News and press releases

LUXEMBOURG, 4 July 2019 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 28th Annual Session opened today with calls for strengthening multilateral institutions to protect democracy, promote security and advance sustainable development. Nearly 300 parliamentarians from across North America, Europe and Central Asia have gathered in Luxembourg for the five-day meeting, being held under the theme “Advancing Sustainable Development to Promote Security: The Role of Parliaments.”...

An OSCE-supported anti-corruption summer school programme began on 7 July 2019 with a launch event in Nur-Sultan.

LUXEMBOURG, 4 July 2019 – The OSCE PA Standing Committee, convened in Luxembourg for the 2019 Annual Session, voted this morning by an overwhelming majority (45 in favour, 2 against) for the reappointment of incumbent Secretary General Roberto Montella for a second five-year term in office. The mandate begins on 1 January 2021 and expires 31 December 2025...

Together with the OSCE Gender Section, the OSCE Mission to Moldova presented the results for Moldova of the OSCE-led Survey on the Well-being and Safety of Women, at a launch event on 4 July 2019. The event was organized in co-ordination with the Moldovan Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. A woman was injured in Donetsk city and two men were injured in Vesele and near Pervomaisk from shelling and gunfire. The SMM saw damage to houses due to shelling in Khreshchatytske and Zolote-4/Rodina. Small-arms fire was assessed as aimed at an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle in Zernove. The SMM continued to monitor activities related to disengagement at Stanytsia Luhanska. The SMM saw again the presence of anti-tank mines near the Petrivske disengagement area. The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate repairs and the operations of critical civilian infrastructure. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in the disengagement areas and elsewhere. Its freedom of movement was also denied near non-government-controlled Staropetrivske...

LUXEMBOURG, 3 July 2019 – Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland), who has been nominated to lead the short-term OSCE observer mission for the 21 July early parliamentary elections in Ukraine, today expressed regret that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will no longer be able to observe these elections following recent developments...

GENEVA, Switzerland, 3 July 2019- The 48th round of the Geneva International Discussions (GID) took place today...