News and press releases

CHIŞINĂU, 6 November 2023 – Moldova’s local elections were calm and efficiently managed with candidates mostly able to campaign freely, but the broad powers of the government commission for exceptional situations were used to restrict freedom of speech and association as well as the right to stand, while interference from abroad and widespread allegations of vote buying throughout the campaign were of concern, international observers said in a statement today.

In a robust response to the OSCE-wide commitment towards gender equality and a harassment-free workplace, Moldovan border and law enforcement agencies participated in a two-day training course on 1-2 November 2023, in Chisinau. The initiative brought together 30 border and law enforcement officers and provided a platform for delving into in-depth discussions and practical exercises aimed at preventing and eradicating sexual harassment within their agencies.

On October 31, 2023, the Ministry of Defense of the Kyrgyz Republic, in partnership with the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, marked a significant milestone- the inauguration of two modernized training classrooms in Osh. These newly renovated facilities are not only a testament to the importance of proper ammunition storage and maintenance but also a tangible step toward bolstering the safety and security in Kyrgyzstan.

On 31 October 2023, the fifth Partnership Platform meeting took place, bringing together the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (POiD) and representatives of Tajikistan’s Government.

While international justice tools to deal with war-related crimes are high on the agenda, national institutions can and should pursue investigation and prosecution of those who commit them, as synergy of domestic and international efforts is an important precondition for justice to effectively respond to violations of human rights in the course of ongoing war. The needs of adapting national practices and legislation in criminal justice were in focus of IX Lviv Criminal Justice Forum, organized by the OSCE Secretariat Extra-Budgetary Support Programme for Ukraine (SPU) together with State Bureau of Investigations and Lviv University of Internal Affairs on 26-27 October 2023.

The strategic outlook for energy markets, system vulnerabilities, and industry competition took centre stage at this year’s edition of the Vienna Energy Security Dialogue. Titled “Looking Ahead: Shaping the Post-Crises Global Energy Market(s)”, the annual event took place on 25 October in partnership with the World Energy Council Austria, the Federation of Austrian Industries, and Ernst and Young Austria.

On 26 and 27 October 2023, the OSCE Presence in Albania in close co-operation with the Albanian School of Magistrates, organized a training on “Investigation and adjudication of criminal offences related to public procurement”. The training was designed in line with the areas of interest expressed