News and press releases

The BiH Law on the Prohibition of Discrimination aligns with international human rights standards; however, persistent inconsistencies in court practices remain, notably concerning the burden of proof. To ensure the uniform implementation of the law, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina

BRUSSELS, 17 May 2024 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened a Special Election Assessment Mission (SEAM) for the European Parliament elections from 6 to 9 June, following an invitation from all 27 EU member states.

Climate change poses significant challenges for energy systems across the OSCE area. To help decision-makers and energy stakeholders build resilience, on 8 and 9 May 2024 in Vienna, the OSCE hosted the workshop “Building Climate-Resilient Energy Systems in the OSCE region”. Gathering over 50 experts from 12 different countries representing Central Asia, Eastern Europe, South-Eastern Europe, and the Mediterranean, the workshop served as a platform to present the findings of the report assessing climate change risks to energy sectors and preparedness levels of the beneficiary countries, and to jointly identify ways forward.

STRASBOURG, 17 May 2024- The leadership of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe met in Strasbourg on the margins of the 133rd Session of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers in Strasbourg on 16 and 17 May 2024. The discussions were led by OSCE Chair-in-Office, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta Ian Borg and the President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Dominique Hasler, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Education and Sport of Liechtenstein, along with Council of Europe Secretary General, Marija Pejčinović Burić.

ERGNETI, 16 May 2024 – The 119th Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) was held in Ergneti today under the co-facilitation of the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus, Viorel Moşanu, and the Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), Bettina Patricia Boughani.

Experts and participants gathered at the United Nations Office in Geneva on 13 May to explore the importance of Promoting Conflict Prevention and Building Peace through the Socio-Economic Inclusion of Minority Youth. The event attracted representatives of the UN Member States, non-governmental

On May 14th, the inaugural meeting of the Central Asia Regional Expert Council in Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Returnees convened in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Distinguished representatives from Central Asian nations, alongside international entities such as UN agencies, the OSCE, Shanghai

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 16 May 2024 – The OSCE Mission launched today its latest thematic report “Assessment of Social Housing and Housing Construction in Kosovo 2018 – 2023”, which has reviewed the social housing situation in 34 municipalities in Kosovo in the past six years.

SARAJEVO, 16 May 2024 – The Third Review Conference on the Elimination of Gender-Based Violence, held yesterday in Sarajevo and inaugurated by the OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid, emphasized the need for harmonizing laws with international standards and ensuring their full implementation.

TBILISI, 16 May 2024 – During his visit to Georgia, OSCE Chair-in-Office, Malta's Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade, Ian Borg, reaffirmed the OSCE’s support for ongoing conflict resolution efforts and underlined the OSCE’s strong history of engagement in Georgia.

In recent years, all Central Asian countries have set ambitious targets for renewable energy deployment and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Meeting these commitments in a sustainable and resilient manner will require efforts to ensure that the transition meets the needs of all segments of society, substantial investment in workforce development, particularly in renewable energy education and training, and increased participation of women in the field.

On 15 May 2024, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (POiD) donated IT equipment to Tajikistan’s Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Population.

On 15 May 2024, a working group meeting on tailings safety and water pollution prevention took place in Dushanbe.

BAKU, 14 May 2024 – During his visit to Azerbaijan, OSCE Chair-in-Office, Malta's Minister for Foreign, European Affairs and Trade, Ian Borg, underscored the Organization's unwavering commitment to promoting and advancing sustainable peace throughout the OSCE region.

From 8 to 10 May 2024, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov visited Andorra where he learned about the country’s experience providing multilingual education in a diverse society with four predominant mother-tongue languages and three education systems. During the visit,

On 14-15 May 2024, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, in co-operation with the National Human Rights Centre of the Republic of Uzbekistan (NHRC), conducted a two-day training to promote the leadership of women working in the judicial and security sector in Tashkent. The event was opened

With a strategic focus on further enhancing Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) capacity to combat the financing of terrorism, the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) organized, jointly with UNODC’s Global Programme against Money Laundering Proceeds of Crime and the Financing of Terrorism, an awareness-raising workshop on 9-10 May 2024 in Sarajevo. The workshop was organized in partnership the Ministry of Security of BiH and the OSCE Mission to BiH.

