News and press releases

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro organized a workshop for the State Election Commission (SEC) on communication strategies with the national and local media on 9 and 10 December 2019 in Podgorica...

The Peace Support Operations Training Centre of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Defence and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the support the Austrian Ministry of Defence, organized a course on security sector governance and reform (SSG/R) processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), which concluded on 11 December 2019...

BELGRADE, 11 December 2019 – Some 50 teachers, university professors and members of civil society participated at the presentation of civics education manuals for teachers...

NEW YORK, United States, 10 December 2019- The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Slovakia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Miroslav Lajčák, today welcomed the results of the Normandy Four Summit in Paris...

Summary Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a similar number of ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. Inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska, the Mission saw workers from non-government-controlled areas replacing

NEW YORK, United States, 10 December 2019 – The OSCE and the UN Secretariat in New York today finalized an agreement to strengthen co-operation on addressing key challenges international peace and security, and on promoting respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law.

What if the seafood served in the cafeteria at your organization was caught and processed as a result of trafficked labour occurring on the other side of the world? Preventing labour exploitation in supply chains was the focus of a meeting organized by the Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings for members of the Inter-agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT) and the UN’s Procurement Task Force in Vienna on 10 December 2019...

As part of the #16Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign, the IT Girls, joint initiative by UN Women, UNICEF and UNDP, supported by Sweden, and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) joined forces to raise awareness about gender-based violence against women and girls in cyberspace at an event held on 9 December 2019 in Sarajevo...

WARSAW, 10 December 2019 – Universal human rights are indivisible and interrelated, with any violations striking a blow at all of society, the head of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said on the occasion of Human Rights Day...

The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons decreased at both BCPs compared to the previous week. The ninety-second Russian convoy crossed into Ukraine and returned through the Donetsk BCP...

An OSCE-organized workshop entitled “Economic benefits of labour migration: OSCE best practices” took place in Ashgabat on 5 and 6 December 2019.

SKOPJE, 10 December 2019 – A series of OSCE Mission to Skopje-supported strategies designed to further professionalize and democratize the police were presented today in Skopje...

COPENHAGEN, 10 December 2019 – OSCE parliamentarians must speak up loudly and clearly to champion the victims of human rights abuses, particularly the most vulnerable members of society, said the Chair and Vice-Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s human rights committee today...

The Ukrainian National Reference Centre for Identification of Controlled and Toxic chemicals, established and equipped with OSCE support, was presented to the country’s expert community on 10 December 2019 in Kyiv...

Summary Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 6 and 7 December, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Between the evenings of 7 and 8 December, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro organized a two-day training course to help the Ministry of Sports and Youth to develop a third Action Plan for the implementation of the Government’s Youth Strategy 2017–2021 on 2 and 3 December 2019 in Budva.

The OSCE Mission to Moldova conducted three workshops on non-discrimination and access to information for persons belonging to national minorities from 11 to 29 November 2019 in Chisinau. More than 80 legal professionals and civil society representatives from three different regions of Moldova, including the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia, participated in the workshops...

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro organized workshops to strengthen the skills of parliamentary staff to support drafting of legislation and amendments within committees on 21 and 22 November and on 3 and 4 December 2019 in Podgorica. The attendees examined the legislative drafting and amending process and discussed the practice and function of the Rules of Procedure of their parliament as compared with the practice in other parliaments.

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro, in partnership with the Department for Gender Equality within the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights, organized gender equality awareness-raising training for journalists on 2 and 3 December 2019 in Podgorica.

SARAJEVO, 9 December 2019 – The Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Kathleen Kavalec, and the President of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) of BiH, Milan Tegeltija, signed today a Memorandum of Understanding on the handover of the War Crimes Case Map...

VIENNA, 9 December 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, sent a legal review to the Government of Albania on the latest amendments to the Law on Audiovisual Media in Albania and the Law on Electronic Communications...

Summary Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM observed craters in a residential area of Zaitseve. The Mission received a Note Verbale from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and a letter from the

BRATISLAVA, 6 December 2019 – The OSCE’s participating States need to show more political will and commitment to real dialogue and diplomacy to effectively address the multitude of, and increasingly transnational, security challenges facing the region, said OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Minister, Miroslav Lajčák as he closed the 26th OSCE Ministerial Council today in Bratislava. “There is a compelling case for co-operative security,” he said...

BRATISLAVA, 6 December 2019 – On the margins of the 26th Ministerial Council, the Slovak Chair, its Special Representatives on Youth and Security, Spain and Albania, supported by the OSCE, organized an event on young voices for a safer future in Bratislava.

Summary Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and the same number in Luhansk region. The SMM observed a team from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine placing concrete obstacles on a road west-north-west of the Petrivske

BRATISLAVA, 6 December 2019 – A high-level side event on the margins of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Bratislava focused on how practical assistance projects can help achieve a comprehensive approach in preventing the uncontrolled spread of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and stockpiles of conventional ammunition (SCA). The discussion was organized by the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre and supported by Germany.

A three-day training course aimed at further strengthening the capacity of Uzbekistan to counter terrorist financing was organized in Tashkent from 4 to 6 December 2019...

BRATISLAVA, 6 December 2019- A event on “Effective Multilateralism in Action: OSCE co-chairing of ICAT, a year in review” was held yesterday on the margins of the OSCE Ministerial Council. The panel discussion focused on key milestones of this year’s co-chairpersonship, by the OSCE, of the UN’s Inter-agency Coordination Group Against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT)., 6 December 2019- A event on “Effective Multilateralism in Action: OSCE co-chairing of ICAT, a year in review” was held yesterday on the margins of the OSCE Ministerial Council. The panel discussion focused on key milestones of this year’s co-chairpersonship, by the OSCE, of the UN’s Inter-agency Coordination Group Against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT)...

