2004 enlargement: testimonials

On 1 May 2004, 10 new countries joined the EU: Czechia, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia. Hear first-hand what that meant for those who witnessed their lives and countries transform.

Czechia

For me as a mum, it’s very important to know that my children are able to grow up in a free country, that they’re able to speak their minds, that they don’t need to be afraid. Values like human rights, democracy, equality are European values. They need to be taken care of.

Kateřina

Estonia

Of course, we’re in the EU! Where else? Estonia celebrates 20 years in the EU and I’m turning 20! I was born as an EU citizen. Of course, we have freedom, security and democracy.

Alexander

Cyprus

I'm Cypriot through and through, but I feel at home when I travel to France, to the Netherlands or to Berlin.

Irena and Vicky

Latvia

Being in the EU has allowed us to preserve our identity, traditions, culture and language.

Amanda

Lithuania

The children of today don’t have in their eyes the sadness of my generation. There isn’t that fear, that oppression. When you remove borders, you have more oxygen. You have more freedom!

Agnė

Hungary

For me, crossing the border into Austria feels like crossing the street. For my parents this was impossible because the Iron Curtain was right here. When they tell me about that time, it feels like a different world. It’s simply incomprehensible to me.

Péter

Malta

For me, being a European citizen means I had the opportunity to go on Erasmus to Ireland and meet students from other countries. I left Malta to discover Malta!

Nigel

Poland

I have very emotional memories of 1 May 2004. It wasn’t only the culmination of a process, but also the moment two parts of Europe were reunited. As we used to say in my family: Europe can breathe with two lungs again.

Maciej

Slovenia

The 1990s weren’t very kind to our region. When we joined the EU, we left the past behind and started a new journey. What matters to me is that we joined a family that defends the principle that solutions must be found around a table.

Urša

Slovakia

20 years in the EU means collaborating with research centres all across Europe and connecting our brains together.

Miša