News and press releases

Ukraine’s Mine Action Law was adopted by the parliament on 6 December 2018, after consultations with the Project Co-ordinator, who provided advice on the content. It establishes a framework for humanitarian demining, divides responsibilities among state institutions, and envisages the creation of a mine action centre.

Montenegro’s draft National Strategy on preventing and combating terrorism, money laundering and terrorist financing 2019-2022 and the related Action Plan were reviewed at a workshop organized by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and the country’s National Security Council on 10 December 2018 in Podgorica...

Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 7 and 8 December, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Between the evenings of 8 and 9 December, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours. Small-arms fire was directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle near Bila Hora.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region. The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted at a checkpoint in Novolaspa and close to Voznesenivka, a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region near the border with the Russian Federation.* The Mission observed a calm situation at the crossing point in Chonhar and other areas in the south-eastern part of Kherson region.

WARSAW, 10 December 2018 – The fundamental rights set out in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights 70 years ago are vital not only to the equal dignity and worth of every person, but also to achieving and maintaining peace and security, Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), said on today’s Human Rights Day.

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro organized two workshops on gender-responsive budgeting in Kolašin and Tivat, on 29 and 30 November and 3 and 4 December, respectively. The Mission engaged experts who delivered the training sessions and conducted a gender budgeting analysis for 14 participants representing municipalities in Kolasin and Tivat. The aim of the events was to help municipal institutions with gender mainstreaming. They were organized in partnership with the Ministry for Human and Minority Rights and its Department for Gender Equality.

Maintaining international standards on identifying, collecting, handling, protecting and preserving electronic evidence is crucial for its admission in trials, was the conclusion from a two-day workshop organized by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro from 5 to 6 December in Danilovgrad.

YEREVAN, 10 December 2018 – The 9 December early parliamentary elections in Armenia were held with respect for fundamental freedoms and enjoyed broad public trust that needs to be preserved through further electoral reforms, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today. Open political debate, including in the media, contributed to a vibrant campaign, although cases of inflammatory rhetoric online were of concern, the statement says.