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Donald Tusk chaired the European Council meetings between 2014-2019 (Photo: Council of the European Union)

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2004: 'Big Bang' enlargement: A homecoming

On 1 May 2004, the EU flags were raised in Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

For millions of central and eastern Europeans it was a homecoming celebration.

That is what "accession" meant to many who felt that their countries - after decades of totalitarian rule - were returning to where they belonged, to Europe, as sovereign, independent states.

One of them was Donald Tusk, now the president of the Euro...

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Author Bio

Eszter Zalan is a Hungarian journalist who worked for Brussels-based news portal EUobserver specialising in European politics, focusing on populism and Brexit.

Donald Tusk chaired the European Council meetings between 2014-2019 (Photo: Council of the European Union)

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Author Bio

Eszter Zalan is a Hungarian journalist who worked for Brussels-based news portal EUobserver specialising in European politics, focusing on populism and Brexit.

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