News and press releases

KYIV, 7 October 2019 – “I am struck by how much progress — genuine progress — has been made. But we need to build on this and keep the momentum going,” said the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Gender, Melanne Verveer, concluding her five-day visit to Ukraine. In line with the focus of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia, Miroslav Lajčák, on the crisis in and around Ukraine, Verveer’s trip centred on the role of women in peace and security, as well as the effects and prevention of gender-based violence. The visit included activities in both Kyiv and Donetsk regions.

Summary Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a similar number in Luhansk region. A man was injured by shrapnel in Staromykhailivka. Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM observed that the pedestrian bypass

VIENNA, 5 October 2019 –The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed concern about the disproportion of punishment of blogger, Vladislav Sinitsa, following yesterday’s decision of the Moscow City Court to uphold his imprisonment in appeal...

Summary Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Mission saw small-arms fire damage to a functioning school in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka. Explosions occurred near the SMM in the Trudivski area of Donetsk city’s

VIENNA, 4 October 2019- Valiant Richey has been appointed as the new OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger and Ambassador Radomír Boháč, the Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to the OSCE and Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council, welcomed Richey’s appointment as the fifth Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings since the OSCE Permanent Council established the position in 2005...

VIENNA, 4 October 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today reiterated his call on the authorities to drop criminal charges of condoning terrorism against journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva.

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Lamberto Zannier concluded a visit to Skopje, where he spoke at an event on 3 October 2019 presenting a new draft national strategy that aims to foster social cohesion in North Macedonia. His visit is a follow-up to his previous trip to the country in