News and press releases

KYIV, 16 November 2015 – The second round of Ukraine’s mayoral elections saw business interests influencing the process in most contests, and many candidates focusing their efforts on local coalition building more than on reaching out to voters, observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Elections and Human Rights (ODIHR) concluded in a statement issued today. There was little active campaigning. In a positive development, debates were organized between candidates in a number of regions, the observers said...

VIENNA, 16 November 2015 – Peace and security in societies cannot be achieved unless women are fully involved and meaningfully engaged in peace-building processes, said participants of the Security Days event in Vienna on 13 November 2015...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”, including the Addendum. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. The SMM observed a relatively tense general situation in Donetsk region. It also recorded an increased number of incidents involving mines and UXOs...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”, including the Addendum. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. The SMM heard explosions and small-arms fire in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. “DPR” members stopped the SMM and confiscated a map...

KYIV, 13 November 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) met today with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin in Kyiv at the conclusion of his three-day visit to the country...

DONETSK OBLAST, Ukraine, 12 November 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) today visited a range of sites in government-controlled Donetsk oblast, Ukraine, including near the line of contact with separatist-held areas, to survey the security situation and highlight the humanitarian tragedy resulting from the conflict.

KYIV, 13 November 2015 – The Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine Ertugrul Apakan today deplored the recent increase in the number and the gravity of ceasefire violations in eastern Ukraine, and urged the sides to honour their commitments under the Minsk agreements...