News and press releases

OSH, Kyrgyzstan, 16 October 2015- The OSCE Centre in Bishkek is organizing the regional eco-journalism festival in Osh, southern Kyrgyzstan on 15 and 16 October 2015 with the aim of promoting environmental journalism in the Fergana Valley and raising public awareness of environmental issues and effective environmental management...

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana and Finland’s Foreign Ministry organized a study tour to Helsinki for four members of Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission (CEC) from 12 to 16 October 2015, with the aim of acquainting them with the institutional and legal framework of Finland’s election system and its election administration...

On 15 October 2015 at 06:50hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 48 vehicles were checked by the Russian border guard and customs services. All the vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 14:55hrs on 15 October...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. Rallies and marches were held in a number of cities throughout the country to mark the “Day of Ukraine’s Defender”. The SMM received notification from the “LPR” on the planned withdrawal of mortars pieces of calibre up to an including 120mm in accordance with the Addendum to the Package of measures...

BERLIN, 15 October 2015 – The OSCE Deputy Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Ruth Freedom Pojman ahead of European Anti-Trafficking Day on 18 October, today welcomed Germany’s initiative to bring the European Union anti-trafficking directive into law, a move which will strengthen the protection of victim’s rights and is also in line with OSCE commitments...

Mentoring is one of the most effective strategies to promote women’s participation in public and political life, said participants of an expert meeting in Skopje organized by the OSCE Gender Section on 12 October 2015, which brought together representatives of civil society, politics, business and academia from across the Western Balkans...

TASHKENT, 15 October 2015 – An OSCE-supported roundtable discussion introducing representatives of local law enforcement bodies to the methodology of a national assessment of money-laundering and terrorism-financing risks in Uzbekistan was held today in Tashkent...

KYIV, 15 October 2015 – Inter-agency co-operation between law enforcers and social service providers to improve the identification of human trafficking victims is the focus of a two-day workshop, which started today with the support of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine...

OSH, Kyrgyzstan, 16 October 2015 – A two-day OSCE–supported pilot training course for journalists on the role of media in countering violent extremism that lead to terrorism) and effective reporting on international terrorism ended today in Osh, southern Kyrgyzstan, with participants having examined various methodologies and exploring how to enhance interactions between national security agencies and the media...

BISHKEK, 15 October 2015 – Twenty students today graduated from an OSCE-supported four-month internship programme at the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan, which was organized to familiarize young political leaders with the work of the national legislature and enhance their knowledge about parliament’s work at different levels.

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”, including the Addendum. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. The SMM revisited eight heavy weapons holding areas and a weapons storage site. The SMM observed the recovery of human remains from the Donetsk airport.

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall cross-border traffic increased at both BCPs...

VIENNA, 14 October 2015 – The OSCE is pleased to announce the winners of its visual design contest to help raise awareness about the security risks linked to climate change. Co-sponsored by eYeka, a global community of creative designers, the OSCE competition attracted 125 entries from 22 OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation...

SKOPJE, 14 October 2015 – An OSCE-supported conference took place in Skopje today with the aim of compiling recommendations on how to address the discrimination of Roma at national border crossing points, who are often restricted in their freedom of movement under the pretext that they are potential asylum seekers.

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. The SMM revisited three Ukrainian Armed Forces and two “DPR” heavy weapons holding areas. Verification of withdrawal stipulated in the Addendum to the Package of measures was not scheduled for the reporting period...

VIENNA, 13 October 2015 –The experience and knowledge of local communities are crucial to effectively reduce the risks of disasters, Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council Ambassador Vuk Žugić and OSCE Secretary General Ambassador Lamberto Zannier said today, on the occasion of the International Day for Disaster Reduction...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”, including the Addendum to the Package. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. The SMM visited Ukrainian Armed Forces storage sites to verify weapons withdrawn as foreseen in the Addendum to the Package. The SMM revisited three Ukrainian Armed Forces and one “DPR” heavy weapons holding areas. The SMM followed up on a shelling incident in “DPR”-controlled Vesele.

ASTANA, 12 October 2015 – An OSCE-supported workshop on Kazakhstan’s commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions during the period of 2020-2030 took place today in Astana, Kazakhstan...

An OSCE-organized train-the-trainers course on human rights for 11 instructors from the Interior Ministry’s higher educational institutions across the country began today on 12 October 2015 in Almaty, Kazakhstan...

MINSK, 12 October 2015 – The 11 October election once again indicated that Belarus still has a considerable way to go in meeting its OSCE commitments for democratic elections. This underscores the need for the political will to engage in a comprehensive reform process, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today. Some specific improvements and a welcoming attitude were noted. Some significant problems, particularly during the counting and tabulation of votes, undermined the integrity of the election. The campaign and election day were peaceful, the statement says...

MINSK, 12 October 2015 – The 11 October election once again indicated that Belarus still has a considerable way to go in meeting its OSCE commitments for democratic elections. This underscores the need for the political will to engage in a comprehensive reform process, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today. Some specific improvements and a welcoming attitude were noted. Some significant problems, particularly during the counting and tabulation of votes, undermined the integrity of the election. The campaign and election day were peaceful, the statement says...

BISHKEK, 12 October 2015 – The OSCE Centre in Bishkek is supporting a five-day study visit by Kyrgyz law enforcement officers to Georgia, which began today with the aim of enhancing their capacities to effectively combat and prevent corruption in the public sector...

At and around the “DPR”-controlled Donetsk airport, the SMM noted a number of explosions, and observed the aftermath of two shelling incidents. Casualties were reported at one of the incidents...

