Press release issued by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

VIENNA, 11 July 2011 - The following is a press release issued by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on 9 July. The views expressed in this press release do not necessarily reflect those of the OSCE Chairmanship, nor of all OSCE participating States:

Parliamentarians approve measure to combat transnational crime

BELGRADE, 9 July 2011—Parliamentarians from more than 50 countries today passed a measure aimed at strengthening co-ordination among legislatures aiming to fight international organized crime.

OSCE PA Vice-President Riccardo Migliori (Italy) introduced the measure after Italy hosted meetings of the United Nations and OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on the topic in recent years.

Members approved the resolution after a debate in plenary Saturday at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Annual Session in Belgrade, which ends Sunday.

“Like so many of our modern challenges, organized crime rings are now effectively international gangs who have no respect for our laws let alone national borders. To be most effective combating these transnational criminal gangs, we must work together parliament-to-parliament when drafting domestic legislation on this issue,” said Vice-President Migliori.

The measure specifically calls for parliaments to strengthen legislation combating organized crime and calls for harmonizing local laws. The measure also mentions the need for co-operation between the Vienna-based OSCE and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

On Friday, the Committee on Political Affairs and Security passed a separate resolution on national minorities introduced by Migliori expressing hope that parliaments will study whether their legislation is compatible with the principles of the 2008 Bolzano Recommendations, which include respecting minority rights and avoiding conferral of citizenship en masse to minorities living abroad.

Both items are now to be included in the Belgrade Declaration, which members will vote upon Sunday in plenary. The Belgrade Declaration expresses the collective will of the Parliamentary Assembly and helps shape OSCE and national policy.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is comprised of 320 parliamentarians from 55 countries spanning, Europe, Central Asia and North America. The Assembly provides a forum for parliamentary diplomacy, monitors elections, and strengthens international cooperation to uphold political, security, economic, environmental, and human rights commitments.

Media Contact:
Neil Simon, Communications Director, neil@oscepa.dk, +45 60 10 83 80