News and press releases

On 26 January 2024, the Deputy Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, Mr. Yuri Fenopetov, met with the Chairman of the Asset Recovery Committee of the Prosecutor General's Office, Mr. Nurdaulet Suindikov, to discuss collaborative efforts in combatting illicit financial activities in Kazakhstan.

Op-Ed by Ambassador Brian Aggeler, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH on the air pollution in Bosnia and Herzegovina

VIENNA, 25 January 2024 – The OSCE Chair-in-Office, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta Ian Borg, presented the country’s vision for its 2024 Chairpersonship at the inaugural session of the OSCE Permanent Council today.

SARAJEVO, 24 January 2024- The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission) commends the Una-Sana Cantonal (USC) Assembly for yesterday’s adoption of the Law on Peaceful Assembly. Following a legislative process initiated in 2022, this represents an important step forward in aligning USC freedom of assembly laws with international human rights standards. The Mission is committed to assisting all authorities across BiH in improving their legislative protections of fundamental rights, including freedom of assembly. The Mission further recognizes the dedicated efforts and collaboration of the USC Ministry of Interior in the development and adoption of this law and remains available to support all relevant authorities in the proper implementation of this legislation.

Children and youth are particularly vulnerable to getting drawn into criminal and corrupt activities. Practitioners and institutions can play a crucial role in the early identification and prevention of delinquent behavior among young people. To foster their knowledge and expertise on this topic,

WARSAW, 23 January 2024 – The initiative of the Albanian authorities to resume the country’s electoral reform ahead of the 2025 parliamentary elections is an important and positive development in a process that has already served as an example of good practice for the region and beyond, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said today.

SARAJEVO, 23 January 2024- As yet unidentified parties have been conducting cyber-attacks against BUKA's website for the past two weeks, affecting everyday operations and their ability to provide timely information to the public. To safeguard media freedom, the OSCE Mission to BiH calls on authorities to respond swiftly, per their respective mandates, to counter these escalating threats.

In congratulating journalists in Montenegro, Dominique Waag, Head of OSCE Mission to Montenegro noted that 23 January reminds us of the vital part journalists play as fact-checkers and guardians of verified information in democratic societies.

SARAJEVO, 19 January 2024- The OSCE Mission to BiH (Mission) condemns the 12 January attack on the journalist and editor of Times.ba, Mirza Dervišević, in Brčko District of BiH (BD). The Mission commends the prompt reaction by the BD authorities in identifying and detaining a suspected perpetrator and expects the proper further processing of this incident. The Mission reiterates that all media professionals must be guaranteed a safe working environment, in which all fundamental rights and freedoms are fully protected and respected.

A joint op-ed by Bojana Urumova, Head of Council of Europe Office in Sarajevo; Johann Sattler, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brian Aggeler, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, and Ingrid Macdonald, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Half of the respondents report that they are informed about the work of the State Prosecutor’s Office, while in 2022 less than a quarter reported the same. 41 per cent of respondents believe that the State Prosecutor’s Office is accessible and open to the public, which represents an increase of 11%

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Kairat Abdrakhmanov dedicated a bench to the city of The Hague on 18 January 2024 in gratitude for hosting the office of the HCNM for 30 years. High Commissioner Abdrakhmanov thanked the Mayor of The Hague, Jan van Zanen, for the city’s long-term

VIENNA, 17 January 2024 – Today marked the opening session of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) under the Chairpersonship of Cyprus, during which Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Constantinos Kombos outlined the country’s priorities for its Chairpersonship.

On 12 January, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) organized in Tashkent the launch of a digital platform developed by the social start-up Coozin. The aim is to further develop women's entrepreneurship and increase their self-employment skills by  using advanced digital

Following the 2023 constitutional referendum and early presidential election in Uzbekistan, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has published final reports with recommendations to assist the country in bringing its electoral process closer in line with international

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission) condemns all actions and speech driven by bias or hatred and notes with growing concern the recent surge of such incidents in certain locations in Republika Srpska in conjunction with Serbian Orthodox Christmas and the unconstitutional Day of Republika Srpska, as well as in the Federation of BiH.

WARSAW/COPENHAGEN, 8 January 2024 – It is deeply regrettable that the Belarusian authorities have decided not to invite observers for the country’s forthcoming parliamentary elections from OSCE states through the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), leaders of both institutions said today, adding that the decision contradicts the principle of transparency, which is essential for holding genuinely democratic elections.

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission) emphasizes that the official sponsorship and support by the government of Republika Srpska of the celebration of the so-called “Day of Republika Srpska” on 9 January not only constitutes an act of discrimination. The 26 November 2015 ruling of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina determine this is clearly unconstitutional, as it directly contravenes the constitutions of both Bosnia and Herzegovina and of Republika Srpska itself.

VALLETTA/VIENNA, 2 January 2024- The Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta Ian Borg and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid made the following statement on the continuing and intensifying aerial attacks by Russia in its war against Ukraine:

VALLETTA/VIENNA, 1 January 2024- Today, Malta takes over the OSCE Chairpersonship with a focus on strengthening the Organization’s resilience and effectiveness.

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina responded to an inquiry from the Federal News Agency (FENA) on the state of the media and media freedoms in BiH in 2023, the current biggest challenges in this regard, and steps forward.

SKOPJE/VIENNA, 29 December 2023 – The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid made the following statement after air strikes hit cities across Ukraine and left at least 18 people dead and over 130 wounded.

BAKU, 29 December 2023 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an election observation mission for the 7 February early presidential election in Azerbaijan, following an official invitation from the national authorities.

