News and press releases

An essay on bridging gaps in education of Roma youth, jointly written by a Jovana Zjacic, a 23-year-old volunteer at a shelter for homeless children, and Ana Cosic, a German-language teacher from Macvanska Mitrovica, was selected as the winner of a competition organized by the OSCE Mission to Serbia on the role of youth in the implementation of the OSCE’s human dimension commitments, on 7 September 2016 in Belgrade...

The OSCE Mission to Moldova held the third in a series of Civil Society Club meetings on 14 September 2016 aimed at improving NGOs’ ability to get the message out more effectively on issues of interest to the public. The event was held in Tiraspol and brought together 15 civil society representatives providing social assistance to women, youth and the underprivileged...

A roundtable discussion on hate crime legislation in Moldova organized by the OSCE Mission to Moldova in co-operation with the Moldovan Ministry of Justice brought together 27 representatives of the government, civil society and international organizations on 13 September 2016...

MINSK, 12 September 2016 – The 11 September parliamentary elections were efficiently organized and there were visible efforts to address some long-standing issues, but a number of systemic shortcomings remain, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today. The legal framework restricts political rights and fundamental freedoms and was interpreted in an overly restrictive manner. Media coverage did not enable voters to make an informed choice and, despite an overall increase in the number of candidates, including a significant number from the opposition, the campaign lacked visibility, the statement says...

The fourth in a series of five OSCE-supported training seminars on profiling techniques at border checkpoints to help counter transnational crime started on 12 September in Karasu, Southern Kazakhstan...

On 8 September 2016, the OSCE Mission to Moldova organized the first in a series of public debates for young people aimed at encouraging the establishment of debate clubs in schools throughout Moldova. Some 50 high school students and teachers participated in or observed the debate, which took place in a school in Avdarma – a village in the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia...

The Central Election Commission (CEC) and the OSCE Presence in Albania organized a series of voter information and education sessions for 140 women in the municipality of Dibra on 1 and 2 September 2016, ahead of the 11 September mayoral by-election. The events, which took place in three administrative units of the municipality- Peshkopi, Muhur and Maqellarë- raised awareness among women, including first time voters, about their rights and the importance of voting...