News and press releases

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...

During an OSCE-supported study visit to Croatia from 2 to 5 October 2019, representatives of the Montenegrin State Election Commission (SEC) met with their counterparts from the Croatian State Election Commission, the Ministry of Public Administration and the Ministry of Interior. Their exchanges focused on electoral laws and voters’ Register, education campaigns for voters, co-operation between electoral management bodies and other governmental and nongovernmental organizations. Commissioners had the opportunity to compare the electoral legislation and the organisational structure of election management bodies in the two countries...

To mark the Disaster Risk Reduction Day celebrated globally on October 4, a Second National Conference on “Disaster Risk Reduction: Challenges and Solutions” took place in Bishkek...

TIRANA, 8 October 2019 – The OSCE Presence in Albania and the OSCE Gender Section presented today the results of the OSCE-led Survey on the Well-being and Safety of Women for Albania...

Five participants from the Central Asian Youth Network (CAYN) met with OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger in Vienna on 4 October 2019. The discussion focused on security issues in Central Asia the OSCE’s work and its comprehensive approach to security...

Summary Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 4 and 5 October, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Between the evenings of 5 and 6 October, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions,

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

NICOSIA, 4 October 2019—The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Desir, launched yesterday in Nicosia the second exchange opportunity for journalists from both Cypriot communities...

Following Kazakhstan’s early presidential election on 9 June 2019, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has published its  final report. While the election was an opportunity for potential political reforms, it was tarnished by violations of fundamental freedoms as

The OSCE launched activities in Kazakhstan to support the development of green ports and connectivity in the Caspian Sea Region. They included a launch event on 30 September 2019 in Nur-Sultan and two technical workshops with port authorities in Aktau and Kuryk on 2 and 3 October, respectively.

The OSCE-supported roundtable discussion on conducting and monitoring public hearings as a tool for public participation in environmental decision-making in the Karaganda region took place on 3 October 2019 in Karaganda, Kazakhstan...

A series of two-day training courses on the Introduction to Trafficking in Human Beings and its Forms were held on 24 and 25 September and on 30 September and 1 October 2019 in Dushanbe.

Summary Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM continued observing works to a temporary pedestrian bypass to the broken section of the bridge. The SMM saw

SKOPJE, 3 October 2019 – The Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev; the Head of OSCE Mission to Skopje, Clemens Koja; the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Lamberto Zannier and the Head of the Delegation of the European Union, Samuel Žbogar today addressed the high-level international conference Towards the Concept of One Society and Inter-culturalism organized by the OSCE Mission to Skopje and the Prime Minister’s Office...

Summary Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a similar number in Luhansk region. Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM continued observing works to connect a temporary pedestrian bypass bridge to the

More than 40 representatives of law enforcement agencies, government and practitioners as well as international organizations gathered in Vienna on 2 October 2019 for the official launch of the OSCE handbook on Understanding the Role of Gender in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization That Lead to Terrorism: Good Practices for Law Enforcement. The handbook, the first of its kind, is the result of a two-year collaborative effort by experts on gender, security sector and countering violent extremism based on case studies from across the OSCE area...

The office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) and Kyrgyzstan’s State Agency for Local Self-Governance and Interethnic Relations (GAMSUMO) organized a roundtable discussion in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to present The Graz Recommendations on Access to Justice and National

MINSK, 1 October 2019 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group, Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) and its working groups in Minsk on 1 October 2019:

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. Three firefighters sustained shrapnel injuries in Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district. Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska

VIENNA, 1 October 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, paid tribute today to Jamal Khashoggi, a prominent Saudi journalist who was brutally murdered one year ago, recalling the urgent need to fight against impunity of crimes committed against journalists...

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 increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week...

An OSCE-supported roundtable discussion on the status of Kazakhstan’s draft environmental code took place on 1 October 2019 in Nur-Sultan...

Summary Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 27 and 28 September, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region. Between the evenings of 28 and 29 September, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region

Thirty students from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River practiced their diplomacy skills at the sixth edition of the Model OSCE for Youth, which concluded with the adoption of an “Addendum to the OSCE Gender Action Plan” on 29 September 2019 in Moldova. The document was the result of a compromise and consensus, which the young “ambassadors” put into practice during a simulation of an OSCE Permanent Council meeting...

VIENNA / SARAJEVO, 30 September 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, and the Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Kathleen Kavalec, condemned today the attack on two radiosarajevo.ba journalists and called on the authorities to ensure the better protection of journalists...

