News and press releases

TIRANA, 13 February 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, concluded a two-day visit to Albania. During his visit, Désir met with Prime Minister Edi Rama, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ditmir Bushati, Chair and Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Media Committee and media actors in the country.

The work to repair the damaged roof of the Plemetin/Plemetina social housing building, home to 180 Roma and Ashkali community members, concluded on 29 January 2018. The repair was made possible with financial support from Caritas Luxembourg, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, the Embassy of Luxembourg and the municipality of Obiliq/Obilić.

The importance of promoting the right to freedom of religion or belief as a core component of ensuring sustainable security in Kazakhstan was highlighted by participants in a meeting organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Astana on 13 February 2018.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 9 and 10 February compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 10 and 11 February compared with the previous 24 hours. Small arms were again fired near an SMM patrol and toward an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it observed a calm situation in all three. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including in Siedove near the border with the Russian Federation and in Styla.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in Styla and Donetsk city. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to essential infrastructure near Pervomaisk. The Mission visited two border areas not under government control.

The OSCE Mission to Serbia, in partnership with the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Education, launched the Basics of Child Safety handbook, a vital guideline for schoolchildren, teachers and parents, on 12 February 2018 in Belgrade.

Addressing the needs of Jewish communities in Poland was the focus of a meeting organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on 13 February 2018 in Warsaw. The meeting was held in co-operation with the Polish Interior Ministry, the General Police Headquarters of

BAKU / YEREVAN, 11 February 2018- 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), together with the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk, met with President Ilham Aliyev in Baku on 7 February and President Serzh Sargsyan in Yerevan on 9 February. In both capitals, they also held consultations with the respective Foreign Ministers.  The Co-Chairs also travelled to Nagorno-Karabakh on 9-11 February to meet with de facto authorities and visited specific locations in the Zangelan, Kubatly, Agdam, Lachin, and Kelbajar districts...