News and press releases

COPENHAGEN, 4 January 2016 – Roberto Montella of Italy has begun service as Secretary General of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. He assumes the post following two decades of work in international politics, including in the governmental and parliamentary sides of the OSCE.

BERLIN, 1 January 2016- As it takes over the rotating OSCE Chairmanship in 2016, Germany’s top priorities will be rebuilding trust among participating States and maintaining efforts for achieving a political solution to the conflict in and around Ukraine, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier said today.

BERLIN, 1 January 2016- Speaking on New Year’s Day, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and German Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed satisfaction with the recent lull in violence in eastern Ukraine.

The SMM observed ceasefire violations in limited locations in Donetsk region. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded no firing incidents except one controlled denotation. The SMM attempted, unsuccessfully, to reach Kominternove in order to observe the security situation in the village. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable infrastructure repairs...

KYIV, 31 December 2015- The Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan, expressed today strong hope that the coming year will be pivotal in de-escalating the violence and taking concrete steps towards a comprehensive solution to the conflict in Ukraine. “The people of Ukraine seek peace and normalization of the country,” he said...

SARAJEVO, 31 December 2015 – The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina marked 20 years of its presence in the country this month, with the OSCE’s senior officials reflecting on the achievements and challenges faced by the Mission over the last two decades...

The SMM observed ceasefire violations in southern Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM visited the area of Kominternove to monitor the security situation. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs of critical infrastructure. The SMM observed farmers’ protests in Kherson and Chernivtsi region...