The Ukrainian Armed Forces and “LPR” provided the SMM with information about the withdrawal of artillery of calibre up to 100mm in accordance with the Addendum to the Package of measures. Armed individuals in “LPR”-controlled area prevented the SMM from monitoring the area close to the border with the Russian Federation. The situation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions was relatively calm, although the SMM heard several explosions in Donetsk region...

BELGRADE, 10 October 2015- The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić, today strongly condemned the explosions targeting a peace rally in the Turkish capital, Ankara, that killed at least 80 and injured more than 180 people. He deeply regretted the loss of lives and offered his condolences to the victims, their families and the Turkish government and people...

COPENHAGEN, 10 October 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) issued the following statement on today’s deadly blasts in Ankara, which targeted a rally calling for an end to violence with Kurdish separatists...

VIENNA, 9 October 2015 – The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize 2015 to the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet is a recognition of the crucial role civil society plays in supporting democratization and maintaining national unity, said OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier today as he congratulated the Quartet...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. The SMM verified the withdrawal of some tanks in the Luhansk region, as stipulated in the Addendum to the Package of measures. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. The situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions was relatively calm, although the SMM heard several explosions...

BELGRADE, 9 October 2015 – Modern security challenges highlight the need for the more effective implementation of the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security and therefore raising awareness among military personnel and staff officers, diplomats and civil society representatives about this document is vital, said participants of a four-day joint Serbian-Swiss workshop that concluded today in Belgrade...

VIENNA, 9 October 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today congratulated Svetlana Alexievich for winning the Nobel Prize in Literature...

WARSAW, 9 October 2015 – Today, ahead of the International Day against the Death Penalty, Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), expressed concern over developments related to capital punishment in some OSCE participating States...

VALLETTA, 9 October 2015 – During a three-day workshop in Malta that concluded today, participants discussed how to enhance collaboration among participating States and Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation in developing gender-sensitive labour migration policies in countries of origin and destination in the Mediterranean region...

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine organized a specialized training course from 5 to 9 October 2015 in Kyiv for 20 police officers from Ukraine’s Interior Ministry on investigating and combating human trafficking crimes committed with the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)...

Young people from ethnic minority communities in Georgia are increasingly interested in learning the Georgian language as a means to improve their socio-economic opportunities, the “Research Study on Multilingual Education in Georgia” commissioned by the OSCE High Commissioner on National

DUSHANBE, 9 October 2015 – An OSCE-organized four-week training course on patrolling and leadership skills for 25 officers from Tajik Border Guard concluded today in Dushanbe, Tajikistan...

More than 200 administrative and local court judges from all over Ukraine participated at the OSCE-supported training seminars on review of election-related disputes, which held from 28 September to 9 October 2015...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations. The situation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions was relatively calm, although the SMM heard several explosions. In Luhansk region, the SMM received further withdrawal plans. Verification of withdrawal stipulated in the Addendum to the Package of measures was not scheduled for the reporting period...

PRISHTINË/PRISTINA, 8 October 2015 – The Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Jean-Claude Schlumberger, condemned the violent acts in the Assembly of Kosovo today during the opposition’s efforts to block the proceedings...

"Distance Learning Course on Hate Crime," an online course designed for legal professionals, was launched today in Sarajevo, by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Council of Europe's Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) programme.

An event to launch the activities of a Territorial Commission on Anti-trafficking for the Autonomous Territorial Unit (ATU) of Gagauzia was held in Comrat on 6 October 2015 with the support of the OSCE Mission to Moldova. Members of the local Commission, the Permanent Secretariat of the National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and representatives of the OSCE Mission to Moldova attended the event...

SARAJEVO, 8 October 2015- Rising global concerns related to challenges in countering violent extremism and radicalization was the focus of an international conference that concluded today in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)...

The OSCE Study on National Action Plans on the Implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, which analyses the strategies of 27 countries in the OSCE region in implementing this decision on women, peace and security, was presented on 6 October 2015 in Podgorica, Montenegro...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations. The situation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions was relatively calm, although the SMM heard over a dozen explosions and sporadic small-arms fire. The SMM monitored the withdrawal of tanks required under the Addendum to the Package of measures in Luhansk region...

GENEVA, Switzerland, 7 October 2015- The participants have just concluded the thirty-third round of the Geneva International Discussions. The deliberations were constructive and substantive. The Co-Chairs were encouraged to see frank and open exchanges taking place despite persistent diverging views...

VIENNA, 7 October 2015 – Implementing gender equality in the military is a work in progress but further efforts are still needed to improve the participation of women in the decision-making in the armed forces, said experts who took part in the joint session of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) and the Permanent Council today in Vienna...

BUCHAREST, 7 October 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today condemned an apparent arson attack on a car owned by BH Radio 1 Mostar correspondent Emil Karamatić...

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall cross-border traffic decreased at both BCPs. A thirty-ninth Russian Convoy crossed the Donetsk BCP...

BUCHAREST, 7 October 2015 – On the ninth anniversary of the death of Novaya Gazeta journalist Anna Politkovskaya, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, today called on the government of the Russian Federation to end impunity for crimes committed against journalists...

BUCHAREST, 7 October 2015 – The media and counter-terrorism officials have a shared responsibility to work together to protect media freedom while developing effective policies to counter terrorism, said participants at the start of a two-day workshop organized in Bucharest today by the OSCE with the support of the Romanian Foreign Ministry...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations. The situation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remained calm, but the SMM heard a few explosions and sporadic small-arms fire. The SMM monitored the withdrawal of tanks required under the Addendum to the Package of measures in Luhansk region...