News and press releases

SKOPJE, 6 April 2020- The OSCE Mission to Skopje, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of North Macedonia and the National Network to End Violence against Women and Domestic Violence call upon the relevant actors to make additional efforts to prevent domestic violence during the COVID-19 crisis and to put in place effective victim protection mechanisms...

Summary Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. The SMM saw a fresh crater near a residential building and a school in Novotoshkivske. Members of the armed formations delayed the SMM passage towards

KYIV, 4 April 2020 – As the world marks the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, the Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, Yaşar Halit Çevik, and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, Henrik Villadsen, reiterated the importance and urgency of conducting mine action in eastern Ukraine.

Summary Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. Members of the armed formations continued to deny the SMM passage towards non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region at checkpoints near

COPENHAGEN, 3 April 2020 – The coronavirus crisis has added new urgency to addressing the deplorable conditions that many migrants and refugees face in camps and detention facilities across the OSCE area, said OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Vice-President Margareta Cederfelt (MP, Sweden) today. She highlighted in particular the situation of the camps on the Greek Aegean islands, which have long been at a critical point.

VIENNA, 3 April 2020 – Valiant Richey, OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, today issued the following statement, in co-ordination with Albania’s OSCE Chairmanship, to the OSCE participating States on the COVID-19 pandemic. He urged that, “it is precisely when our global community is convulsed by a crisis of this magnitude that our obligation to combat the exploitation of vulnerable people becomes most acute”...

On 2 April, members of the armed formations again denied three attempts of the SMM to cross into non-government-controlled areas in Donetsk region as well as an attempt to cross into government-controlled areas in Luhansk region, all along official crossing routes...