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VILNIUS, May 03, BNS - The adoption of the May 3 Constitution demonstrated spectacular democratic consciousness, Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskaite has said.

Her statement came on the 220-year anniversary of Europe's first constitution adopted by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth on May 3, 1971.

"The values stipulated in the Constitution of May 3 personified the determination to seek superiority of law, freedom and justice ideals, which we build our state on today," the president, currently on a visit in Caucasus, said in a congratulatory message.

"By being the first in Europe and the second in the world to adopt a written Constitution 220 years ago, we demonstrated spectacular democratic consciousness," said Grybauskaite.

The Constitution of May 3, 1791 is generally regarded as Europe's first and the world's second modern codified national constitution, following the1788 ratification of the United States Constitution. However, soon after the adoption of the constitution, the commonwealth was divided by neighboring states, and Lithuania and Poland reappeared only after the World War I.