News and press releases

TIRANA, 26 June 2017 – The 25 June parliamentary elections in Albania took place following a political agreement between the leaders of the Socialist Party (SP) and Democratic Party (DP) that secured the participation of the opposition. Electoral contestants were able to campaign freely and fundamental freedoms of assembly and expression were respected. The implementation of the political agreement, however, created challenges for the election administration and resulted in a selective and inconsistent application of the law, international observers concluded in a statement today.

The SMM heard small-arms and outgoing mortar fire close to its position in Zolote-4. The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM followed up on civilian casualties in Marinka, Luhanske and Kadiivka. The SMM observed damage as a result of shelling in Vesela Hora, Kadiivka, Shchastia and Vodiane.

On 23 June an SMM patrol comprising two armoured vehicles and six members was stationary in a residential area in government-controlled Zolote-4, approximately 300m north of the Zolote disengagement area (60km north-west of Luhansk). All patrol members were outside the vehicles.

WARSAW, 26 June 2017 – On the occasion of today’s International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), called on all OSCE participating States to ensure that no one is exposed to the risk of torture, including by ensuring that the states’ actions do not put people at risk of being tortured in other countries.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM observed a fresh impact site in Zaichenko. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations in Zolote disengagement area. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including in Olenivka.* “DPR” and “LPR” refused to provide the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination with written security guarantees which facilitate the implementation of SMM’s mandate...

DUSHANBE, 23 June 2017 – The OSCE Border Management Staff College (BMSC) today concluded its second one-year Border Security and Management for Senior Leadership Course with participants defending their coursework in Dushanbe, Tajikistan...

Specialized investigative techniques for government officials to counter the internet-based narcotics trade were the focus of a training course organized by the US Embassy in Kazakhstan and the Global Training Team of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration's Office of Training with support from the OSCE Programme Office from 19 to 23 June 2017 in Astana...