The forthcoming enlargement of the European Union (EU) is both necessary and indispensable for the EU, European Commission President Romano Prodi said in a recent interview with Xinhua.
The enlargement is significant for the EU on geopolitics, economy, security and other aspects, Prodi said in Strasbourg, France, where he was attending a plenary session of the European Parliament.
He indicated that the most important significance of the enlargement is an emotional one.
"First of all, this is an emotional issue. Europe divided by the Berlin Wall and by the separation is now being reunified," he said.
The enlargement brings advantages not only for the EU but for the 10 new members which are already enjoying high speed of economic growth as a result of increased investment from outside, Prodi stressed.
He believed that the enlargement would make the EU the largest economic entity in the world.
On institutional challenges, the president said the EU needs a good constitution because its decision-making process is relatively slow while the outside world is changing fast.
As for the security benefit, Prodi said that with the enlargement the EU will try to establish better relationship with its neighboring countries.
"Security does not depend on weapons," he noted. "It depends on good relations with neighbors."
Prodi said the enlargement process, which will bring peace and prosperity, can serve as a good example for the whole world.
After six years of tough negotiation, 10 nations -- Poland, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Malta, Latvia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Hungary and Cyprus -- will officially join the union on May 1, boosting the number of union members from 15 to 25. Enditem
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