News and press releases

The SMM observed a significant number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and several in Luhansk region. It continued to visit heavy weapons holding areas and permanent storage sites. The Mission encountered freedom-of-movement restrictions in areas not controlled by the Government.* It continued to facilitate and monitor repair works on critical infrastructure. The Mission monitored peaceful demonstrations in Kyiv and Chernivtsi.

Issues related to the legal recognition of religious or belief communities in Kyrgyzstan and possible mechanisms of co-operation between state authorities and those communities to address the existing challenges were the focus of an ODIHR roundtable event in Bishkek on 3 February 2016...

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCP). The overall cross-border traffic decreased at both BCPs. Rotation of the Ukrainian officials who are present in the vicinity of the Donetsk BCP took place...

VIENNA, 3 February 2016 – Improving inland transport connectivity between Europe and Asia was the focus of a two-day OSCE-supported seminar that ended today in Vienna. The event gathered transport officials, representatives of the private sector and academia, and experts from Germany, Poland, the Russian Federation, Turkmenistan, Turkey and Iran, as well as representatives of various specialized inter-governmental transport organizations from across the region...

STRASBOURG, 3 February 2016 – Special Representative for the German Chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Gernot Erler visited the Council of Europe in Strasbourg today to present the OSCE Chairmanship’s programme for 2016.

KYIV, 3 February 2016 – The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) received 20 armoured vehicles donated by the European Union (EU) today during an official handover ceremony held outside the SMM’s head office in Kyiv. The EU’s donation is part of its support to the OSCE in working towards the stabilization and normalization of the situation in Ukraine...

PRAGUE, 3 February 2016 – The leadership of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions visited the Czech Republic on 1 and 2 February to consider the country’s role in responding to the crisis of migrants and refugees currently affecting the OSCE area...