On the margins of the 26th OSCE Ministerial Council in Bratislava, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Co-operation of the Principality of Monaco Laurent Anselmi and OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger signed an agreement on 5 December 2019 on Monaco’s support for the OSCE project “Combating Human Trafficking along Mediterranean Migration Routes”...

Government representatives, civil society members, and open data experts from Eastern and South Eastern Europe emphasized the importance of the use of open data and new digital technologies in preventing and combating corruption at an OSCE-organized workshop on 2 and 3 December 2019 in Skopje...

BRATISLAVA, 5 December 2019 – The humanitarian aspects of the crisis in and around Ukraine were at the centre of discussion at a side event at the 26th OSCE Ministerial Council in Bratislava today.

BRATISLAVA, 5 December 2019 – The OSCE launched today a new toolkit focusing on the Inclusion of Women and Effective Peace Processes at the 26th Ministerial Council in Bratislava. The toolkit responds to the need for practicable measures to increase women’s inclusion in peace processes in the OSCE area.

BRATISLAVA, 5 December 2019 – A high-level side event on “Border Security and Counter-Terrorism” was held today on the margins of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Bratislava. The panel discussion focused on the long-standing co-operation between the OSCE and INTERPOL and was attended by high-level representatives of the two organizations.

BRATISLAVA, 5 December 2019 – On the occasion of the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Bratislava, we, the Heads of Delegation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries (Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov, Secretary of State to the Minister for European and Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, and Acting Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs of the United States Phil Reeker) remain strongly committed to mediating a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict...

BRATISLAVA, 5 December 2019 – On the margins of today’s 26th Ministerial Council in Bratislava, the OSCE launched a virtual competency and training centre on the protection of critical energy networks. Chairperson-in-Office and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic Miroslav Lajčák, together OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger officially inaugurated the virtual training center.

BRATISLAVA, 5 December 2019- The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia Miroslav Lajčák today announced the appointment of Ambassador Heidi Grau of Switzerland as the OSCE Chairperson’s Special Representative in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group. Ambassador Grau succeeds Ambassador Martin Sajdik, whom the OSCE Chair thanked for his dedication and important work, which included concrete achievements towards the full implementation of the Minsk agreements...

BRATISLAVA, 5 December 2019 – States must do more to work together through effective multilateralism to support the resolution and prevention – and mitigate the humanitarian impact- of conflict, and build a safer future for all people, said OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Slovakia's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Miroslav Lajčák in his opening address to the 26th OSCE Ministerial Council today in Bratislava...

On 5 December at 06:20 (Moscow time), the ninety-second[1] Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of ten vehicles were checked by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers prior to their crossing into Ukraine. All ten vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 12:35 on 5 December...

Summary Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a similar number in Luhansk region. The SMM observed a team of deminers from non-government-controlled areas on the eastern edge of the Petrivske disengagement area. The Mission

BRATISLAVA, 5 December 2019 – Citizens of the OSCE area need the Organization and its political leaders to implement OSCE commitments and to demonstrate resolve in joint efforts to overcome conflicts and other challenges, Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) said at the opening of the 26th Ministerial Council in Bratislava today...

BRATISLAVA, 5 December 2019 – Ahead of the official opening of the 26th Ministerial Council this morning, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Minister, Miroslav Lajčák, shared his ‘Bratislava Appeal’...

BRATISLAVA, 4 December 2019 – On the eve of the 26th OSCE Ministerial Council, civil society representatives from throughout the OSCE area participated in the annual OSCE Parallel Civil Society Conference held in Bratislava today.

Ahead of the official start of the OSCE’s 26th Ministerial Council, the Bureau of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA) met in Bratislava on 4 December 2019 to discuss their work over the course of the year. Bureau members heard from Assembly President George Tsereteli, Treasurer Peter Juel-Jensen, OSCE PA Secretary General Roberto Montella, and Lukas Parizek, Special Representative for the OSCE Chairmanship and State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia...

Summary Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. Inside and near the disengagement area near Petrivske, SMM unmanned aerial vehicles spotted anti-tank mines and repairs to the road north of the area.

VIENNA, 4 December 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, published today a legal review of the draft law “On Broadcasting”, of the Republic of Uzbekistan. This review was commissioned by his Office and prepared by Dmitri Golovanov, a legal counsel from the Russian Federation. The review was shared with Uzbekistan’s authorities at an earlier date...

KAMENSK-SHAKHTINSKIY, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons decreased at both BCPs compared to the previous week. The ninety-first Russian convoy crossed into Ukraine and returned through the Donetsk BCP...

Summary Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. Outside the disengagement area near Petrivske, the SMM saw that some anti-tank mines previously laid across a road had been removed and trenches

VIENNA, 3 December 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his concerns today regarding the enactment of the law which extends the status of a “foreign agent” to private individuals, and introduces new restrictions on the distribution of information from media outlets categorized as “foreign agents” (known as “media outlets–foreign agents”).

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) together with OSCE Mission in Kosovo organized a two-day visit to Sarajevo on 2 and 3 December 2019 for women from five religious communities and civil society organizations in Kosovo- Islamic, Orthodox, Catholic, Jewish and Protestant Evangelical...

On 28 November at 06:50 (Moscow time), the ninety-first Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of twelve vehicles were checked by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers prior to their crossing into Ukraine. All twelve vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 12:38 on 28 November...