News and press releases

Two parallel training courses on firefighting and first aid were organized for members of the Armed Forces of Montenegro, focusing on fire suppression techniques, the use of specialized vehicles and modern equipment, and the provision of first aid. The courses were supported by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB).

Energy experts and decision-makers from South-Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean met in Vienna on 15-16 October for an OSCE Regional Workshop on “Building Energy Systems Resilience: Science-based Decisions to Face Future Risks and Extreme Weather”. The event equipped participants with detailed

The Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Rick Holtzapple, conducted a two-day visit to Canton 10 and Una-Sana Canton, meeting with various political leaders, local government officials, civil society actors, and community representatives. The visit reinforced the Mission’s commitment to supporting good governance, democratic processes, the rule of law, human rights, and trust-building efforts across Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Albania’s parliamentary elections on 11 May were competitive and professionally managed, but they took place in a highly polarized environment and contestants did not enjoy a level playing field. While candidates were generally able to campaign freely, there were reports of intimidation, misuse of public resources and pressure on public employees, which undermined equal opportunities. Election day was calm overall, but procedural shortcomings, instances of intimidation and vote buying, and problems with ensuring ballot secrecy were noted.

The OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in co-operation with the State Forensic Science Bureau of Latvia (SFSB), delivered a specialized training on forensic handwriting examination for forensic document experts from the Main Forensic Center of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS) from 21 to 23 October in Riga.

Some sixty IT students and faculty members learnt about potential challenges of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) during an OSCE-organized lecture session that took place on 23 October 2025 at the Turkmen Institute of Telecommunications and Informatics. Otabek Rashidov, Programme Officer from the

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission) condemns the use of misogynistic and religiously prejudiced rhetoric directed at STAV journalist Rabija Arifović and other female journalists and members of journalists’ associations. Media professionals must be able to work in a safe and