YEREVAN, 13 May 2024 – During his visit to Armenia, OSCE Chair-in-Office, Malta's Minister for Foreign, European Affairs and Trade, Ian Borg, underscored the Organization's unwavering commitment to promoting and advancing sustainable peace throughout the OSCE region.

The first group of civil servants and local self-government officials has enhanced their qualifications under the programme “Conflict Management in Public Institutions” developed by the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service and the High School of Public Governance with the support of the OSCE Secretariat Extra-Budgetary Support Programme for Ukraine. The programme consists of an online course and a 3-day on-site practical training event.

VIENNA/VALLETTA, 13 May 2024 — The OSCE Chair-in-Office, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta, Ian Borg, will visit Azerbaijan on 14 May.

VIENNA/VALLETTA, 12 May 2024 — The OSCE Chair-in-Office, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta, Ian Borg, will visit Armenia on 13 May.

PODGORICA, 10 May 2024 – Teresa Ribeiro, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), concluded her official visit to Montenegro. During her visit, Ribeiro engaged in constructive discussions with high-level officials, including President Jakov Milatović, Speaker of Parliament Andrija Mandić, Minister of Foreign Affairs Filip Ivanović, Minister of Culture and Media Tamara Vujović, Minister of Interior Danilo Šaranović and Supreme State Prosecutor Milorad Marković. The Representative also had productive exchanges with Director of the Agency for Electronic Media Sunčica Bakić, Ombudsperson of Montenegro Siniša Bjeković, and investigative journalist Olivera Lakić, as well as several other journalists and civil society representatives.

Border guards from Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service honed their skills in detecting impostors and forged documents at border crossing points during an expert-led study visit in the United Kingdom organized by the OSCE Secretariat Transnational Threats Department from 7 to 10 May 2024.

Sarajevo- The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission) expresses its deepest condolences to the victims and family of the 8 May femicide in Gradačac, as well as to the community impacted by this horrific tragedy.    This terrible and recurring violence evidences the need for continued and

On 8 May 2024, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in collaboration with the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, concluded a training of trainers’ course aimed at empowering experts from Montenegro with essential skills and knowledge to counter the financing of terrorism. This marked the launch of a comprehensive training initiative for the country.

SKOPJE, 9 May 2024 – North Macedonia’s presidential run-off and parliamentary elections were competitive and an extensive and pluralistic campaign helped voters to make an informed choice, but marred by negative rhetoric with nationalistic slogans, as well as shortcomings in the legislation and insufficient oversight of campaign finances, international observers said in a statement today.

The OSCE supports Ukraine in addressing the problem of illicit trafficking in weapons, ammunition and explosives by providing specialized vehicles and equipment to its law enforcement authorities.

SARAJEVO, 8 May 2024- Following the unfortunate interruption of regular programming on Federal Television, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission) calls upon BHRT and RTVFBiH to find an urgent and workable solution that ensures consistent and reliable access to vital information for everyone in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In his annual address to the OSCE Permanent Council on 2 May 2024, Professor Emmanuel Decaux, President of the OSCE Court of Conciliation and Arbitration, presented the Court’s 2023 activity report and underscored its crucial role in the OSCE framework, advocating for its inclusion as a key instrument in the OSCE Chairpersonship's toolkit.

On 7 and 8 May, the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA), in co-operation with the OSCE Presence in Albania, organized a multi-stakeholder workshop to enhance inter-agency co-operation on youth crime prevention.

On 8 May 2024, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (the Office) donated equipment to Tajikistan’s Border Troops in Dushanbe.

The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek supported the development of a methodological guide titled "Organization of Activities of a Municipal Enterprise" as part of its efforts in advancing regional development in the Kyrgyz Republic. This initiative was made possible through collaboration with the State Agency for Public Service and Local Self-Governance Affairs (SAPS-LSGA).

The OSCE Asian Partners for Co-Operation Group and the participating States met today to discuss the importance of women’s full and equal participation in all phases and at all levels of conflict prevention, resolution and peace building.

Fifteen specialists from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Border Troops of the Republic of Tajikistan completed a two-week Explosive Ordnance Disposal course (EOD level 1-2) on 4 May 2024 in Bokhtar of the Khatlon region.

