Analyse
The statement aligns with the EU's official self-description in the Treaty on European Union (Article 2), which defines the EU as founded on values such as human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and human rights. These principles transcend purely economic integration. Grybauskaitė, as Lithuania's president and a former EU budget commissioner, would have been well-versed in these foundational texts.
Achtergrond
The EU originated as the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1957 but evolved into a political and economic union with the Maastricht Treaty (1993), explicitly embedding democratic values. The Lisbon Treaty (2009) further codified these values as legally binding.
Samenvatting verdict
Dalia Grybauskaitė's statement accurately reflects the EU's founding principles as a values-based community, not merely an economic entity.