News and press releases

THE HAGUE, 21 February 2018 – Embracing linguistic and cultural diversity alongside multilingualism and societal cohesion is a driver for peace, mutual understanding and friendly relations among peoples and states, said OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Lamberto Zannier in the following statement to mark International Mother Language Day.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere.* The SMM visited five border areas outside of government control and was restricted in Luhansk region for the fourth day in five days.* The SMM observed continued interruption of mobile phone networks in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor repair work at a water pumping station in Artema. In Kharkiv region, the SMM followed up on media reports that commercial vehicles were unable to proceed after exiting Ukraine at the international border crossing point near Hoptivka. In Kyiv, the SMM continued to follow up on the incident at the Russia Centre for Science and Culture. In Kyiv and Odessa, the SMM monitored public gatherings.

London, 20 February 2018 – Hosted by the Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (OSR/CTHB), a second meeting of experts to discuss ongoing OSCE research on trafficking in human beings for the purpose of terrorist activities concluded yesterday in Hammersmith.

COPENHAGEN, 20 February 2018 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is deploying a mission of 42 international observers, including 33 parliamentarians from 22 countries, to Italy for the 4 March parliamentary elections. The observers arrive in Rome next week for two days of briefings before deploying for election day observation around the country.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region between the evenings of 16 and 17 February, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 17 and 18 February, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM observed fresh damage, caused by gunfire and shelling, to civilian properties in residential areas of Horlivka and Pikuzy as well as to a building where a television station in Luhansk city is located. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including at checkpoints near Betmanove and Kreminets as well as near Leonove and Izvaryne, in border areas close to the Russian Federation.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Novooleksandrivka. The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians living near the contact line in Betmanove and Pivdenne. The SMM visited five border areas outside of government control. In Kyiv, the SMM followed up on reports of an incident at the Russia Centre for Science and Culture on 17 February and saw a group of people throwing eggs and stones at the building of the Centre as well as at a Sberbank branch office the following day. The SMM also monitored two gatherings in Kyiv and one in Kharkiv.

ROME / VIENNA, 19 February 2018 – The targeting of innocent civilians in indiscriminate acts of violence is unacceptable and never justified, said OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Italy’s Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano and OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger today following the terrorist attacks in Kizlyar, Dagestan, in the Russian Federation. They offered their condolences to the families of victims and wished a quick recovery to the injured...

An OSCE-organized training course on arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation was held for 50 young professionals from the OSCE region and the Organization’s Partners for Co-operation from 12 to 16 February in Vienna. The course was held in the framework of the OSCE Scholarship for Peace and Security and jointly organized by the OSCE together with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs.