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The Czech Republic's EU membership is being celebrated across the country - thousands of people took to the streets of the Czech capital on Friday for a series of outdoor events, which culminated at midnight with a few words from the Prime Minister and a magnificent fireworks display. Dita Asiedu was there...

It hasn't all been happening in Prague this historic weekend: at the triangle where the Czech Republic, Poland and Germany meet, people are celebrating EU enlargement with all kinds of events, from concerts to bike rides. But people from the three different countries have been celebrating in different ways, as Ian Willoughby has been finding out.

Most Czechs are looking to the future in the European Union with hope. But what about those linked to the past? While the country celebrates its EU accession, the Czech communist party is holding a celebration of its own: the annual Labour Day gathering in Prague's Letna park. Brian Kenety was at the event and joins me now in the studio.

At a press conference in Prague on Friday Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla hailed the Czech Republic's entry to the EU as a historic moment, telling Czechs the country would profit from EU membership. We will not lose our sovereignty, it will be enhanced and we will share it with the remaining 24 states, the Prime Minister said, pointing out that as an EU member state the Czech Republic would be in a better position to defend its interests and mould European policy. The Prime Minister described the EU enlargement as "a definitive end to the division of Europe".

Two days of celebrations have begun across the Czech Republic marking the country's accession to the European Union on May 1st. EU flags are flying on buildings and institutions in all Czech towns and cities and the two day celebrations include open-air parties, concerts and fireworks displays. The celebrations will climax at the stroke of midnight when the Czech Republic together with 9 other countries will become a full member of the European Union. The biggest expansion in the EUs history will swell its ranks to 25 nations and its population to 450 million.

Labour and Social Affairs Minister Zdenek Skromach has confirmed that workers from the enlarged EU will face no restrictions in the Czech Republic. Minister Skromach said that that the country would welcome all EU citizens who wish to live and work here, but that it would take steps to prevent people from abusing the country's social system and security benefits. Of the present member states only Britain, Ireland and Sweden have opened their labour markets to the ten newcomers.

After the official press conference, Czech Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla, and various EU dignitaries, took a walk down Prague's Na Prikope Street, a main artery of Prague's shopping district and today host to the "European Market" -- 25 info tents representing the countries of the enlarged European Union. Brian Kenety was trailing the Prime Minister as he pressed the flesh.

Just before the celebrations started, the Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla, together with representatives of the EU delegation to Prague, including its head Ralf Dreyer, appeared before the public at a final press conference before they proceeded to take part in the celebrations in the centre of Prague. Radio Prague's Pavla Horakova has just come back from the press conference.

In today's special EU edition of Talking Point, we look at how ordinary Czechs view EU membership. With us today are independent commentators Prof. Vladimira Dvorakova from the Prague School of Economics and Dr. Jiri Pehe, Director of the New York University in Prague.

Historically, the former Czechoslovakia was a world leader in the production and export of armaments. Although the weapons industry has declined here since 1989, the Czech Republic is still a significant arms exporter. Now, as EU accession arrives, the country will be expected to adhere to the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports, which aims to ensure the ethical regulation of the arms trade within the European Union.