The Acting Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Clarisse Pasztory, handed over forest fire equipment to the regional agencies of protected areas of Kukës and Dibra, at an event in Peshkopi, on 3 May 2024. “The preservation of protected areas, such as Korab-Koritnik is a joint aim and commitment.

BANJUL/GENEVA/VIENNA/WASHINGTON D.C.,3 May 2024 – To mark International Press Freedom Day, during the Global Conference organized by UNESCO in Santiago de Chile, freedom of expression mandate holders* of the United Nations (UN), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) issued a Joint Declaration on the Climate Crisis and Freedom of Expression:

VIENNA, May 3 2024 – On World Press Freedom Day, the Maltese Chairpersonship of the OSCE, and the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, emphasize the pivotal role of independent journalism in addressing global challenges and crises. This year's theme for World Press Freedom Day, “A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis,” reflects the need to strengthen the media’s role in addressing the environmental crisis and its consequences.

Despite the numerous opportunities they present, cryptocurrencies and other virtual assets also come with a wide range of risks, including money laundering, terrorist financing, and fraud. To strengthen Georgia’s crypto-related crime investigations, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA), in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), gathered 30 law enforcement representatives in Tbilisi from 29 April to 1 May for a targeted training to foster their expertise in this area.

On 30 April 2024, the OSCE Programme Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz), in co-operation with the National Human Rights Centre of the Republic of Uzbekistan (NHRC) and the country’s Interior Ministry, launched a four-day Training of Trainers (ToT) to promote human rights and torture prevention in

Belgrade, 30 April 2024- The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an election observation mission for the 2 June local elections in Serbia, following an official invitation from the national authorities.

Twenty border and customs officers in Uzbekistan sharpened their skills for identifying suspected foreign terrorist fighters and other criminals at border crossings during a national training course organized by the OSCE’s Border and Security Management Unit in close co-operation with the Government of Uzbekistan on 22 to 25 April 2024.

How to effectively use open-source intelligence and online investigations in law enforcement was the focus of an introductory training course in Tashkent organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan from 22 to 26 April 2024.

To enhance Armenia’s capacity to tackle crypto-related crimes, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA), in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), gathered 27 representatives from various law enforcement agencies for a specialized training session on crypto-asset investigations from 24 to 26 April.

The OSCE Moscow Mechanism mission of experts undertaken by Professor Veronika Bílková, Dr. Cecilie Hellestveit and Dr. Elīna Šteinerte presented their findings to the OSCE Permanent Council on 25 April 2024, collected in the report entitled ‘Report on Violations and Abuses of International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law, War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity, related to the Arbitrary Deprivation of Liberty of Ukrainian Civilians by the Russian Federation’.

Innovative experiences in improving investment climate and advancing capital market were presented during an OSCE-organized seminar that took place on 24 and 25 April 2024 in Ashgabat. The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized the event to facilitate the exchange of best practices in the attraction of

Key findings from the OSCE Mission to BiH shed light on the need for significant improvements in the witness support system to ensure access to justice and provide quality psychological and administrative support for witnesses and victims.

SKOPJE, 25 April 2024 – North Macedonia’s presidential election campaign was competitive and fundamental freedoms including media freedom were respected, but important areas of the presidential contest that included campaign rules, access to the media, and allocation of state funding are not regulated, undermining the key principle of legal certainty, international observers said in a statement today.

On April 22, Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid welcomed mentees of the second edition of the OSCE Women’s Peace Leadership Programme, in Vienna. This high-level mentorship programme supporting women’s inclusion in peace and security at all levels will run from October 2023 to June 2024 and provide 16 women peacebuilders from across the OSCE region with extensive training on leadership, mediation and dialogue facilitation.

On 23 and 24 April, the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA), in co-operation with the Programme Office in Dushanbe, held multi-stakeholder workshops with young people, influencers and governmental practitioners to discuss how to use social media as a platform to raise the awareness and resilience of young people on involvement in crime.

To combat the “digital information disorder”, which refers to misinformation, disinformation, and malign information in the digital realm, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, together with the National Counter-Terrorism Council of Mongolia (NCTC), organized a regional expert-level conference in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on 23 and 24 April: “Addressing the Prevailing Digital Information Disorder: Countering the Use of the Internet by Terrorists and Violent Extremists”.