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...