News and press releases

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports that vehicles carrying Voda Donbassa employees had been damaged by gunfire near the Donetsk Filtration Station on 12 and 13 March. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and spotted previously seen military hardware and mines inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including near Sosnivske, Kreminets and at a border crossing point near Izvaryne in Luhansk region, near the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Petrivske water pumping station in Artema and a water pipeline near Horlivka. It monitored a religious procession of 15,000 to 20,000 people in Lviv. At the administrative boundary line between Kherson region and Crimea, the SMM noted a calm situation.

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine jointly with the project Support to Anti-Corruption Champion Institutions (SACCI) funded by USAID, conducted dialogue focus groups on anti-corruption reform in 10 regions across Ukraine in 2017. The results of these dialogues were assembled in publication of survey on perceptions of the success of the anti-corruption reform presented at an event held on 13 March 2018 in Kyiv.

VIENNA, 14 March 2018 – Concluding Slovakia’s Chairmanship of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) in Vienna today, the country’s Permanent Representative to the OSCE and Chairperson of the Forum Ambassador Radomír Boháč said Slovakia strived to be an impartial facilitator of the discussions amid growing polarization and diverging views among participating States...

Four student teams from Universities of Sarajevo, Banja Luka, and the Sarajevo School of Science and Technology were on stage on 13 March 2018 in Sarajevo to perform the winning plays of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)’s drama contest on countering violent extremism...

A one-day roundtable discussion on how to support women’s increased participation in decision making in Tajikistan and how men can play a role in that concluded in Dushanbe on 6 March 2018. The event was organized on the eve of International Women’s Day.

NEW YORK, 13 March 2018 – The robust collection of data documenting violence against women and girls and the adoption of policies using the findings can help countries successfully tackle this global scourge, said speakers during a side event held today at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and observed a ceasefire violation near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including again in Kozatske, at the Chervona Mohyla railway station and a border crossing point near Voznesenivka in Luhansk region – near the border with the Russian Federation – and to a compound in Kremenivka. The SMM observed weapons in violation near Lobacheve. The Mission observed anti-tank mines in Verkhnotoretske and Betmanove. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Petrivske water pumping station in Artema. In Kyiv, the Mission followed up on reports of a fire at a chapel of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church...

BAKU, 13 March 2018 – The OSCE’s economic and environmental activities are among its greatest successes, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly George Tsereteli (Georgia) said today at an international conference in Baku. Parliamentarians have a key role to play in favoring economic opportunities and increased trade to support security across the OSCE area, he said, adding that all OSCE countries are becoming increasingly aware of the link between economic success and individual security...

SKOPJE, 13 March 2018 – The development of a platform for direct co-ordination and communication among law enforcement bodies and all engaged government agencies is key to better handling potential migration crisis situations, stated participants of an OSCE Mission to Skopje-supported roundtable discussion held today in Skopje...

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 SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and the same number of ceasefire violations in Luhansk region between the evenings of 9 and 10 March, compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 10 and 11 March, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM followed up on reports of civilians injured and killed following an explosion near a minibus in Donetsk city’s Kirovskyi district. Near Ternove, small arms were again fired toward an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it observed ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including at a heavy weapons holding area, a permanent storage site and at two crossing points near the border with the Russian Federation in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Marinka and Khrustalnyi. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to essential infrastructure near Krasnyi Lyman and Artema. The Mission visited four border areas not under government control.

BAKU, 12 March 2018 – Highlighting Azerbaijan’s potential as a bridge for dialogue and co-operation in the OSCE area, a high-level delegation led by OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) today discussed with Azerbaijani counterparts upcoming domestic elections, as well as democratic and economic reforms in the country. The delegation underlined the important role that Azerbaijan plays in the region of the South Caucasus, and urged further efforts at economic and security co-operation...

The final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on the Czech Republic’s parliamentary elections, held on 20 and 21 October 2017, notes that the elections were competitive and pluralistic, and that the election administration operated efficiently and enjoyed

The OSCE Border Management Staff College marked a milestone in its work when it concluded the 20th Border Management Staff Course in Dushanbe on 9 March 2018. It was the first event to be conducted in the new phase of the OSCE BMSC project.

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro provided 11 laptops, three projectors and one printer to the State Election Commission (SEC) to further support the operational efficiency of the institution, on 9 March 2018 in Podgorica...

