Honouring the adoption of the first constitution in Europe 230 years ago, President of Latvia Egils Levits, President of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid, President of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President of Poland Andrzej Sebastian Duda signed a joint declaration in a ceremony held at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland.
Joint Declaration of the Presidents of Poland, Estonia, Ukraine, Latvia and Lithuania, gathered in Warsaw on the occasion of the 230th anniversary of the 3 May Constitution
We, the Presidents of Poland, Estonia, Ukraine, Latvia and Lithuania, meet in Warsaw today in order to jointly celebrate the 230th anniversary of the adoption of the 3 May Constitution. The passing of that momentous Act in 1791, regulating the legal system of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, was of historic importance since it marked the first modern state effective fundamental law on our continent and the second one worldwide.
Mindful of the historical experiences, proud of the achievements of our contemporary cooperation in the region and conscious of the challenges, we look with hope to the future. We express the conviction that the prosperity of our common heritage and common home, rooted in the European civilization, demands that, just like home, also Europe be built on the basis of fundamental values and principles. These are with no doubt: freedom, sovereignty, territorial integrity, democracy, the rule of law, equality and solidarity. A uniting Europe should remain open to all countries and nations which share the above-mentioned values.
We approach with understanding and support the persistent strivings of all the peoples of our region, with whom our nations are joined by common historical fate, and who wish to enjoy today, just as we do, the blessings of freedom and democracy while courageously demanding that their rights be respected. We believe that to all of us the solidarity of nations, especially under current threats to our common security, is one of the cornerstones of peace, stability, development, prosperity and resilience. Led by this assertion we are committed to continuing the dialogue and cooperation among the states we represent.