems in the EU, it's a great thing that we're guaranteed many rights comparable to Western Europe, and with the ability to have our own voice taken account. Without the EU, we'd face risks of being that forgotten impoverished region with no input to regional regulations, cooperation and policy-making. There's more to do here, such as digital single market (total ban on geoblocking please), but hey, that's why the EU is for.

Furthermore, we're so used to the freedoms that nobody even thinks about them. All the export markets that opened for our businesses, all the European goods that flood our shelves. A weekend trip to Portugal, a semester in the Netherlands, all so typical now, whereas before... behind the Iron Curtain.

Last but not least, the Baltics in particular enjoy the safety and stability that the EU provides, especially compared to the never-ending circus show in the former USSR. It's almost like a godsend, really, as without it (and NATO), there'd likely be no escape from Russia's orbit.

Despite the problems with rule of law and democracy in some member states, let's not forget the success stories next to them, such as booming economy of Poland. I tend to think of the 2004 enlargement as one of the most powerful success stories of European integration. Even if a big mouthful, I can't think if any countries among them that wouldn't belong into the union today.