I honestly believe that this is an illusion created by English-speakers moving in certain educated circles. I too tought like you, or at least I thought it's true for my and most of the previous generation, but then met a surprising number of educated people who didn't knew more than "play" and "rec" in English, especially engineers. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
The population of the ten new member states may be less English-speaking, but the younger generations are Anglophone there, too. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
