News and press releases

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region between the evenings of 22 and 23 September compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 23 and 24 September the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous 24 hours. In Luhansk region, on 22 September the SMM recorded one ceasefire violation and no other ceasefire violations during the rest of the reporting period. The SMM assessed damage to civilian properties in residential areas in Horlivka and Hranitne, and followed up on an incident at an ammunition depot in Novoianysol. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote, and Petrivske, and recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere. It facilitated the extinguishing of a fire in an area between Katerynivka and Molodizhne. The SMM visited three border areas outside government control.

VIENNA, 25 September 2017 – Young green entrepreneurs making a social impact in the Mediterranean region were officially invited to compete for the new OSCE GEMS Award launched today in Vienna by the Chairperson of the Mediterranean Contact Group, Permanent Representative of Italy to the OSCE Ambassador Alessandro Azzoni...

SARAJEVO, 25 September 2017- A group of 20 law and criminology students from seven universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) completed in Sarajevo today the second annual edition of the OSCE Mission’s Extracurricular Workshop on International Criminal Law and Transitional Justice.

BERLIN, 25 September 2017 – The 24 September parliamentary elections in Germany were a strong demonstration of the country’s commitment to democratic processes and provided an opportunity for voters to freely express their will, concluded international observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly today following their first-ever election observation mission in the country. The efficiency and professionalism of the election administration, as well as a high level of public confidence in the overall integrity of the electoral process, contributed to the conduct of democratic elections.

An OSCE-supported seminar on the protection of freedom of expression and policies to counter hate speech on the internet took place on 25 September 2017 in Shymkent, Kazakhstan.

NEW YORK CITY, 23 September 2017 – The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stephane Visconti of France, and Andrew Schofer of the United States of America) met separately and then jointly with the Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, and the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, Elmar Mammadyarov, on 22-23 September on the margins of the UN General Assembly. The Co-Chairs were joined by the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Andrzej Kasprzyk....

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote, and Petrivske, and recorded ceasefire violations assessed as inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including in Siedove and Olenivka. The SMM saw multiple launch rocket systems in violation of withdrawal lines near Poltavka. An SMM unmanned aerial vehicle spotted near Myrne, an area outside government control in Luhansk region, a large number of tanks and artillery pieces, as well as other hardware, which appeared to be well-maintained, refurbished and loaded with ammunition. The Mission facilitated and monitored repairs and maintenance of the thermal power plant in Shchastia and water pipelines in Zolote. It continued to monitor the situation of schools and kindergartens near the contact line on both sides. The SMM continued to monitor a gathering in Kyiv....