In preparation for the third Regional Youth Co-operation Office (RYCO) Call for Proposals, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and the RYCO Local Branch Office organized a training course for potential applicants in Podgorica from 27 to 29 September 2019.

VIENNA, 30 September 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his concern today over the decision taken by the media regulator, National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine (the Council), not to renew the digital terrestrial broadcasting licenses of five regional television companies...

A two-week training course on electronic record-keeping of small arms and light weapons and conventional ammunition (SALW and CA) concluded on 28 September 2019 in Bishkek and Osh.

Strengthening co-operation in addressing trafficking in human beings was the focus of the international roundtable which concluded on 27 September 2019 in Shymkent, Kazakhstan.

NEW YORK, 29 September 2019 – Attending the high-level week of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Foreign and European Minister of Slovakia, Miroslav Lajčák, held bilateral meetings with the Foreign Ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, North Macedonia, and the Russian Federation, as well as the OSCE Minsk-Group Co-Chairs and his Special Representative on Combatting Anti-Semitism Rabbi Andrew Baker, among others. With his counterparts, he spoke about the current situation in the OSCE region, the Slovak OSCE Chairmanship, and expectations for the Ministerial Council in December.

Summary Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM saw a temporary pedestrian bypass bridge being connected with the broken section of the Stanytsia Luhanska

Summary Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and the same number of ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. A man from the Trudivski area of Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district was injured due to small-arms fire. Inside the

A one-day workshop on how to prevent human trafficking in the OSCE’s supply chains was organized by the OSCE on 27 September 2019 in Belgrade. More than 50 of the organization’s staff working in procurement and human trafficking as well as experts from OSCE participating States, the academic community and the International Labour Organization attended...

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo’s four-day Youth Forum Academy, held at Hotel International Prishtinë/Priština, concluded on 26 September 2019...

BISHKEK, 27 September 2019 – Effective oversight may be the most important long-term contribution that parliamentarians can make to democracy and good governance in their country, stated President Tsereteli in a keynote speech to the participants of the international seminar on strengthening parliamentary oversight in the Kyrgyz Republic today...

Practitioners from Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine completed a three-day OSCE-supported workshop in Minsk on 26 September 2019, which focused on best practices and effective regulations to counter money laundering risks in the use of cryptocurrencies, and the criminalization of crypto-exchanges...

The international conference Open Data Tashkent 2019 took place at Inha University in Tashkent on 27 September 2019. The event is part of the project Support of Uzbekistan in improvement of Open Data Management-2019. The project is implemented by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan together with the State Committee on Statistics, and the Ministry for the Development of Information Technologies and Communications.

Twenty-three participants (including eight women) completed a five-day training course on 27 September 2019 held in Golem, Albania, aimed at further strengthening their capacity to counter the financing of terrorism. The participants were from Albania’s General Directorate for the Prevention of Money Laundering, the State Intelligence Service (SHISH), the Albanian State Police, the Ministry of Justice and the Prosecution Office for Serious Crimes. The course was jointly organized by the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department, the OSCE Presence in Albania, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP)...

With the support of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, the State Election Commission representatives attended the 28th Association of European Election Officials (ACEEEO) conference, on “Judicial Protection of Electoral Rights and Transparency of Elections” in Ljubljana from 24 to 26 September 2019...

Advancing legal expertise on climate change adaptation and mitigation to foster environmentally sound practices is the focus of an annual three-day training seminar taking place from 26 to 28 September 2019 in Almaty, Kazakhstan...

An OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan-supported seminar on the protection of freedom of expression and policies to counter hate speech on the Internet took place on 27 September 2019 in Semey, Kazakhstan. It was co-organized with the NGO “Legal Media Centre”...

From 26 to 27 September 2019, the OSCE Programme Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) is conducting a round-table discussion on the advancement of women's participation in politics and business, investing in women's professional development and leadership skills. The event is jointly organized with the Committee on Gender Issues of Uzbekistan’s Senate of the Oliy Majlis (the upper house of the parliament)...

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 followed up on injuries sustained by a woman due to shelling in Roza. Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM saw

COPENHAGEN, 26 September 2019 – In order to better address relevant challenges linked to digitalization in the OSCE area, OSCE PA President George Tsereteli (Georgia) has appointed Stefana Miladinovic (Serbia) as the Assembly’s Special Rapporteur on Digital Agenda...