News and press releases

In the last decade, a pronounced form of environmental crime has been present in Montenegro and the region, including illegal activities in forestry, land, stone, riverbeds and sand exploitation, destruction of nature’s biodiversity, as well as illegal construction, which poses a significant threat to natural resources and public health. In the fight against environmental crime, a holistic approach, co-operation and data exchange amongst institutions is of key importance. This was conclusion of the regional workshop “Fighting Environmental Crime in Montenegro and the Balkans region”...

Recommitting to advance gender equality in politics was the topic of discussion at the annual Women’s Power Breakfast organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) at the margins of the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference this week. ODIHR also presented the latest gender-responsive governance toolkit.

From October 9 to 11, the OSCE hosted the "Virtual Asset Service Providers regulation support framework" workshop, bringing together various practitioners from Ukraine, Moldova, and Armenia. The event, held in Vienna, was built around strengthening knowledge and best practices on the regulation of Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs). Organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA), the event aimed to enhance the participants’ ability to mitigate money laundering and terrorism financing risks within the evolving digital asset ecosystem.

The first Mediterranean regional simulation-based training exercise for anti-trafficking practitioners from OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation concluded today in Vicenza, Italy, at the premises of the Centre of Excellence for Stability Police Units (CoESPU).

On 11 October 2024, North Macedonia, as Chair of the Asian Partners for Co-operation Group, organized the fourth OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation Group meeting in collaboration with Australia. This meeting centered on the theme "Global Economic Engagement in the Indo-Pacific for Peace, Prosperity, and Security."

Twenty-eight border and customs officers participated in a training course held from 7 to 11 October in Astana, Kazakhstan. The training course was organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department in close co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, and with the support of the Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan to the OSCE.

In Montenegro, the majority of people with disabilities think that election management bodies do not offer enough support, which makes voters with disabilities feel left out. 54 per cent of them said they faced barriers while voting in the 2023 elections. A further 45 per cent of voters thought polling station staff did not know how to approach and communicate with them.