News and press releases

The SMM observed more ceasefire violations in Donetsk but fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties and damage from gunfire, and shelling in residential areas in Dokuchaievsk, Donetsk city, Khreshchatytske and Donetskyi. The Mission monitored the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted.

Between the evenings of 7 and 8 April the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 8 and 9 April the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24-hour period. The Mission observed fresh impact sites caused by shelling and gunfire inside the disengagement area in Stanytsia Luhanska, as well as in Sokilnyky and Novozvanivka. The Mission monitored the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted...

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina hosted a visit by “The Future of the OSCE”, young leaders group from 5 to 7 April 2017 and supported the Third National Session of the European Youth Parliament-Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) from 6 to 9 April 2017...

The OSCE Office in Tajikistan supported the Shaartuz district boarding school by donating a new transformer to provide uninterrupted supply of electricity in a ceremony held on 10 April 2017...

On 8 April, an SMM patrol of five monitors in two armoured vehicles was on its way to the government-controlled checkpoint in Maiorsk (45km north-east of Donetsk) to monitor the crossing of the contact line by two Russian Federation Armed Forces representatives of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC)...

The SMM observed more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on a report of a civilian casualty in Avdiivka and damage to houses from shelling and gunfire in Shevchenko and Dokuchaievsk. The Mission monitored the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted.* It continued to observe weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM visited three border areas currently not controlled by the Government in Uspenka, Novoazovsk, and Dovzhanskyi. In Kyiv, the SMM followed-up on media reports and monitored the situation around the district court building...

The SMM observed fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Avdiivka, Marinka and Novoazovsk. The Mission monitored the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted. It continued to observe weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM noted no changes and a calm situation at the blockade sites near Hirske and Buhas. The SMM continued to observe the presence of mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and the presence of mine hazard signs...

VIENNA, 7 April 2017 – Indiscriminate acts of violence can and will never be justified or tolerated, said OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz and OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier today as they condemned the terrorist attack in Stockholm, offered their condolences to the families of victims and wished the injured a quick recovery...

OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier met Albania’s Minister of Defence Mimi Kodheli on 7 April 2017 during her bilateral visit to Austria...

KETRZYN, Poland, 7 April 2017 – A two-week workshop focusing on current and emerging trends in border security management draws to a close tomorrow at the Polish Border Guard Training Centre in Ketrzyn...

COPENHAGEN, 7 April 2017 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Christine Muttonen (MP, Austria) responded to an apparent terrorist attack in Stockholm today with a statement of condemnation and condolences, expressing solidarity on behalf of the OSCE PA with the victims and the people of Sweden...

On the occasion of International Roma Day, 8 April 2017, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Ambassador Andrea Orizio today reaffirmed the Mission’s strong commitment to the greater social inclusion of Roma and other minorities, and their equality and non-discrimination in Serbia...

The last in a series of five training courses organized by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning for some 150 municipal officials responsible for social housing and drafting respective three-year plans concluded on 7 April 2017 in Prishtinё/Priština...

VIENNA, 7 April, 2017 – Fostering a better understanding of threat perceptions is the focus of discussions among senior officials from capitals and ambassadors of the participating States to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna (Kahlenberg) today...

WARSAW, 7 April 2017 – Stronger efforts to include Roma and Sinti communities and a commitment to capitalize on the potential they offer for European societies is key to sustainable results in improving the situation of Roma and Sinti, Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said today in a statement ahead of tomorrow’s International Roma Day...

The third in a series of OSCE-supported five-day training courses on risk profiling at border checkpoints to assist in countering transnational threats concluded in Astana, Kazakhstan on 7 April 2017...

A two-week regional course for military officers from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan on pre-deployment for peacekeeping operations concluded on 6 April 2017 in Almaty, Kazakhstan...

The SMM observed more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24 hours, despite a recommitment to the ceasefire on 1 April. The Mission followed up on two reports of civilian casualties in Troitske and Verkhnotoretsk. The Mission monitored the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted.* It continued to observe weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM facilitated and observed demining activity as well as the restoration of operations at the Donetsk Water Filtration Station. The Mission monitored a border area currently not under government control. The SMM noted no changes and a calm situation at the blockade sites near Hirske and Buhas. Shots were fired near an SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle on the outskirts of Luhansk city. The SMM followed up on a recent incident when a hand grenade was reportedly detonated in a café in Dnipro. In Balakliia, the SMM saw repair work underway and that a local school resumed operations following explosions at the ammunitions depot...

