News and press releases

COPENHAGEN, 28 May 2015 – The OSCE needs a strengthened presence on the ground, closer co-operation with civil society and a rededication to human rights commitments to help realize its goal of achieving comprehensive security, said participants in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Helsinki +40 seminar today in Belgrade. (PHOTOS available here.)...

On 28 May 2015 at 07:00hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 50 vehicles were checked by the Russian border guard and customs services. All the vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 15:10hrs on 28 May...

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 confirmed the deaths of three persons by shelling in Horlivka and saw damage consistent with an artillery strike. The number of ceasefire violations decreased in areas around Donetsk airport. A suspected signal mine exploded within 5 metres of an SMM vehicle close to government-controlled Andriivka (30km north of Mariupol). Due to security considerations, the SMM were unable to travel to Shyrokyne...

VIENNA, 28 May 2015- The role of improving public procurement procedures for economic development and combating corruption, as well as the recent trends in public procurement, are the focus of a two-day Regional Seminar on Enhancing Public Procurement Regulation which started today in Vienna...

BELGRADE, 27 May 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) and Secretary General Spencer Oliver met today with OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic in Belgrade for extensive discussions on the situation in and around Ukraine and other topics...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Relatively low-level fighting continued in and around Donetsk airport and in a number of locations in the Luhansk region. The SMM concluded heavy weapons were not in situ at a “DPR” holding site. Civilians remained dissatisfied with the closure of a government-controlled bridge across the contact line in Luhansk region...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. The SMM, based on its monitoring – which was restricted by third parties and by security considerations* – observed ongoing fighting in and around Donetsk airport. Security concerns prevented the SMM from monitoring in the Shyrokyne area and in Avdiivka, both thought to be highly kinetic. The SMM observed military movements and presence on both sides of the contact line, and the construction of defensive fortifications in various locations in government-controlled areas...