News and press releases

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 recorded few ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM revisited Ukrainian Armed Forces and “DPR” heavy weapons holding areas and found weapons missing. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a protest of journalists...

BISHKEK, 17 September 2015- A two-day OSCE-supported international conference focusing on 15 years of an agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan on the use of the shared water management facilities along the Chu and Talas rivers, concluded today in Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan...

ULAANBAATAR, 17 September 2015 – The deepening refugee crisis in Europe and the potential of the OSCE and its parliamentarians to help mitigate the situation was the focus of debate today at the conclusion of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Autumn Meeting.

VIENNA, 17 September 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today said the sanctions introduced in Ukraine, banning several dozen foreign journalists from entering the country, is a severe threat to the rights of journalists to freely collect information...

VIENNA, 17 September 2015 – Hungarian law enforcement authorities must stop threatening and obstructing the work of journalists reporting on the refugee crisis, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović said today...

YEREVAN, 16 September 2015 – High-level representatives from the Armenian government, civil society and media gathered today in Yerevan to participate in the celebratory event organized by the OSCE Office in Yerevan on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act, the founding document of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)...

KYIV, 17 September 2015 – Since the occupation and annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation in early 2014, the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms has deteriorated radically for a large number of residents and displaced persons – particularly for pro-Ukrainian activists, journalists and the Crimean Tatar community, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) said in a report published today...

ASHGABAT, 17 September 2015- TV news production skills are the focus of a training course that concludes tomorrow in Ashgabat...

ULAANBAATAR, 16 September 2015 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 2015 Autumn Meeting today hosted the heads of OSCE field operations in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan for a special roundtable event on security and co-operation in Central Asia.

WARSAW, 16 September 2015- The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and Poland's National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution signed an agreement on 16 September 2015 in Warsaw to help strengthen prosecutors' skills to understand, recognize and successfully prosecute hate crimes.

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 observed no ceasefire violations at and around the Donetsk airport. Several ceasefire violations were recorded in the Donetsk and the Luhansk regions.

VIENNA, 16 September 2015 – On the 15th anniversary of the disappearance of prominent Ukrainian journalist Georgyi Gongadze, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, reiterated her call on the authorities to fully investigate the crime. Gongadze went missing on 16 September 2001 and was later found dead outside Kyiv...

ULAANBAATAR, 16 September 2015 – Mongolian President Elbegdorj Tsakhia and Parliament Chairman Enkhbold Zandaakhuu today opened the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 2015 Autumn Meeting, which has brought together nearly 200 parliamentarians from across the OSCE’s 57 participating States in Ulaanbaatar.

VIENNA, 15 SEPTEMBER 2015 – In preparation of the next round of the Geneva International Discussions, the co-chairs visited Tbilisi, Tskhinvali, Sukhumi and Moscow between 7 and 15 September. Ambassador Angelo Gnaedinger, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-office for the South Caucasus and his fellow co-chairs, EU Special Representative Herbert Salber and UN Representative Antti Turunen, discussed the upcoming round of 6-7 October with participants and used the opportunity to meet representatives of international organizations and local residents.

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 observed a calm situation both in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM visited a number of schools on both sides of the contact line.

MILAN, 15 September 2015 – The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Ambassador Madina Jarbussynova, on Tuesday called on governments to enact measures to ensure ethical sourcing and keep modern day slavery out of supply chains.

The security implications of the crisis in and around Ukraine and broader issues of European security were the focus of a roundtable discussion held during a visit to Brussels by members of the Panel of Eminent Persons on European Security as a Common Project on September 15...

WARSAW, 15 September 2015- It is vital that states create an environment that enables the work of civil society actors and promote civil society’s essential role in promoting democratic values, Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), said on the occasion of today’s International Day of Democracy...

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...

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 15 September 2015 – On the occasion of International Democracy Day, the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Jean-Claude Schlumberger called on institutions to be more open towards the public, and on civil society to take a more active role in furthering democratic consolidation...

PRAGUE, 14 September 2015 – The close interlinkages between water and security are the central focus of the 23rd OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum, devoted to the theme “Water governance in the OSCE area – increasing security and stability through co-operation,” which opened today in Prague...

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 recorded 22 explosions in the Donetsk region and over 50 rounds of small-arms fire in the Luhansk region...

Facilitating understanding and co-operation among news media and Muslim communities was the focus of an expert meeting organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Warsaw on 14 September 2015.

ALMATY, Kazakhstan, 14 September 2015 – An OSCE-supported annual seminar under the Central Asian Leadership Programme on sustainable development began today in Almaty, Kazakhstan...

First of the twenty talk shows in series named "Reaching the Trust Together” was aired on 7th September 2015 on the First Channel of Radio Television Montenegro. The series is supported by the OSCE Mission to 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 SMM recorded 44 explosions in Donetsk region and over 38 explosions in Luhansk region. The SMM revised heavy weapons holding areas of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, “DPR”, and “LPR”...

