News and press releases

SKOPJE, 15 November 2017- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir, during his visit to Skopje today, commended several positive media reforms while underlining the need to improve the general media situation in the county.

A three-day training course aimed at enhancing the capacity of law enforcement agencies to conduct investigative interviews concluded on 15 November 2017 in the Gissar district of Tajikistan. The event was organized and conducted by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission followed up on reports of a civilian casualty in Marinka. It observed a fresh impact site in Popasna. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including in Novolaspa.* The SMM observed weapons in violations of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. It facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure in Shchastia and Dovhe, and near Zalizne, Novozvanivka, and Vesela Hora. It visited a border area not under government control...

VIENNA, 14 November 2017 – Developing effective co-operation to address the threat of terrorism has been the focus of a two-day visit to Vienna by members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism. Committee members met with officials from the United Nations and the OSCE’s executive structures to learn about their efforts and promote a stronger parliamentary perspective in counter-terrorism work.

PODGORICA, 14 November 2017 – Austria’s Deputy Foreign Minister Michael Linhart, representing the 2017 OSCE Chairmanship, visited Montenegro today, stressing the importance of close co-operation and strategic partnership between the country’s authorities and the OSCE Mission to Montenegro...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region between the evenings of 10 and 11 November compared with the previous reporting period and fewer between the evenings of 11 and 12 November compared with the previous 24 hours. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations between the evenings of 10 and 11 November compared with the previous reporting period but more between the evenings of 11 and 12 November compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission observed damage to civilian properties from shelling in residential areas in Pikuzy. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including to a compound in Kadiivka, and in Siedove near the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of essential infrastructure near Novozvanivka, Artema and Zalizne. It visited three border areas not under government control. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a march...

TBILISI, 13 November 2017 – The 12 November mayoral run-off elections in six Georgian districts were well administered, candidates were able to compete freely and fundamental rights were generally respected in a shortened, low-key campaign, the election observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) concluded in a preliminary statement released today. At the same time, shortcomings in the process highlighted the need for improvements to the laws governing elections, the statement says...