Thousands Celebrate as EU Nears Its Historic Expansion

[Judi Lynn]

Fri 30 Apr 2004


11:45am (UK)
Thousands Celebrate as EU Nears Its Historic Expansion

"PA"


Hundreds of thousands of people across the “new Europe” celebrated with street festivals today in a jubilant countdown to the European Union’s historic enlargement.

Dozens of events were to culminate with spectacular fireworks displays in the 10 newcomer nations at midnight when the EU becomes a potential economic and political powerhouse of 25 nations and 450 million citizens.

The mood was festive in the Czech Republic and the other nine mostly ex Soviet bloc countries, whose accession after decades of Cold War-era isolation was hailed by EU leaders as “the end of the artificial divisions of the last century.”

The EU’s “Big Bang” expansion brings in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, along with Cyprus and Malta, which were never in the Soviet orbit.
(snip/...)

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2860533
(Free registration required)

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. Though some may not be celebrating

EU asylum seekers lose support

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3671693.stm

Under the new rules, some 2,500 asylum seekers and their dependents from new European Union members are no longer eligible for support. They can still pursue their asylum claim - but the official presumption is that their countries are now safe.

From 1 May they have the same rights as other members of the EU - but until now they have been banned from seeking work and supporting themselves.
...
The group most affected by the decision are Roma, a large number with families, who have fled the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland alleging persecution.

Many Roma do seem to live in what amounts to ghettos in some countries, with possible discrimination by their governments in terms of public support (schools etc.), and no realistic chance to move elsewhere in the country due to racism in the populace. I am uneasy about my country, and the other existing 15 EU members, saying there's no Roma problem in some of the new EU countries.