News and press releases

VIENNA, 31 March 2017 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Austria’s Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz, today joined the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ call for the sides to renew engagement in the political settlement process as expressed in their statement on 29 March...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties and damage to houses from shelling in Donetsk city, Ivanivka, Chasiv Yar and Popasna. The Mission monitored the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted.* The SMM assessed impact sites inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. It observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM followed up on reports of electricity outage in Avdiivka. The Mission visited five border areas currently not controlled by the Government. The blockade of railway routes continued. The SMM monitored the situation at consulates of the Republic of Poland after an explosion that occurred at the consulate in Lutsk in Volyn region. The Mission observed broken windows at three banks in Lutsk...

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 31 March 2017- The OSCE Mission in Kosovo will conduct a collection of votes operation, opening four collection centres with associated branches throughout Kosovo, with OSCE staff presence, on Sunday, 2 April 2017, in the context of the Serbian Presidential Elections...

The second in a series of OSCE-supported five-day training courses on risk profiling at border checkpoints to assist in countering transnational threats concluded in Almaty, Kazakhstan on 31 March 2017...

An independent and efficient judiciary as a protector of citizens’ rights and freedoms was the focus of a conference organized to mark the Day of the Judiciary on 31 March 2017 in Skopje by the OSCE Mission and the Association of Judges...

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo on 31 March 2017 launched the Media Fellowship, an annual initiative, aimed at building the capacities of young journalists and establishing a network of fellows from different communities...

GENEVA, Switzerland, 29 March 2017- The thirty-ninth round of the Geneva International Discussions was held on Wednesday. The Co-Chairs welcomed the overall business-like atmosphere in which it took place.