Terrorism

We are shocked and saddened by the terror attacks which have threatened Europe and other parts of the world in the 21st century. However, we implore European governments not to use the undeniable terror threat as an excuse to curtail civil liberties and erode citizens’ privacy. We declare our fundamental belief that strength and safety are found in liberty and freedom and condemn the restriction of hard-won rights and freedoms in the name of fighting terror.

Tunisia

We recognise Tunisia’s transition to a stable representative democracy in the wake of the Arab Spring, and believe that the EU should make support for this nascent democracy a priority. We call for greater recognition among EU Member States of the importance of strong ties with the EU’s southern neighbours. LYMEC also emphasises the economic and environmental benefits to be reaped if Tunisia’s natural renewable energy resources can be properly harnessed.

Turkey

Turkey has been a candidate for EU membership since the late 1990s: however, negotiations have been stagnant for many years. Although there is a significant degree of economic integration between the EU and Turkey, recent years have seen divergence in terms of values and respect for fundamental rights, thus making accession in the foreseeable future unlikely. LYMEC believes that it is time to call an end to accession negotiations, and instead move to ‘reset relations between Turkey and the EU.