News and press releases

TIRANA, 19 March 2021 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an observation mission for the 25 April parliamentary elections in Albania, following an invitation from the country’s authorities.

Geneva/Strasbourg/Vienna/Warsaw, 19 March 2021 – The pandemic poses unprecedented challenges for governments, health systems and societies at large, with many people in despair. We also witnessed solidarity with generosity, care and commitment towards the most vulnerable. This crisis offers us a unique opportunity to create more inclusive and equal societies, said the heads of four human rights institutions ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Summary In Donetsk region, the Mission recorded 44 ceasefire violations. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 30 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded no ceasefire violations. In the previous reporting period, it also recorded no ceasefire violations in

Law enforcement agencies’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and international best practices were the focus of an online OSCE workshop for Ministry of internal affairs officials, law enforcement officers and health authorities in Kazakhstan held on 18 March 2021.

How vaccine “passports” could impact border security agencies’ operations in the OSCE area was the focus of an online roundtable discussion organized by the OSCE on 18 March 2021.

KYIV, 17 March 2021 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Heidi Grau, made the following statement to the press after the regular meetings of the TCG and its Working Groups held through video conferencing:

YEREVAN, 16 March 2021 — OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde, concluded a working visit to Armenia today.