LYMEC meets in Belgrade to discuss media freedom

LYMEC leadership gathered in Belgrade, Serbia, for its first Bureau meeting in 2015, discussing the political priorities and organisational tasks in the upcoming year. Next to two central events, congresses in Rotterdam and Helsinki, LYMEC will expand its standard offer of seminars and conferences to activities like participation in Europe Pride in Riga, gathering of young local councillors in Brussels and Europe-wide campaign on TTIP. Also, LYMEC will offer the possibility for higher involvement of young members in the work of the organisation through Press team, Campaign team, Research group on comparative liberal policies in Europe and LYMEC Web café aimed at boosting discussion among young members on current political topics.

During its visit to Belgrade, LYMEC organised a round table on Media freedoms and freedom of speech with the Serbian member organisation LDP Youth. Recent events and trends are showing a deterioration of media freedoms and tendencies of (self-) censorship, creating a paradox between the constant growth of information sources and platforms and shrinking of the basic freedoms of speech and expression. The discussion concluded that there is a need of constant awareness raising and reminders of all actors, media, politicians and the public, of the human right to express an opinions and the established legal and civic protection of freedom of speech and media which are the ground stones of the open societies we live in.