‘I extend greetings to the citizens of Lithuania and our strategic partner Poland on the 3rd of May, the Day of the first written Constitution in Europe. The Constitution adopted by the Sejm of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1791 is an important document in the history of Europe; it has established modern principles of separation of powers and expanded the political and civil rights. Our forefathers sought ways to revitalize and strengthen their state in difficult times for the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Today, the Constitution of 3 May remains one of the most important sources of the democratic tradition of Lithuania and Poland. It is important for all those who believe in the ideals of a free and united Europe. It is highly important that we implement common historical memory initiatives together with Poland. I firmly believe that by nurturing our common history, we are building bridges to the future cooperation and achievements of all our people’, reads the Prime Minister’s letter.
The 3 May Constitution is not only the first written Constitution in Europe (and the second one in the world), but also the joint response of the two nations to external threats, which stimulated the need for economic and social reforms and gave new impetus to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Constitution of 3 May embodied universal values: desire for freedom, democracy, the rule of law, unity and equivalence. It has contributed to the development of European democracy.
It should be noted that the constitutional framework was completed by an important Mutual Pledge of the Two Nations adopted on 20 October 1791, which has become an important amendment to the Constitution. The pledge is an important constitutional act in the context of the continuity of the statehood of Lithuania.
In Lithuania, 3 May is marked as the 1791 first written Constitution in Europe Day.
