News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE observers assess Bulgarian elections positively, but raise concerns about vote-buying, media coverage
Publishing date: 24 October 2011
The OSCE/ODIHR observer mission made an overall positive assessment of the presidential and municipal elections on 24 October 2011, but said continued reform is needed to address concerns such as pervasive allegations of vote-buying and the near absence of any editorial coverage of the campaign in the media...
Chairperson condemns new restrictions on freedom of assembly and association in Belarus
Publishing date: 24 October 2011
VILNIUS, 24 October 2011- The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis, today condemned newly adopted amendments to existing laws on public assemblies and the security services, saying they will further limit the fundamental freedoms of assembly and association in Belarus...
OSCE/ODIHR and partners promote better legislation and regulation in Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus at Tbilisi conference
Publishing date: 21 October 2011
Tools and mechanisms to make legislative processes transparent and laws more effective were discussed at a two-day conference, co-organized by OSCE/ODIHR, on 20 and 21 October 2011 in Tbilisi...
OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities visits NDC Skopje, winner of 2011 Max van der Stoel Award
Publishing date: 21 October 2011
The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Knut Vollebaek visited the Rajko Zinzifov primary school in the Čair municipality of Skopje on 20 October 2011...
OSCE Mission in Kosovo condemns killing in Dobrushë/Dobruša
Publishing date: 21 October 2011
PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 21 October 2011 – The Acting Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Edward Joseph, condemned today the killing of one Kosovo Serb and the wounding of two others in Dobrushë/Dobruša village in western Kosovo...
OSCE Centre in Astana launches seminars for judges on human rights protection at pre-trial stages
Publishing date: 21 October 2011
ALMATY, Kazakhstan, 21 October 2011 – The first of three OSCE-supported training seminars for local judges to promote human rights protection at the pre-trial stage of criminal proceedings through better judicial review was launched in Almaty today...
Ukraine’s draft parliamentary election law can be made fairer, say ODIHR and the Venice Commission
Publishing date: 21 October 2011
Ukraine’s draft law on parliamentary elections could go further to ensure fully democratic elections, says a joint opinion by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission...