WARSAW, Poland, June 12 (UPI) -- Concerned about voter apathy in this week's European elections, leaders of new EU member countries urged the public Saturday to go to the polls.
President Aleksandar Kwasnewski of Poland and his Czech Republic counterpart Vaclav Klaus both issued appeals to their citizens to vote.
Poland and the Czech Republic were among the 10 countries to join the European Union in May. Projections were forecasting a voter turnout as low as 26 percent in the Czech Republic and 35 percent in Poland.
Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, who currently holds the EU presidency said Saturday "democracy is not a spectator sport." He said it called for participation and commitment.
In contrast, the Mediterranean island of Malta -- another of the 10 new Eu member -- was expected to set a new record for EU voting with an estimated 80 percent of the electorate going to the polls.
All 26 EU countries will have voted by Sunday to elect a new European parliament.