Strengthening the preparedness of NGO staff working in regions where they face a high risk of becoming a target of kidnapping for ransom is the focus of a three-day training course organized by the Transnational Threats Department of the OSCE Secretariat from 4 to 6 April 2017 in co-operation with the Spanish Guardia Civil’s Centre of Excellence for Special Training (CAE) in Logroño...

VIENNA, 6 April 2017 – The mandate of the OSCE Observer Mission at the Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk was extended by three months to 31 July 2017 following a consensus decision today by participating States at the OSCE Permanent Council...

The OSCE points of contact network to strengthen risk analysis and information exchange between the OSCE’s participating States and Mediterranean Partners in the area of border security and management was launched at a roundtable event organized by the OSCE in Madrid from 4 to 6 April 2017 in co-operation with the Spanish National Police...

On the occasion of International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, Tajikistan’s National Mine Action Centre organized on 4 April 2017 an event bringing together government officials, international and national state organizations and NGOs engaged in humanitarian mine action as well donor community representatives in Tajikistan...

Around 14:00 of 5 April, the SMM observed, in violation of the respective withdrawal line, heavy weapons moving in the vicinity of an aerodrome in Luhansk – 1.2km north of the road M04. (For example, at 14:47, the SMM observed one multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122 mm) heading south-east on the road M04)...

ASTANA, 6 April 2017 – An OSCE-supported roundtable discussion on introducing the Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in Kazakhstan began today in Astana, Kazakhstan...

VIENNA, 5 April 2017 – There is no alternative but to reduce the risk of a military escalation and find a way to constructively implement the Minsk agreements, said the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office’s Special Representative to the Trilateral Contact Group, Martin Sajdik, and the Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, Ertugrul Apakan, in their addresses to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna today...

Despite the relatively calmer security situation since the renewed commitment to the ceasefire beginning on 1 April, the SMM continued to observe ceasefire violations. In Luhansk region the Mission observed fewer ceasefire violations compared with the previous reporting period. In Donetsk region, however, it observed an increase in the number of ceasefire violations for the second consecutive day, including twice as many explosions than in the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on a report of a civilian casualty in Kurakhove and observed impact sites at a checkpoint area in Molodizhne. The Mission monitored the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted.* It continued to observe weapons in violation of withdrawal lines. The SMM observed demining activity as well as repair work near the Donetsk Water Filtration Station that led to restoration of electricity to the Station and to the town of Avdiivka. The Mission monitored a border area currently not under government control. The SMM noted no changes and a calm situation at the blockade sites near Buhas and Bakhmut...

WARSAW, 5 April 2017 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), today expressed grave concern over elements of amendments adopted to Hungary’s higher education law that could have a serious negative affect on the ability of the Central European University in Budapest to operate...

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...

ERGNETI, 4 April 2017- The 76th meeting under the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) was held in Ergneti. Ambassador Guenther Baechler, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus, and Kestutis Jankauskas, Head of the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), co-facilitated the proceedings...

Vienna, 4 April 2017 –OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings Madina Jarbussynova brought the 17th high-level conference of the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons to a close today by urging all participants to adopt a regional and multi-stakeholder response to better combat child trafficking and secure the best interests of all children, regardless of status or background.

The positive role religious figures and institutions can play in conflict prevention and peace building was the theme of an expert workshop co-hosted by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) in Vienna on 3 and 4 April 2017.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous 24-hour period, but fewer compared with the period before the recommitment to the ceasefire. The Mission followed up on a report of a civilian casualty in Marinka. The Mission monitored the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines. The SMM followed up on reports of vandalism against bank branches in Odessa...

COPENHAGEN, 3 April 2017 – Following an attack in St. Petersburg today that is being investigated by the Russian authorities as an act of terrorism, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s President, Austrian parliamentarian Christine Muttonen, offered condolences and strongly condemned the violence...

