News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE SMM Chief Monitor Calls for Full and Sustainable Ceasefire
Publishing date: 12 July 2016
KYIV, 12 July 2016 – Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan, Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), today expressed his unease following a recent sharp increase in fighting in eastern Ukraine. He said a ceasefire is a KEY step towards the restoration of stabilization, normalization and ultimately, peace. Adherence to a full and sustainable ceasefire is a basic requirement of the Minsk documents. It is a political and moral obligation, he added.
Russia’s labeling of journalists as terrorists a threat to media freedom, OSCE Representative says
Publishing date: 12 July 2016
VIENNA, 12 July 2016 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today expressed concern about the decision of Federal Financial Monitoring Service in Russia to publish an updated “list of terrorists and extremists” which includes members of the media...
Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, based on information received as of 19:30, 11 July 2016
Publishing date: 12 July 2016
The SMM recorded a similarly high number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared to the previous reporting period, with violence focusing around Donetsk city and the Avdiivka/Yasynuvata area. In Luhansk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations compared to the previous day. It followed up on reports of shelling and conducted crater analysis in Heorhiivka, Marinka, Popasna and Novooleksandrivka. The Mission continued to observe withdrawal of heavy weapons, observing weapons in violation of the withdrawal line and the presence of armoured combat vehicles in the security zone. The SMM faced restrictions to its freedom of movement.* The Mission followed up on reports about an explosion in Kharkiv.
OSCE Secretary General Zannier encourages all parties in Montenegro to engage constructively on full implementation of April political agreement
Publishing date: 12 July 2016
PODGORICA, 12 July 2016- OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier concluded today a two-day visit to Montenegro, marking the 10th anniversary of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro. “After independence, this country entrusted the OSCE with an important responsibility: to help advance security, democracy, the rule of law and human rights for Montenegrin citizens,” Zannier said...
OSCE supports roundtable discussion on public participation in environmental decision-making in Kazakhstan
Publishing date: 12 July 2016
PAVLODAR, Kazakhstan, 12 July 2016 – An OSCE-supported roundtable discussion on public participation mechanisms in environmental decision-making took place today in Pavlodar for some 25 representatives of the national and local government offices, the private sector, civil society and academia...
Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 12 July 2016
Publishing date: 12 July 2016
KAMENSK-SHAKHTINSKIY, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall cross-border traffic decreased at both BCPs.
OSCE Mission to Skopje organizes two-day workshop on multi-ethnic policing
Publishing date: 12 July 2016
The OSCE Mission to Skopje, in co-operation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, organized a two-day workshop in Ohrid on policing in a multi-ethnic society on 11 and 12 July 2016. Some forty police officers of different ethnicities working in Ohrid and Bitola police stations attended the event and exchanged information and experiences related to multi-ethnic policing...