News and press releases

On 26 April, the SMM observed what it assessed to be the most intense shelling in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) since fighting began in the area in mid-February 2015. For the last 12 hours, and on-going at the time of this report, the SMM has observed sporadic to continuous exchanges of fire involving small arms, machine gun, rocket propelled grenade and automatic grenade launcher.

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by third parties and security considerations*. The SMM discussed a demilitarization plan for Shyrokyne. The SMM held a round table involving pro and anti-Maidan activists in Odessa.

BELGRADE, 25 April 2015- The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić,met today in Belgrade with his Special Representative for the Transdniestrian Settlement Process, Ambassador Radojko Bogojević.

KYIV, 24 April 2015 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), was joined in Kyiv today by Valeriya Lutkovska, Ukraine’s Human Rights Commissioner, for the launch of ODIHR’s new two-year project. Following Director Link’s public lecture on the subject of civil society, democracy and human rights, ODIHR engaged representatives of Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the civil society and academia in a panel discussion on the vital role civil society plays as Ukraine takes critical steps to advance democracy, protect human rights and address discrimination.

Some 40 representatives from the Ukraine’s Vinnytsia Region and district administrations discussed the international standards on freedom of religion and belief, and responses to hate crime at a seminar organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) with the support of the Vinnytsia Regional State Administration on 23 and 24 April 2015.

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors welcomed the fact that the new Moldovan government is moving ahead with the process to adopt the Strategy on Integration of National Minorities for the Republic of Moldova. During her visit from 20 to 24 April 2015, Thors said it was

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by third parties and security considerations. The SMM were prevented from accessing part of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) by “Donetsk People’s Republic” members. The SMM revisited heavy weapons holding areas, and noted some weapons had been removed. Protests in Kyiv were monitored by the SMM...