News and press releases

In partnership with the National Security Council of the Government of Montenegro, the OSCE Mission organized a workshop dedicated to the preparation of the Draft National Strategy for the prevention and combating of terrorism, money laundering and terrorist financing 2019-2022 and Action Plan 2019-2020 on 11 and 12 April 2018 in Kolasin, Montenegro...

BISHKEK, 12 April 2018 – During his first visit to Kyrgyzstan in his capacity as OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM), Lamberto Zannier agreed with the authorities to intensify their long-standing co-operation on the integration of society and inter-ethnic policy, particularly in the field of education....

BAKU, 12 April 2018 – The early presidential election in Azerbaijan took place within a restrictive political environment and under laws that curtail fundamental rights and freedoms, which are prerequisites for genuine democratic elections. Against this backdrop and in the absence of pluralism, including in the media, the election lacked genuine competition. Other candidates refrained from directly challenging or criticizing the incumbent, and distinction was not made between his campaign and his official activities, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement today. At the same time, the authorities were co-operative and international observers were able to operate freely in the pre-election period, and the election administration was well resourced and prepared the election efficiently...

Strategies to effectively address hate crimes were the focus of a training course for civil society representatives and legal professionals working with hate crime victims, organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in co-operation with Italy’s Catholic

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it observed a ceasefire violation inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas, as well as, again, in areas near Izvaryne and Sievernyi (near the border with the Russian Federation).* The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line near Pidhorodne, Druzhba, and Lobacheve. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema and a water pipeline in Obozne. The Mission observed some anti-tank mines for the first time near Avdiivka, Zaichenko and in the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM continued to monitor a church in Ptycha, Rivne region, following reports of an incident on 2 April. The SMM saw three commemoration events related to World War II in Odessa.

DUSHANBE, 11 April 2018 – High-ranking officials from the OSCE and the Tajik Government as well as civil society representatives convened to assess co-operation in 2017 and develop a joint programmatic vision for 2019 today in Dushanbe.

Officials from OSCE participating States in the Western Balkans shared good practices and challenges in the issuance and examination of travel documents with their counterparts from the European Union, Schengen states and associated countries during an expert meeting in Brussels on 11 April 2018.