In an interview with Lusa on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of what is also known as the 'Big Bang' enlargement, due to its size and impact -- the EU went from 15 to 25 Member States at the time -- Várhelyi says that the wave of accessions made in 2004, especially from central and eastern countries, "was something that should have happened a long time ago".

"Our perspective in central Europe has always been that History, which has been very unfair since the end of World War II, should be reversed, because central Europe had to return to where it belongs, to the heart of Europe", says the Commissioner from Hungary, one of the Member States that joined the community bloc 20 years ago.

On 1 May 2004, a dozen countries joined the EU, mainly from central and eastern Europe: Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and the Czech Republic, plus Cyprus and Malta. This enlargement, the largest in the history of the Union, would be followed by the accession of Romania and Bulgaria in 2007, and Croatia in 2013, which at the time increased the number of EU Member States to 28, which in 2020 would be reduced to 27 with the implementation of 'Brexit', the United Kingdom's exit.

The European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement says that, "looking back", it seems obvious to him that "central Europe has benefited greatly" from the 2004 enlargement, not only at the socioeconomic level, but also at the political level, because "it has regained its strength, and now also has a very defined political role in the EU", in addition to the fact that the accession of several countries that were previously on the other side of the 'iron curtain', under Soviet influence, helped to consolidate the "democratisation" of the region.

"I think it was a great gain for central and eastern Europe, but I am also convinced, looking at the last 20 years, that it was also a great victory for the EU, because with central Europe in its midst, the EU has also become much stronger", not only economically, but also politically and in terms of geostrategy and security, because this region is now "indispensable for dealing with the crises" around the Union, "the most recent of which is Russia's aggression against Ukraine".

Pointing out that, "on a day-to-day basis, due to some disputes here and there, and from what is read in the press, it may not seem so obvious", the European Commissioner for Enlargement nevertheless summarises his conviction that, "taking a step back and looking at the big picture, it is fair to say that it is a victory for all" the enlargement that took place 20 years ago.

Leia Também: União Europeia. Os 10 países protagonistas do 'Big Bang' de 2004 (Portuguese version)