Lithuanians voted overwhelmingly in favor of joining the European Union in a national referendum that ended Sunday
Published:
12 May 2003 y., Monday
Lithuanians voted overwhelmingly in favor of joining the European Union in a national referendum that ended Sunday, becoming the first ex-Soviet republic to approve membership in the expanding bloc.
Fireworks exploded over the capital, Vilnius, and Lithuanians celebrated with champagne toasts. Lithuania's staunchly pro-EU leaders called the referendum a turning point in the history of the Baltic Sea country of 3.5 million, bounced for so many centuries between one regional power to another.
With 1,969 of the country's 2,040 districts counted, or 97 percent, election officials said unofficial returns showed 91 percent voted in favor of joining, while 9 percent voted "no."
More than 64 percent of the nation's 2.7 million registered voters cast ballots -- exceeding the required 50 percent minimum. A dramatic surge in voting Sunday eliminated fears that low turnout would invalidate the two-day referendum.
Official results were expected later this week.
"Who will be the winner today? Lithuania is the winner," Parliamentary Speaker Arturas Paulauskas declared, raising a glass of champagne.
Šaltinis:
edition.cnn.com
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
Lithuania took over the Chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe today, with a focus on internal and external threats in the OSCE area, fostering democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms, notably freedom of the media, promoting energy security in Europe and building upon synergies between regional organizations.
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė says the decision taken by the European Council to amend the EU Treaty to provide for the establishment of a permanent support mechanism for crisis–stricken eurozone countries is very important for Lithuania.
more »
At the OSCE Summit, President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė met with President of the Kyrgyz Republic Roza Otunbayeva for a bilateral discussion.
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė attending OSCE Summit in Astana had a conversation with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
more »
President Dalia Grybauskaitė positively assessed the European Commission's decision to include the integration of the Baltic Energy Market into the European market in the map of EU priorities.
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė left to Lisbon to attend NATO Summit that starts today.
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė congratulated President Valdis Zatlers of the Republic of Latvia and all Latvian people on Latvia's national holiday, the Independence Day.
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė received letters of credence from the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Samad Ali Lakizadeh.
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė received letters of credence from the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed Ahmed Al Mahmood.
more »
As a response to the address made by representatives of Lithuania's culture community and civic society concerning the future of Kristijonas Donelaitis museum in Chistye Prudy in the Kaliningrad Oblast, President of the Republic of Lithuania D. Grybauskaitė sent a letter to President D. Medvedev of the Russian Federation.
more »