News and press releases

Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 5 and 6 April, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. Compared with the previous 24 hours, between the evenings of 6 and 7 April, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk region. It observed the closure of the entry-exit checkpoint near Marinka following a reported gunfire incident. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. In addition, the Mission was denied access at a checkpoint near Zaichenko and near Izvaryne and Sievernyi, close to the border with the Russian Federation. It faced further restrictions at a railway station in Kostiantynivka and in Nova Marivka and Slovianoserbsk...

NUR-SULTAN, 8 April 2019- OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Slovakia’s Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák stressed the importance of regional co-operation in all three dimensions of comprehensive security during his visit today to Nur-Sultan...

Ten Afghan law enforcement officers completed a ten-day training course on 5 April 2019, which focused on combating illicit drug trafficking and drug-related crimes. The course, held at the St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation was organized by the Strategic Police Matters Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department...

COPENHAGEN, 8 April 2019 – Meeting today in the Danish capital, the elected Bureau of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly heard remarks from Albanian President Ilir Meta related to Albania's upcoming Chairmanship of the OSCE, as well as OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger, and Head of the OSCE PA’s Danish Delegation Peter Juel Jensen. Bureau members discussed current international issues and offered feedback on the reports and draft resolutions being prepared for the 28th Annual Session this summer in Luxembourg...

WARSAW, 8 April 2018 – Governments and political leaders must do more to end the impunity of violent perpetrators who attack Roma and Sinti, said Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), on the occasion of International Roma Day...

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region. It recorded a ceasefire violation inside the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM observed fresh craters near Kalynove-Borshchuvate. The Mission saw anti-tank mines for the first time near Marinka. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable demining activities and repairs to essential civilian infrastructure on both sides of the contact line. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. Its freedom of movement was also restricted near non-government-controlled Starolaspa...

BRATISLAVA, 5 April 2019- At today’s High-Level Meeting on the Reform of the Scales of Contributions organized by the Slovak Chairmanship in Bratislava, OSCE participating States discussed the need and common will to find a long-term and sustainable solution to the pressing issue of financial contributions to the OSCE...