Addressing violence against women and girls requires an effective response across the entire criminal justice chain. This starts with the first encounter with the police, ensuring gender-sensitive policing and victim-centred investigations, and culminates in a fair judgment delivered by a court of

BUDAPEST, 6-7 December 2023- The State Personal Data Protection Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Agency's Training Center staff participated in a study visit to Hungary. Supported by the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, this visit aimed to share best practices and experiences in the field of personal data protection in cyberspace and response to cyber incidents.

From 11 to 22 December 2023, the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department and the OSCE Presence in Albania delivered in Tirana, Albania a training programme for 40 junior analysts from the Albanian State Police Intelligence and Criminal Archives Directorate.

On 18 December 2023, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) participated in an event to mark the 33rd anniversary of the Moldovan Police at the invitation of the General Police Inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. During the event, the police underscored the need for an

Sarajevo, 21 December 2023- The OSCE Mission to BiH deeply regrets the lack of progress in delivering crucial amendments to the BiH Election Law so far, despite years of negotiations and numerous rounds of discussions and calls the elected leaders of BiH to finally deliver on their democratic obligations.

Effective and functional environmental governance relies on enhanced institutional technical expertise and proactive public engagement. Recognizing the intricating aspects of environmental challenges, the OSCE Presence is working with environmental compliance and enforcement agencies to enhance

From 13 to 15 December 2023, national experts from eight offices and government ministries in Uzbekistan joined an interactive workshop on the protection of critical infrastructure from terrorist attacks. The event served as the first activity in the OSCE’s newly-launched initiative called Project PROTECT. It was organized by the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department (TNTD), with support from the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan.

On 18 and 19 December, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in co-operation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, organized a regional workshop to present and discuss the findings of the OSCE assessment report on ‘Understanding the role of women in organized crime’ in the context of Central Asia. The workshop was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

BELGRADE, 18 December 2023 – Although Serbia’s early parliamentary elections offered voters a choice between political alternatives and freedoms of expression and assembly were generally respected, pressure on voters as well as the decisive involvement of the President and the ruling party’s systemic advantages undermined the election process overall, international observers said in a statement today.

Promising initiatives to address risks of human trafficking for sexual exploitation in the context of major sporting events have been implemented in several OSCE participating States, including France, Germany, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

On December 15, 2023, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, jointly with the National Center for Human Rights and the National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Persons and Forced Labor, held a roundtable discussion  on Challenges and Solutions in Promoting Business Respect for Human

Strengthening youth resilience to organized crime and corruption in South-Eastern Europe was the aim of a civil society organizations’ regional grants programme, carried out by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities and the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime.

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo concluded today its 7th edition of the annual Civil Society Forum, a platform that gathers civil society organizations (CSOs) to address challenges and issues they face and facilitates constructive exchanges amongst them. Around 80 representatives and activists of civil

On 15 December 2023, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe completed its second train-the-trainers course for 19 staff officers of the Tajik Border Troops in Bokhtar, Khatlon Region.

Regional co-operation and standardization of responses to explosive hazards can assist in reducing threats to human lives and property. The 2nd International Training Board meeting took place in Istanbul, Türkiye from 14-15 December 2023.

On 14 December 2023, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) organized an event in Vienna to celebrate International Migrants Day. The event took place in partnership with the International Labour Organization and the European University Institute.

About 45 women councillors from Vlora, Shkodra and Tirana regions participated in three tailored information sessions organized by the OSCE Presence as part of its Women Municipal Excellence Programme #WoMEP, during the first two weeks of December 2023. The primary objective of these activities was

Within primary financial support from the European Union, the OSCE Secretariat Extra-Budgetary Support Programme for Ukraine (SPU) organised a roundtable “Priority Setting in Mine Action and Draft National Strategy” in Kyiv on 14 December 2023.

VIENNA, 13 December 2023 – Today, Canada held its closing plenary meeting as Chair of the OSCE’s Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC).

ERGNETI, 13 December 2023 – The 116th Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) took place in Ergneti today under the co-facilitation of the Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), Dimitrios Karabalis, and the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus, Viorel Moşanu.

From 20 to 24 November, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and INTERPOL in co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek and the Ministry of Interior of the Kyrgyz Republic, conducted a training course on criminal intelligence analysis for Kyrgyzstan’s Police officers.

The war against Ukraine is having a devastating impact on civilians and civilian infrastructures, with widespread destruction of housing, schools, medical facilities, and health care centers. In a series of three training courses, the OSCE, through the WIN Project, trained 76 employees of the State Emergency Services on gender-sensitive and disability-inclusive humanitarian response and women's leadership in humanitarian action.

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission) hosted a meeting to assess progress made in the implementation of six overarching commitments established to combat gender-based violence (GBV) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).

Following the 2023 presidential and early parliamentary elections in Montenegro, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has published final reports with recommendations to assist the country in bringing the electoral process closer in line with OSCE commitments and

From 14 November to 7 December 2023, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina organized more than a dozen activities across BiH aiming to address and combat hate-motivated incidents while emphasizing the importance of social cohesion. These events included workshops, roundtables, presentations, and radio shows aimed at addressing and combatting hate-motivated incidents while emphasizing the significance of social cohesion.

On 11 December, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) organized a side event “Catalyzing change: Political will in fighting corruption” on the sidelines of the tenth session of the Conference of State Parties to the United Nations Convention against

Today, on 10 December, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina marks Human Rights Day by re-affirming our steadfast commitment to equality, dignity and justice for everyone living in Bosnia and Herzegovina.