Event Summary: 20 Years EU Eastern Enlargement & EU elections 2024: A view from the Danube Region

On 24 May, just a week ahead of the European Parliament election the Institute for Danube Region and Central Europe organized a public event, part of EUact2 project. Speakers included Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Former Foreign Minister of Austria and EU Commissioner for Foreign Affairs, Martin Eichtinger, Special Representative and Coordinator for Neighbourhood Policy and the Foreign Policy Dimension of the Danube Region, Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, Othmar Karas, First Vice President of the European Parliament, Noémi Kiss, Hungarian author, Vasyl Khymynets, Ambassador of Ukraine in Austria, Jiří Šitler, Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Austria. Input speech was delivered by Juraj Droba, Governor of the Bratislava Region in Slovakia.

The speakers talked about the major enlargement of the EU in 2004, the need for future enlargement and why everyone should use their voice in the upcoming EU elections. They explained how many benefits EU membership has brought to the member states that joined in 2004 but also to Austria. Furthermore, it was emphasized that the EU with its values and principles should not be taken for granted, but should be respected and upheld. The goal of the debate was to deepen awareness and knowledge among EU citizens and to encourage people to vote in the upcoming EU elections with fuller understanding on the consequences of their votes.

Insightful quotes

“The 2004 enlargement brought together two parts of Europe that have always belonged together.” (Benita Ferrero-Waldner)

“Without the enlargement, Austria would still be on the fringes of the EU.” (Othmar Karas)

“We must make great efforts to involve our populations in developments and to break down the Iron Curtain that still exists in people’s minds.” (Martin Eichtinger)

“The EU is above all a political community.” (Noémi Kiss)

“The EU cannot be taken for granted. Freedom and democracy, European values ​​– these are not empty words.” (Vasyl Khymynets)

The event took place in St. Pölten at the Landtag NÖ. The in-person event was joined by 132 participants from 12 different EU countries. The topic attracted a cross-generational audience with the youngest participant being 15 years old and the oldest 89 years old. The majority of participants were men (57%) vs. women (43%).