A two-week training course on first aid and evacuation of wounded started on 5 March 2018 in Dushanbe. The course is organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe as part of its programme on the disposal of explosive ordnance...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and observed calm situations in the Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote disengagement areas. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including again at the Chervona Mohyla railway station near Voznesenivka, at two border crossing points in Luhansk region near the border with the Russian Federation and near Oleksandrivske.* The Mission saw mine hazard signs for the first time near Dokuchaievsk and Staryi Krym. The SMM visited three border areas not under government control. The Mission monitored a court hearing in Kyiv and gatherings in Kyiv, Odessa and Kharkiv.

VIENNA, 9 March 2018- Following the interim court decision in Silivri to release two Cumhuriyet staff members, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir repeated his call to Turkey to release the last imprisoned defendant and drop charges against all 17 defendants of the trial.

VIENNA, 9 March 2018 – “Journalistic work should never be criminalized,” OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir said today in reaction to the conviction of Hungarian journalist Gergely Nyilas, who reported about migration.

Opportunities for increased economic participation by rural women through the use of modern IT tools, such as mobile phones and Internet-based communication, was the focus of two events held in Vienna on 6 March 2018.

Opportunities for increased economic participation by rural women through the use of modern IT tools, such as mobile phones and Internet-based communication, was the focus of two events held in Vienna on 6 March 2018.

VIENNA, 9 March 2018 – Yesterday’s court sentencing against 25 media workers shows the immense pressure to which media are exposed in the country, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir said today.

VIENNA, 9 March 2018 – Yesterday’s court sentencing against 25 media workers shows the immense pressure to which media are exposed in the country, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir said today.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period and no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty in Zolote-5. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including at two border crossing points in Luhansk region near the border with the Russian Federation.* The SMM visited three border areas not under government control. The Mission continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance works to essential civilian infrastructure near Artema and Krasnyi Lyman. In Kyiv, the SMM followed up on reports of an incident involving a grenade launcher round fired at a restaurant. The Mission monitored gatherings on the occasion of International Women’s Day in Kyiv, Uzhhorod, Kharkiv, Kherson and Lviv; in Uzhhorod, it saw youths throw red liquid at speakers addressing a crowd. The SMM also monitored a protest in Lviv....

A team of experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is providing assistance to the Parliamentary Ad-hoc Committee on Electoral Reform in following up on ODIHR electoral recommendations. As part of this assistance, the team, during a visit to Tirana from 7 to

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro, in close collaboration with the State Election Commission (SEC) organized a two-day refresher training course for 25 trainers on 7 and 8 March 2018 in Podgorica...

Enhancing the knowledge and skills of criminal justice practitioners from South-Eastern Europe in investigating cryptocurrencies and the darknet and using open-source intelligence methods was the focus of a one-week training course jointly delivered by the OSCE and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) from 5 to 9 March 2018 at the Albanian Security Academy in Tirana...

BAKU, 9 March 2018 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened its election observation mission for the 11 April early presidential election in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The mission’s deployment follows an official invitation from the Azerbaijani authorities...

International criminal law and transitional justice was the focus of an OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)-supported workshop for 20 law students from the Dzemal Bijedic University and the University of Mostar, which concluded on 9 March 2018 in Mostar...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and heard an explosion near the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Bila Hora, Vodiane and Bohoiavlenka, as well as newly dug trenches near Zaitseve, Horlivka and Dokuchaievsk. The SMM continued to follow up on reports of an explosion at a building where the office of the Zakarpattia Hungarian Union is located. It facilitated discussions in the context of International Women’s Day in Odessa, Zaporizhzhia and Lviv...

The  final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on the 15 October 2017 presidential election in Kyrgyzstan recommends steps to address shortcomings in the legal framework, strengthen safeguards against the misuse of public resources, and ensure that

VIENNA/WARSAW, 8 March 2018 – Increased efforts are needed to advance women’s leadership and participation in public life if we are to achieve gender equality, say senior officials of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

COPENHAGEN, 8 March 2018 – Economic empowerment of women is a benefit to society as a whole and can be effectively pursued through prioritizing gender considerations in legislative and budgetary action, said the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Special Representative on Gender Issues Hedy Fry (MP, Canada) today. Marking the celebration of International Women’s Day, she called for closing the gender gap, reducing poverty and ensuring women’s representation in all levels of public life...

KYIV, 8 March 2018 – Today Ertugrul Apakan, Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, highlighted the invaluable roles women play on a daily basis in the ongoing search for peace in eastern Ukraine. He called for greater inclusion of women in high-level decision-making forums dealing with peace and security.

