News and press releases

The 2020 parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan were conducted under improved legislation, and fundamental rights and freedoms were respected overall. While the campaign was competitive and generally well-managed despite the COVID-19 pandemic, credible allegations of vote buying and questions about

TIRANA, December 3, 2020- The Heads of Delegation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries – Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, Deputy Secretary of State of the United States Stephen E. Biegun, and Minister for European and Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Yves Le Drian- welcome the cessation of military activities in the area of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in accordance with the statement by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, and President of the Russian Federation from November 9, 2020.

COPENHAGEN, 3 December 2020 – Thirty years after the signing of the Charter of Paris for a New Europe, despite the OSCE’s notable contributions to strengthening security and promoting stability, the level of distrust is probably higher than it has ever been since the fall of the Iron Curtain, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli said at the opening of the 27th Ministerial Council today. To counter this trend, the PA President urged the Foreign Ministers to increase the level of political interest in the organization and focus on implementation of OSCE commitments...

TIRANA/VIENNA, 3 December 2020 – It’s time to “turn the corner” and overcome the current crisis in co-operation, said OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Prime Minister and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania, Edi Rama, in his opening statement to over 50 foreign ministers and senior diplomats gathered in Tirana and online for the 27th OSCE Ministerial Council...

The OSCE Presence in Albania, in co-operation with the Albanian School of Magistrates, organized a two-day virtual training course on 2 and 3 December 2020 on the role of prosecutors in investigating criminal offences and their leadership skills for Albania’s Prosecutors and Judicial Police officers...

The State Commission on Religious Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic held the 4th International Conference titled "Islam in a Modern Secular State: Experience of Interfaith Co-operation", on 26 November 2020, in partnership with the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek.

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan is conducting a second training course for 18 women representatives of local authorities from Samarkand, Djizzakh, Kashkadarya and Surkhandarya regions from 30 November to 4 December 2020.