News and press releases

The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remained restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations. The Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region but fewer in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Avdiivka. The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The SMM observed demining activity as well as the presence of unexploded ordnance (UXO). The Mission monitored two border areas currently not under government control...

An OSCE-organized course on TV coverage of major events for editors and camera operators from Turkmenistan’s TV channels concluded on 5 May 2017 in Ashgabat...

A group of 30 Italian prosecutors and judges improved their ability to address hate crime during a training course co-organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) on 5 May 2017 in Milan, Italy. The event, part of ODIHR’s Prosecutors and Hate Crimes Training

A workshop organized by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo for around 20 Roma and Ashkali grassroots activists and civil society organizations from the Gjilan/Gnjilane and Ferizaj/Uroševac municipalities on how to shape better local policies for the benefit of communities concluded on 3 May 2017...

ATHENS, 5 May 2017- The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Madina Jarbussynova, on Friday concluded a visit to Athens, Lesvos and Thessaloniki to discuss how best to support first responders in identifying potential victims of trafficking among large flows of migrants and refugees...

An OSCE-supported textbook for secondary school students on environmental awareness was launched at a roundtable discussion on improving secondary education on 5 May 2017 in Astana...

COPENHAGEN, 4 May 2017 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Christine Muttonen (MP, Austria) and Special Representative on the South Caucasus Kristian Vigenin (MP, Bulgaria) expressed regret about today’s announcement that it has not been possible to reach agreement to extend the mandate of the OSCE’s Office in Yerevan. The Office is expected to close in the coming months...