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1 May 2004 Your Excellency, Honourable Speaker of the Seimas,Honourable Members of the Seimas,Dear Guests of the Session,I would like to thank you for the invitation to speak on this festive occasion for Lithuania and its citizens. Let me congratulate everybody on the first day of Lithuania‘s membership in the European Union, which will frame Lithuanian foreign and domestic policy for oncoming decades. Lithuania returns to the Euro-Atlantic community. We have proved to ourselves and the world that we are the masters of our destiny. I am convinced that the history of Lithuania will preserve the names of the people who led the country to the European Union: Algirdas Brazauskas and Vytautas Landsbergis, President Valdas Adamkus, Ambassador Adolfas Venckus, who became Lithuania‘s first representative at the European Communities, former Foreign Ministers Algirdas Saudargas and Povilas Gylys. I would also like to thank sincerely Deputy Speaker of the Seimas, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on European Affairs Vytenis Andriukaitis, negotiators Vygaudas Ušackas, Petras Auštrevičius and Rytis Martikonis, and the entire Lithuanian diplomatic corps.Most important, the EU membership is an accomplishment of all Lithuanian people, recognition of our democracy and economic achievements. Today we can rejoice at this success also because mature political parties of Lithuania agreed on the main strategic issues. The EU Enlargement was a European project first and foremost grounded on moral, not political or strategic considerations. The Enlargement became a result of dedication and work of all the international community, parliamentarians and EU institutions. I do not doubt that today we witness the most important stage of EU development. The membership of the Baltic States - Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania – Central European countries – the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary – and the Mediterranean Islands – Malta and Cypress – for the first time joins the East and the West of the Old Continent into one harmonious entity. I believe that this EU Enlargement will serve as basis for welfare and peace in entire Europe. Ladies and Gentleman,Lithuania becomes a member of the bloc with a clear European agenda: joining the Schengen Agreement and the European Monetary Union by 2005–2007, boosting the country’s economic competitiveness by implementing the Lisbon Strategy, taking part in the EU institutions and representing Lithuania‘s interests properly. The guidelines of our membership are international and domestic security of the state, safeguarding economic welfare of Lithuanian citizens. I am convinced that the European Union is vitally interested in the welfare, stability and democracy of its neighbours. The EU enlargement will enhance the Union’s role and interests in the region and the world.Lithuania and other new members bring in their unique experience of foreign policy and the region, their strong desire to strengthen the transatlantic cooperation. Good neighbourly relations became the highest value of the Baltic Region and a symbol of democratic changes. We will seek that Lithuania should become one of the key states of the Region linking the Union with its new Eastern neighbours and shaping the EU policy of good neighbourhood. Our goal is the “open door” policy with the countries lying to the East from Vilnius. The more democracy, social and economic stability set in the neighbouring countries, the better we will feel ourselves, dwelling at the border of the European Union. I think cherishing good neighbourly relations is and will be Lithuania‘s substantial contribution to the European Union. -- Ladies and Gentlemen,After the Enlargement, the European political life will become even more diverse and colourful. The old and new members will live in a wider, culturally and economically more diverse Union, inhabited almost by half a billion people in 25 states, which would be the world‘s largest economic area with a single market. It is the time of great opportunities and important challenges for Lithuania and Europe. The time to agree on a reform of Europe‘s constitutional and institutional make-up, so that the future EU policies could become more effective and democratic. The time to revisit the path we have trodden and to further consistently integration in those areas, where closer cooperation is most useful.I think that common interests and experience present us an historic opportunity to start a mature phase of EU development and, in the words of the Preamble of European Union’s Constitutional Treaty, “united ever more closely, to forge a common destiny“.Thank you for your attention. UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION