News and press releases

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 24 and 25 November compared with the previous reporting period. In both regions the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations between the evenings of 25 and 26 November compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM heard from soldiers and residents that Ukrainian Armed Forces had moved into the village of Travneve on 21-22 November. Some residents of Travneve told the SMM that they had been without electricity since 16 November. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area. It followed up on reports of a civilian casualty in Popasna and observed damage caused by shelling in Dokuchaievsk and Holmivskyi. Its access remained restricted in the disengagement areas and elsewhere, including at a Ukrainian Armed Forces weapons holding area. The Mission saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Volnovakha. The SMM visited seven border areas outside of government control. The SMM monitored a gathering in front of the regional prosecutor’s office in Odessa...

VIENNA, 27 November 2017 – On the occasion of today’s parliamentary debate on the Media and Defamation Bill in Malta, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir urged the Maltese authorities to improve the Bill and bring it in line with relevant international standards.

While noting public confidence in Germany’s political and campaign finance system, the final report on the country’s 24 September 2017 parliamentary elections issued by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on 27 November 2017, recommends particular measures to

VIENNA, 27 November –The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir called upon Bulgarian authorities today to take urgent measures to protect journalists and the publisher of the regional news website Zov News...

SKOPJE, 27 November 2017 – Challenges to strengthening the capacity of the Public Broadcaster’s smaller community newsrooms and the way forward were the focus of an OSCE-organized roundtable discussion that took place in Skopje today...

The second and final round of training courses on the Model for Professional Development of School Management, which was organized by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina in co-operation with the Ministry for Education, Science, Sports and Culture of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, attended by some 80 school directors, was held during 20 to 24 November 2017 in Mostar...

Vienna, 27 November 2017 – A two-day workshop on the “Prevention of Trafficking in Human Beings in Supply Chains through Government Practices and Measures” concluded on 24 November in Geneva, Switzerland. Organized by the OSCE with the support of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Switzerland, the workshop gathered over 50 participants, including representatives from 18 governments as well as international experts specialized in the fight against child and forced labour and human trafficking.