News and press releases

A campaign highlighting the benefits of composting household waste, supported by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, was launched on 1 July 2016 in Pljevlja, by the Montenegrin Sustainable Development and Tourism Ministry, the Municipality of Pljevlja and the Eco-Centre Dolphin NGO...

The transition to a low-carbon economy and Kazakhstan’s corresponding obligations under the Paris Climate Agreement were the topics of an OSCE-supported meeting of the Green Economy Council under the President of Kazakhstan on 4 July 2016 in Astana...

Berlin/Vienna, 3 July 2016 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Secretary General Lamberto Zannier today expressed deep sadness upon the passing of Holocaust survivor, peace activist and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel.

In Donetsk region the SMM recorded a similarly high number of ceasefire violations compared to the previous reporting period. In Luhansk region, the SMM observed fewer ceasefire violations compared to the previous day. The SMM members in Svitlodarsk were redirected to Kramatorsk for the night, due to the deterioration of the security situation in the area. The SMM followed up on reports of shelling and conducted crater analysis in Kominternove and Yasynuvata. It continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons. The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints along the contact line. The Mission monitored a border area not controlled by the Government and its access was denied at one border crossing point The Mission’s freedom of movement was restricted on three occasions.* In Odessa, the SMM observed a demonstration gathering about 500 people in front of the city council...

TBILISI, 2 July 2016 – Nearly 300 parliamentarians from 54 OSCE countries have begun debates on political and security affairs, economic and environmental issues and human rights and humanitarian concerns at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 25th Annual Session in Tbilisi...

THE HAGUE / TBILISI, 1 July 2016 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier today awarded a certificate of participation to eight interns from Georgia’s national minority communities in Tbilisi. The certificate recognizes the immersive and proactive involvement of the young professionals in their mid-twenties in the day-to-day life of Georgia’s political parties during an intensive one-month internship programme in May-June 2016...

TBILISI, 1 July 2016 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, today concluded his three-day visit to the South Caucasus in Georgia. In Tbilisi, Steinmeier met the Georgian political leadership, including President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze and the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament David Usupashvili...