News and press releases

SKOPJE, 30 November 2017 – The OSCE Mission to Skopje and the Ministry of Internal Affairs launched in Skopje today a new project aimed at reducing the risk of proliferation of weapons and of ammunition and to increase the security of existing stockpiles of small arms and light weapons...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including in Kozatske. The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure in Shchastia, and near Krasnyi Lyman, Artema and Troitske. The SMM visited five border areas not under government control...

MILAN, 28 November 2017 – Safeguarding human rights constitutes a key element in effectively addressing violent extremism, said OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism member Ana Birchall (MP, Romania) at an event in Milan today.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24 hours. In Dovhe, the Mission heard small-arms fire assessed as aimed at its unmanned aerial vehicle. The SMM observed damage to civilian properties from shelling in residential areas in Dokuchaievsk. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including at a heavy weapons holding area and a permanent storage site in non-government-controlled areas.* The SMM saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure in Shchastia and Zolote-4, and near Krasnyi Lyman, Artema and Troitske. The SMM visited four border areas not under government control.

SARAJEVO, 28 November 2017- The 10th Annual Review Conference on Compliance with OSCE and UN Security Commitments of Bosnia and Herzegovina, gathering over 50 local and regional security experts and representatives of government institutions, international organizations and the civil society, concluded today, at Jahorina mountain...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 24 and 25 November compared with the previous reporting period. In both regions the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations between the evenings of 25 and 26 November compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM heard from soldiers and residents that Ukrainian Armed Forces had moved into the village of Travneve on 21-22 November. Some residents of Travneve told the SMM that they had been without electricity since 16 November. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area. It followed up on reports of a civilian casualty in Popasna and observed damage caused by shelling in Dokuchaievsk and Holmivskyi. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including at a Ukrainian Armed Forces weapons holding area. The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Volnovakha. The SMM visited seven border areas outside of government control. The SMM monitored a gathering in front of the regional prosecutor’s office in Odessa...

VIENNA, 27 November 2017 – On the occasion of today’s parliamentary debate on the Media and Defamation Bill in Malta, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir urged the Maltese authorities to improve the Bill and bring it in line with relevant international standards.