News and press releases

Enhancing the electoral participation of persons with disabilities was the focus of discussion during a conference co-organized in Skopje by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Mission to Skopje on 6 February 2019.

VIENNA, 6 February – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today raised his concerns over the amendments to the Press Act establishing a right of reply for physical and legal persons, which passed the first reading in the parliament of Slovakia last week.

Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Mission again observed military and military-type presence inside the Zolote disengagement area. It recorded ceasefire violations inside the area. The SMM observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The Mission continued to observe long queues of civilians travelling across the contact line near Stanytsia Luhanska. It facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk region. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas as well as in Staromykhailivka and near Verkhnoshyrokivske. The Mission was prevented from continuing an unmanned aerial vehicle flight near the Zolote disengagement area*

KYIV, 6 February 2019 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened an election observation mission (EOM) for the 31 March presidential election in Ukraine. The mission’s deployment follows an invitation from the Ukrainian authorities.

KAMENSK-SHAKHTINSKIY, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons slightly increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week...

Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Mission heard and saw explosions assessed as impacts 70-100m east-south-east of its position near the Zolote disengagement area. It also recorded other ceasefire violations inside and near the disengagement area. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to essential civilian infrastructure in Luhansk region. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas as well as in Staromykhailivka and near Verkhnoshyrokivske.*

VIENNA, 5 February 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today condemned several threats against N1 TV and its journalists in Serbia...