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Reding Concerned With Restrictions on Freedom of Expression

"Freedom of expression and freedom of information are not luxuries to be indulged in only at the end of social development. They are the starting point for the development of a free and democratic society."

"Freedom of expression and freedom of information are not luxuries to be indulged in only at the end of social development," said EU Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding yesterday. "They are the starting point for the development of a free and democratic society."

Reding spoke yesterday  on the subject citing: EU member states who have banned the BBC "Teletubbies" program, the beating of a Hungarian journalist, and the lack of freedom of expression in Russia and China.

"We Europeans must be adamant about this in our dialogue with third countries," she said. "At the same time we must ensure that our own European media systems set a strong example of freedom of expression and freedom of information."