EU boosted by pro-union votes in Hungary and Malta

The EU's expansion plans received a double boost yesterday when Hungarians voted overwhelmingly to join the bloc, and the pro-European premier of Malta claimed victory in elections.

Ten countries remain on course to join on 1 May, 2004. Yesterday's results come ahead of Wednesday's signing ceremony in Athens when leaders of eight ex-Communist countries, plus Malta and Cyprus, will sign treaties of accession.

In Hungary, the national election office said 83.8 per cent of votes cast in a referendum on Saturday were positive. Less than half of those eligible to vote took part, but the result will count because more than two million Hungarians voted "yes". "No one can doubt that the real winners are Hungary's children," Peter Medgyessy, the Hungarian Prime Minister, said, adding that this was "a cause for celebration".

The European Commission said Hungarian voters had expressed a "clear choice to build their future within a strong, united Europe" and that the "decision marks the end of Hungary's tragic separation from the European family of democratic nations".

The Hungarian referendum follows similar "yes" votes in Malta and Slovenia. Malta went to the polls again at the weekend in a general election that could have derailed the EU membership aspirations of the tiny Mediterranean island.

The opposition leader, Alfred Sant, had pledged that he would not sign an EU membership treaty this week if he won. The Prime Minister who negotiated the country's EU membership, Eddie Fenech Adami, said after his victory that it was clear Malta could now go ahead with the move. "I'm going to Athens to sign the [accession] treaty following confirmation by the majority of the people," he said.

In a fiercely contested referendum last month, the Maltese voted in favour of membership by 53.6 per cent to 46.4 per cent. Election officials said 96 per cent of eligible voters turned out for Saturday's parliamentary balloting, about 5 per cent higher than the referendum turn-out.

Hans-Gert Pöttering, chairman of the centre-right EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament, sent Mr Fenech Adami a letter expressing "our most heartfelt congratulations on your success in the general election", adding: "This is a historic moment for the Nationalist Party which has always worked with great enthusiasm to bring Malta into the European family."

Of the countries due to join the EU, all but Cyprus have scheduled referendums. While Malta was seen as the most likely to vote "no", there are concerns about the level of participation in most countries, with some nations having minimum turn-out rates to validate the polls.

In opinion polls 66.1 per cent of Hungarians said they would participate in the referendum – many more than actually did so. Surveys in other aspirant countries have indicated that 62.4 per cent of Poles, 40.2 per cent of Czechs and 40.1 of Slovakians will cast votes.