VIENNA, 3 April 2017- The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz, and OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier today condemned the atrocious blasts in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, offering condolences to the families of those killed and wishing a rapid recovery to the many injured...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions since a renewed commitment to the ceasefire came into force on 1 April. In Donetsk region the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations but more explosions – the vast majority of them were recorded before midnight on 31 March – between the evenings of 31 March and 1 April compared with the previous reporting period, and fewer ceasefire violations between the evenings of 1 and 2 April compared with the previous 24-hour period...

ASHGABAT, 3 April 2017 – The Foreign Affairs Ministry of Turkmenistan, supported by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, organized today in Ashgabat the fifth meeting of the Regional Infrastructure Confidence-building Measures (RI-CBM) technical groups within the framework of the Istanbul Process on Afghanistan...

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana supported a training seminar on presiding over cases of domestic violence for judges in the framework of the judges’ annual retraining courses in Astana on 3 April 2017...

YEREVAN, 3 April 2017 – The 2 April parliamentary elections in Armenia were well administered and fundamental freedoms were generally respected. Despite welcomed reforms of the legal framework and the introduction of new technologies to reduce electoral irregularities, the elections were tainted by credible information about vote-buying, and pressure on civil servants and employees of private companies, international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today. This contributed to an overall lack of public confidence and trust in the elections, the statement says...

Twenty one officers from the Tajik border troops, ranked from warrant officer to major and mainly coming from border detachments at the Tajik-Afghan and Tajik-Kyrgyz borders, successfully completed a three-week training-of-trainers course on 31 March 2017. The event was organized by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan...

On 2 April, an SMM patrol composed of six members and two armoured vehicles was stationary (since 12:25) 50 metres west of the main Tsentralna street on the northern edge of “DPR”-controlled Sakhanka (24km north-east of Mariupol), in the parking lot of an uninhabited building. Three patrol members were outside the vehicles, and three were inside.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Yasynuvata and damage to houses and other civilian infrastructure from shelling and gunfire in Yasynuvata, Irmino, Sentianivka, Kadiivka, Molodizhne and Novooleksandrivka. The Mission monitored the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted

VIENNA, 31 March 2017 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Austria’s Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz, today joined the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ call for the sides to renew engagement in the political settlement process as expressed in their statement on 29 March...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties and damage to houses from shelling in Donetsk city, Ivanivka, Chasiv Yar and Popasna. The Mission monitored the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted.* The SMM assessed impact sites inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. It observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM followed up on reports of electricity outage in Avdiivka. The Mission visited five border areas currently not controlled by the Government. The blockade of railway routes continued. The SMM monitored the situation at consulates of the Republic of Poland after an explosion that occurred at the consulate in Lutsk in Volyn region. The Mission observed broken windows at three banks in Lutsk...

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 31 March 2017- The OSCE Mission in Kosovo will conduct a collection of votes operation, opening four collection centres with associated branches throughout Kosovo, with OSCE staff presence, on Sunday, 2 April 2017, in the context of the Serbian Presidential Elections...

The second in a series of OSCE-supported five-day training courses on risk profiling at border checkpoints to assist in countering transnational threats concluded in Almaty, Kazakhstan on 31 March 2017...

An independent and efficient judiciary as a protector of citizens’ rights and freedoms was the focus of a conference organized to mark the Day of the Judiciary on 31 March 2017 in Skopje by the OSCE Mission and the Association of Judges...

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo on 31 March 2017 launched the Media Fellowship, an annual initiative, aimed at building the capacities of young journalists and establishing a network of fellows from different communities...

GENEVA, Switzerland, 29 March 2017- The thirty-ninth round of the Geneva International Discussions was held on Wednesday. The Co-Chairs welcomed the overall business-like atmosphere in which it took place.

MINSK, 30 March 2017 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG and its working groups in Minsk on 29 March 2017...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, but more ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties and damage from shelling in Donetsk city. The Mission monitored the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, but its access there and elsewhere remained restricted.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines. The blockade of railway routes continued. The Mission monitored the situation in Balakliia in Kharkiv region and followed up on reports of a rocket-propelled grenade attack in Lutsk in Volyn region...