Kyiv, 12 September 2015 – Completing a three-day visit to south-eastern Ukraine, OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier expressed hope that the current cease-fire, which has been largely respected for almost to weeks, will prove durable and provide the necessary impetus to negotiations on the implementation of the Minsk Agreements. “The people of eastern Ukraine are tired of the conflict and deserve a firm commitment from all the sides to achieve sustainable peace”, said Zannier.

SKOPJE, 11 September 2015- The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’s authorities presented today a completed money laundering and terrorist financing national risk assessment (NRA) at a workshop organized by the OSCE and the World Bank in Skopje...

BELGRADE, 11 September 2015 – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić, sharply condemned the recent spate of terrorist attacks which caused dozens of casualties among Turkish security personnel, and extended his condolences to the families of the victims...

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 recorded ceasefire violations at or around Donetsk airport and none in the Luhansk region. In Uman, the SMM found a quiet atmosphere following tensions over the removal of a tent built for an annual pilgrimage of Hasidic Jews...

WARSAW, 11 September 2015 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), announced today that, due to restrictions imposed by the Azerbaijani authorities, ODIHR has no choice but to cancel its mission to observe the country’s 1 November parliamentary elections...

Guarantees of the provisions of the Aarhus Convention related to the access to justice in environmental matters in the context of modern international developments were discussed at the OSCE-supported workshop on 11 September 2015 in Yerevan...

ASHGABAT, 11 September 2015 – Forty students of the Interior Ministry’s Institute and the Foreign Ministry’s International Relations Institute discussed international human rights standards at the pre-trial stage of criminal proceedings and investigations at an OSCE-organized course concluding in Ashgabat tomorrow...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by security considerations*. The SMM recorded a decrease in ceasefire violation numbers both in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared to the previous day. Considerable movement of military equipment to the west of the contact line was observed by the SMM in Donetsk region...

VIENNA, 10 September 2015 – Serbia’s Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ivica Dačić, will address the concluding meeting of the 23rd OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum, focused on Water governance in the OSCE area – increasing security and stability through co-operation, on Monday, 14 September 2015 in Prague...

VIENNA, 10 September 2015 – Finding long-term solutions to reduce an ever-increasing demand for illicit drugs amongst young people through improved co-operation and co-ordination between law enforcement agencies and civil society is the goal of an experts meeting at the OSCE today...

To improve the efficiency of procedure for granting the status of a victim of trafficking in human beings it is necessary to enhance information exchange between social services and law enforcers, concluded the experts of the working group on the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), on 9 September 2015, in Kyiv...

ASTANA, 10 September 2015 – An OSCE-supported conference promoting international experience in combating and preventing corruption in state revenue agencies began today in Astana...

A two-day training seminar on the judicial application of environmental legislation in civil cases began on 10 September 2015 in Astana.

An OSCE-supported research workshop on countering violent extremism in Central Asia concluded on 3 September 2015 in Astana, Kazakhstan. The two-day event was co-organized by the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – The Hague and the Centre for Security Programs in Astana with funding from the NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme and support from the OSCE Programme Office in Astana...

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 recorded 231 explosions in Donetsk region and 16 explosions in Luhansk region. The SMM observed the movement of military hardware in Donetsk region...

VIENNA, 9 September 2015 – Norway’s Chairmanship of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC), which will cover the third trimester of 2015, indicated that strengthening conventional arms control and confidence-building measures as a way of contributing to de-escalation of the crisis in and around Ukraine, as well as gender equality in the armed forces, would be part of the Norwegian priorities...

KYIV, 9 September 2015 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened an election observation mission for the 25 October local elections in Ukraine. The mission’s deployment follows an official invitation from the Ukrainian authorities...

BELGRADE, 8 September 2015 – The commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Second World War and reflection on lessons learned from this tragic period in history was in focus of OSCE Serbia’s Chairmanship hosted conference which gathered historians, representatives of OSCE member States and of the NGO sector in Belgrade today.

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...

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 recorded ceasefire violations, almost exclusively at or around Donetsk airport and none in the Luhansk region...

REYKJAVIK, 8 September 2015 – Ending her two-day visit to Reykjavik, OSCE Representative on Freedom of Media Dunja Mijatović encouraged the authorities in Iceland to continue their efforts to strengthen media freedom and pluralism in the country...

DUSHANBE, 8 September 2015- The seminar on Implementation of National Border Management Strategies was completed at the OSCE Border Management Staff College today...

The final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on Albania’s 21 June local elections, recommends a review of the legislation to ensure alignment with OSCE commitments and international standards for democratic elections, and enhancing the independence, impartiality and professional capacity of the election administration...

MINSK, 8 September 2015 – The Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) composed of representatives of Ukraine, the Russian Federation and the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office had a meeting in Minsk on 8 September 2015, aimed at enhancing the implementation of the Minsk agreements of September 2014 and February 2015. Trilateral Contact Group heard the reports of the coordinators of the working groups in the framework of consultations with the representatives of certain areas in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions...