Lithuanians vote to join EU, May 2003

The weekend of 10-11 May saw Lithuanians go to the polls to vote on whether to join the European Union. Lithuania became the latest Acceding Country to vote on EU membership. Malta, Slovenia and Hungary all voted 'yes' in their referendums, and with a scheduled vote in Cyprus not taking place at the end of March because talks on reunification failed, the Lithuanian result leaves just five more plebiscites on EU accession:

• Slovakia on 16-17 May
• Poland on 8 June
• Czech Republic on 15-16 June
• Estonia on 14 September
• Latvia on 20 September

It was widely thought that Lithuanians would vote in favour of joining the EU, although there was considerable concern over whether the result of the referendum would be valid.

With the participation of at least half of the country's 2.6 million registered voters needed to make it legal, even Lithuania's chief EU negotiator, Petras Austrevicius, was worried that the referendum might not attract a high enough turnout - although he expressed no doubt about the outcome. The Financial Times reported government concerns that 'overconfident EU supporters might not show up to vote.'

President Rolandas Paksas had urged his people to participate: 'Our neighbours, the Latvians and Estonians, and other European countries are watching us as they did in the 1990s when we were the first to declare independence.'

The BBC reported that only 30% of voters had turned out on Saturday, but that figure was doubled by early on Sunday afternoon, thus making the referendum valid.

On a count of some 97% of votes cast, it was clear there was overwhelming support for EU membership, with about 91% of votes in favour, and only 9% against.

The result is only the latest in a number of significant recent developments since Lithuania gained independence from the USSR in September 1991. In November 2002 Lithuania was invited to join NATO, and shortly after was formally told that the country's bid to join the European Union had been accepted. On 16 April 2003, the President Paksas - elected only in January - joined other leaders in Athens to sign the Treaty of Accession. During his speech he said:

'I am convinced that Lithuania will be an active, responsible and creative member of the Union. Through our creativity we shall contribute to the prosperity of a united Europe. Lithuanian borders will soon become the external borders of the European Union, and will be both friendly and secure. The European Union will embrace the Baltic Sea. I believe that the Baltic Sea region will become one of the most dynamically and rapidly developing regions in Europe. Our "old new" neighbours in the East will surely soon feel the benefits of an enlarged Union.'

There is strong support for EU membership amongst all Lithuania's major political parties, the business community and the Roman Catholic Church. Membership is also supported by farmers' organisations, although farmers themselves - some 300,000 people - are reportedly not as enthusiastic.

Links:

BBC News Online:
	12.05.03:	Lithuania says big 'Yes' to EU
	11.05.03:	Lithuania's EU vote 'valid'
	10.05.03:	Lithuania votes to join EU
	08.05.03:	EU gloom among Lithuanian farmers
	10.03.03:	Timeline: Lithuania
European Sources Online: Financial Times:
	12.05.03:	EU referendum draws Lithuanians
Office of the President of the Republic of Lithuania:
	16.04.03:	Speech by H. E. Mr. Rolandas Paksas, President of the Republic of Lithuania, on the occasion of the signing of the Treaty of Accession to the European Union
European Sources Online: Topic Guides:
	Information on European countries: Lithuania [Lietuva]
European Sources Online: In Focus:
	Lithuania: Surprise victory for Rolandas Paksas in presidential election, January 2003

Eric Davies
Researcher
Compiled: Monday, 12 May 2003

Background and reporting on the week's main stories in the European Union and the wider Europe.