News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE Representative reiterates call on Armenia authorities to ensure journalists’ safety
Publishing date: 26 April 2016
VIENNA, 26 April 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today again expressed concern over journalists’ safety in Armenia following recent coercive actions by police against media representatives in Yerevan...
Serbia elections offered voters variety of choices and respected fundamental freedoms, but playing field was not level, international observers say
Publishing date: 25 April 2016
BELGRADE, 25 April 2016 – The 24 April early parliamentary elections in Serbia offered voters a variety of choices and fundamental freedoms were respected, although there was biased media coverage, an undue advantage for incumbents and a blurring of the distinction between state and party activities, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today. The election administration performed its duties efficiently and generally enjoyed the trust of electoral stakeholders, they said...
OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s youth summits challenge stereotypes and promote tolerance to counter violent extremism
Publishing date: 22 April 2016
SARAJEVO, 22 April 2016 – Some 100 high school students, pedagogues and psychologists from across Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) took part in two youth summits in Teslić and Vogosća this week co-hosted by the OSCE Mission to BiH and the BiH Security Ministry, with the aim of developing school-supported activities to counter and prevent violent extremism from taking ground in educational environments...
OSCE/ODIHR final report on Slovakia’s parliamentary elections recommends reviewing limitations on right to stand and introducing provisions prohibiting misuse of administrative resources
Publishing date: 22 April 2016
The final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on the 5 March 2016 parliamentary elections in Slovakia notes that the legal framework was amended, resulting in a number of improvements. It recommends, however, that limitations on the right to stand for election should be reviewed and that citizens should be allowed to run as independent candidates to ensure full compliance with OSCE commitments. The report recommends introducing provisions prohibiting the misuse of administrative resources.
OSCE trains Tajik and Kyrgyz border guards on operational planning
Publishing date: 22 April 2016
Twenty Tajik and Kyrgyz border guards completed on 22 April 2016 in Dushanbe a three-week OSCE operational planning training course, conducted in the framework of the third phase of the OSCE Office’s patrol programming and leadership project...
OSCE Office in Tajikistan trains border troops on patrol leadership course
Publishing date: 22 April 2016
An OSCE-organized four-week training course on patrolling and leadership skills for 20 officers from Tajik Border Troops concluded on 22 April 2016 at the Gissar training centre, Tajikistan...
Leaders of OSCE PA’s economic and environmental committee welcome Earth Day signing of Climate Agreement
Publishing date: 22 April 2016
COPENHAGEN, 22 April 2016 – The signing of the historic Paris Climate Agreement by world leaders in New York today is a fitting tribute to the global celebration of Earth Day and a reminder of the work that remains to be done in countering global warming, said the leaders of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s economic and environmental committee, Nilza Sena (MP, Portugal) and Marietta Tidei (MP, Italy), today...