News and press releases

The Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities jointly with the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) hosted the first OSCE conference aimed at commemorating International Anti-Corruption Day, marked annually on 9 December. The conference brought together representatives of academia, civil society, international partners and governments from across the OSCE region, and sought to create a forum of dialogue among these stakeholders on their distinct yet complementary roles in the fight against corruption.

VALLETTA, 6 December 2024 — The 31st OSCE Ministerial Council in Malta concluded with key decisions on the appointment of four senior officials to lead the OSCE’s Secretariat and institutions. This achievement underscores a lasting commitment of the 57 participating States to strengthen the Organization’s ability to act, particularly in times of crisis and conflict.

WARSAW, 30 November 2024 – The action of law enforcement officials while policing peaceful protests in Georgia is of deep concern and a serious breach of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said today after police used

The 2024 European Parliament elections were genuinely competitive, with fundamental freedoms respected. The elections were run professionally and effectively, and the bodies administering them enjoyed a high level of confidence. Aspects of electoral legislation needing further review related primarily to insufficient efforts to involve under-represented groups to form a fully inclusive parliament, differences in voting and candidacy rights across Member States that created unequal conditions for universal suffrage, disinformation and instances of political violence and threats during the campaign both against politicians and journalists, an absence of provisions allowing both citizen and international observers to access the process, and limited transparency and scope of campaign finance regulations.

Croatia’s 2024 early parliamentary elections were competitive, offering voters a broad range of political choices. The legal framework generally provided a sound basis for holding democratic elections, and the election administration enjoyed full confidence in managing all stages of the process. While the media landscape is diverse, concerns remain about the concentration of media ownership and the political affiliation of many media outlets, including the public broadcaster, as well as the high volume of pending litigation against journalists.

WARSAW, 27 November 2024 – An 18-month joint project to support the integration of migrants and refugees in Poland, which has demonstrated the power of collaboration in addressing one of society’s most pressing challenges, ended today with a closing event to celebrate its achievements.

VALLETTA, 25 November 2024- Marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the start of the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, OSCE Chair-in-Office, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta Ian Borg called on participating States to increase efforts and resources to combat all forms of violence experienced by women and girls, including online violence.