How to set up a national Advance Passenger Information (API) system to detect and deter the movement of foreign terrorist fighters was the focus of a four-day consultation between the OSCE and relevant Montenegrin authorities, which concluded in Podgorica on 8 March 2018...

VIENNA, 7 March 2018 –OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today welcomed the decision by the Supreme Court of Ukraine regarding the case of Igor Efimov, photojournalist with the newspaper Vechirni Cherkasy...

COPENHAGEN, 7 March 2018 – A large team of parliamentarians from the OSCE will observe the upcoming presidential election in the Russian Federation. Michael Georg Link (MP, Germany) will serve as Special Co-ordinator, leading the short-term OSCE mission of some 420 international observers for the 18 March vote. Marietta Tidei (MP, Italy) will serve as Head of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly delegation, which will include some 90 members of parliament from more than 30 countries...

The SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, including however, more explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours. In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations but fewer explosions compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and observed damage in the aftermath of an explosion near Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including in Dovzhanske near the border with the Russian Federation and in Verkhnoshyrokivske.* The Mission observed a surface-to-air missile system in violation of withdrawal lines near Vershyna and a helicopter inside the security zone in Marinka, both in government-controlled areas. The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs to essential infrastructure in Horlivka, Naberezhne, Artema and Krasnyi Lyman. The SMM observed two gatherings in Lviv region...

VIENNA, 7 March 2018- Sound and constructive regional co-operation on military and defence matters can raise the effectiveness and efficiency of states’ capacities by pooling their resources and enhancing military research and development, said speakers at today’s OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation meeting in Vienna, held under Slovakia’s Chairmanship. The discussion focused on the work of the Visegrad Group (also known as the Visegrad Four (V4)), which, along with Slovakia, consists of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland...

PODGORICA, 7 March 2018 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened an election observation mission for the 15 April presidential election in Montenegro. The mission’s deployment follows an official invitation from the Montenegrin authorities...

A one-day roundtable discussion on opportunities and perspectives that the transition to digital broadcasting offers to Tajikistan concluded in Dushanbe on 2 March 2018. It was attended by more than 70 representatives from the government, parliament and civil society representatives.

Following a recommitment to the ceasefire, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours. A man at a checkpoint of the armed formations near Kozatske pointed an assault rifle at the SMM and threatened to shoot. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Its access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including in Voznesenivka near the border with the Russian Federation and in Bila Kamianka.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area. The SMM facilitated and monitored repairs to power lines near Yasynuvata, the Petrivske pumping station in Artema and to a water pipeline near Krasnyi Lyman. In Uzhhorod, the SMM spoke with members of the population and representatives of the police and prosecutor’s office...

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 road to women’s increased political participation in Poland and ways to further strengthen women’s voices in politics and society were the focus of a conference on the history of women’s rights co-organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Warsaw on 6

An OSCE-supported public consultation meeting on the application of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) under the Espoo Convention Protocol in Kazakhstan concluded on 6 March, 2018 in Astana...

BUDAPEST, 6 March 2018 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened its limited election observation mission for the 8 April parliamentary elections in Hungary. The mission’s deployment follows an official invitation from the Hungarian authorities...

BELGRADE, 6 March 2018 – Green economy and resource efficiency were the focus of a national workshop organized jointly by the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) on 5 and 6 March in Belgrade...

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and the Co-ordination of the Fight against Corruption (APIC), in co-operation with the Embassy of Italy in Sarajevo acting within the framework of Italy’s 2018 OSCE Chairmanship, launched an anti-corruption project on 5 March 2018 in Sarajevo, to be implemented during the first half of 2018...

On 5 March at 12:55, when an SMM patrol consisting of six members and two armoured vehicles was heading from west to east on a road in Kozatske (non-government-controlled, 36km north-east of Mariupol), it saw a man in military-type attire armed with an assault rifle (AK-74) standing at a checkpoint of the armed formations on the eastern edge of the village. The SMM also saw him pointing the assault rifle directly at the first SMM vehicle, which was then about 120m west of the checkpoint...

The OSCE shared its experiences of how it worked to prepare ground-breaking confidence-building measures to promote peaceful relations in cyberspace at the first meeting of the Organization of American States’ (OAS) working group on co-operation and confidence-building measures (CBMs) in cyberspace in Washington DC on 2 March 2018...