Addressing OSCE PA Bureau Meeting ahead of Bratislava Ministerial Council, Chair’s Special Representative stresses importance of parliamentarians in increasing understanding on OSCE’s work

Ahead of the official start of the OSCE’s 26th Ministerial Council, the Bureau of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA) met in Bratislava on 4 December 2019 to discuss their work over the course of the year. Bureau members heard from Assembly President George Tsereteli, Treasurer Peter Juel-Jensen, OSCE PA Secretary General Roberto Montella, and Lukas Parizek, Special Representative for the OSCE Chairmanship and State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia.

Opening the meeting, Tsereteli reported on his activities since the OSCE PA’s Autumn Meeting in Bishkek, noting his recent visits to Armenia and Egypt, his address last month to the OSCE Permanent Council, and his participation in Council of Europe, European Parliament and Inter-Parliamentary Union events in Strasbourg and Belgrade. He noted efforts to strengthen ties with these organizations, including by exploring possibilities for holding joint events.

Addressing the meeting, State Secretary and Special Representative for the Slovak OSCE Chair Parizek stressed the crucial role parliamentarians play to make the voices heard of the people they represent, as well as bringing the OSCE’s work back to their countries. “We need you to support the OSCE with your voice in your countries and explain the importance of this unique organization to people. Without this understanding, there will always be a lack of political will and insufficient funding,” he urged.

Among the issues raised by parliamentarians were ensuring freedom of the media, various conflict and settlement settings, as well as efforts to improve the humanitarian situation on the ground in the OSCE region, in particular in the east of Ukraine.

The PA President, Vice-Presidents, Treasurer, and Officers of the three General Committees and President Emeritus serve in the Bureau. They are all elected by the Assembly at the Annual Sessions.