News and press releases

On 24 April 2025, in the lead-up to the parliamentary elections due on 11 May, the OSCE Presence in Albania, in co-operation with the General Directorate of Prisons, organized a comprehensive training seminar for about 45 senior prison staff on prisoners’ right to vote. The purpose of this training was to support prison authorities to ensure the protection and facilitation of prisoners’ voting rights, in line with national laws and international standards.

A total of some 45 forensic experts and medical staff of penitentiary system from five regions of Uzbekistan learned about international mechanisms for documenting torture, as well as national laws governing the treatment of those in detention, during training events in Termez and Ferghana on 21-22

Today Bosnia and Herzegovina is facing the most serious constitutional crisis since the end of the war nearly thirty years ago. The Dayton Peace Agreement that ended that devastating war entrusted the OSCE with a vital role: to help secure lasting peace, protect human rights, and support building a stable, democratic state.

On 16 April 2025, in the lead-up to Albania’s upcoming parliamentary elections due on 11 May, the OSCE Presence, in close co-operation with the General Prosecution Office, the Special Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) and the EU4Justice project, organized a technical workshop focused on strengthening the investigation and prosecution of electoral crimes.

On 10 April 2025, the OSCE Presence in Albania and the General Prosecutor’s Office organized a workshop aimed at enhancing investigative and prosecution capacities of electoral crimes ahead of 11 May parliamentary elections.

As part of its efforts to support the Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK), on 9 April 2025, the OSCE Presence in Albania donated several sets of IT equipment to enhance SPAK’s newly-established Task Force’s capacities in preventing and investigating electoral crimes in the 11 May parliamentary elections.

The draft RS (Republika Srpska) Constitution directly violates the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina and represents a dangerous attempt to disrupt the state's legal framework, weaken institutional integrity, and intensify political divisions. All elected officials and members of any parliament, including RS National Assembly delegates, carry the responsibility to recognize, prevent and avoid processes that pose a threat to democracy, the constitutional order and the stability of the country.