News and press releases

BISHKEK, 15 May 2015 – In co-operation with the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz Parliament hosts a two-day international conference on the role of Parliaments in achieving gender equality. The event is organized in the context of the Beijing +20 process marking the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action for the advancement of women and girls. The high-level meeting is held on 15-16 May...

TIRANA, 13 May 2015 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will hold a press conference in Tirana on Friday, 15 May for the formal opening of the election observation mission for the 21 June 2015 local elections in Albania...

CHISINAU, 14 May 2015 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened a limited election observation mission for the 14 June local elections in Moldova. The mission’s deployment follows an official invitation from the authorities of Moldova...

A workshop on a multilateral approach to Libya and ungoverned territories in the Mediterranean region, hosted by the European Council on Foreign Relations and the Istituto Affari Internazionali (International Affairs Institute), as part of the New Med network, supported by the Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation, in co-operation with the OSCE, took place on 13 May 2015, in London...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by third parties and security considerations*. The SMM observed fighting continued around Shyrokyne and Donetsk airport. The SMM continued to visit heavy weapons holding areas, and noted that some weapons had been removed...

COPENHAGEN, 13 May 2015 – The Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, Isabel Santos (MP, Portugal), today expressed deep concern over continuing restrictions placed on freedom of media and freedom of speech in Turkey and urged the country’s leaders to immediately abide by their commitment to upholding these liberties.

Impact assessment as an effective tool in producing better legislation was the focus of a workshop organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), in co-operation with the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia and the OSCE Office in Yerevan. It was held in Tsaghkadzor, Armenia, on 12 and 13 May 2015.

VIENNA, 13 May 2015 – Legislation designed to fight terrorism now being considered by the Parliament of Canada may limit free expression rights, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović told Foreign Minister Rob Nicholson in a letter last week...

WARSAW, 13 May 2015 – On the 10th anniversary of deaths of hundreds of largely unarmed civilians, shot by security forces in Andijan, Uzbekistan, Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), repeated the Office’s call for an international investigation of the killings...

KYZYLORDA, 13 May 2015 – An OSCE-supported training seminar on the use of advanced devices and technologies for water metering began today in Kyzylorda, southern Kazakhstan...

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

BELGRADE, 12 May 2015 – Cross-border co-operation in water governance can significantly contribute to security and safety of citizens, concluded the participants of a two-day discussion on water management in the OSCE area, which closed in Belgrade today...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. The SMM, based on its monitoring – which was restricted by third parties and by security considerations* – observed ongoing fighting in and around Donetsk airport and Shyrokyne...

TIRANA, 12 May 2015 – Ending a two-day visit to Tirana, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today stressed the need to use the current momentum for public service broadcaster reform in Albania. During the visit she also addressed media pluralism and media concentration, especially during the process of digitalization, independence of the broadcast regulator, journalists’ labour rights and Internet freedom...

The first in a series of four OSCE-supported training seminars on the practical aspects of implementation of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) for Preventing Torture and Ill-treatment in Kazakhstan began on 12 May 2015 in Atyrau, Kazakhstan...

VIENNA, 11 May 2015 – Growing interdependence arising from accelerating globalization and the increasingly transnational character of security threats confer a new role to regional organizations, said the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Co-operation José Manuel GarcÍa-Margallo in his address to the OSCE Permanent Council today. He added that Spain believes that the OSCE is a key instrument in consolidating peace and foster prosperity in the Euro-Atlantic, Euro-Asian and Euro-Mediterranean regions.

COPENHAGEN, 11 May 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) today called on all political and civil society actors in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to work together to promote security and dialogue following the weekend’s violence and warned that old ethnic divisions must not be allowed to reemerge in this time of political upheaval...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by security considerations and in two instances through delayed access to heavy weapons holding areas*. SMM monitors came under machine gun fire from a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier in the Luhansk region. Heavy fighting was heard by the SMM in and around Shyrokyne on 10 May. Fighting around Donetsk airport continued, though at a reduced level compared with previous days. The SMM observed 9 May commemorations in many cities, some of which included displays of heavy weapons...

Civil society participants strengthened their ability to recognize and record hate crimes at a workshop organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Malaga, Spain on 10 May 2015.

Skopje, 10 May 2015- The Acting Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, Ambassador Marianne Berecz, expresses sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the police officers who lost their lives during the events in Kumanovo and wishes all those injured a speedy recovery.

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by third parties and security considerations.* Compared to previous days, the situation at Donetsk airport and Shyrokyne remained during daylight relatively calm. The SMM observed several official ceremonies for the “Reconciliation and Commemoration Day” throughout Ukraine passing peacefully.

BELGRADE, 9 May 2015 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Serbia's Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić today had a telephone conversation with the Foreign Minister of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Nikola Poposki, about the latest developments in Kumanovo.

Skopje, 9 May 2015 – The OSCE Mission to Skopje is closely monitoring and assessing the security situation in Kumanovo and urges all those concerned to show restraint.

BELGRADE, 8 May 2015 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić today called on all sides in eastern Ukraine to ensure that commemoration events scheduled for this weekend are peaceful.

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. The SMM, based on its monitoring – which was restricted by third parties and by security considerations* – observed ongoing fighting in and around Donetsk airport and Shyrokyne. The SMM observed the presence of heavy weapons on both sides of the contact line, noting in particular a large concentration of tanks in a “DPR”-controlled area north-east of Mariupol...

VIENNA, 7 May 2015 – From 11 to 12 May, officials and key stakeholders from 57 OSCE participating States will meet in Belgrade, Serbia, to discuss water governance in the OSCE area from the security perspective, followed by a field visit on 13 May to the areas affected by the 2014 flood in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia...

KYIV, 8 May 2015 – The Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan today urged all sides to ensure a lasting ceasefire during the commemoration events scheduled for this weekend...

LONDON, 8 May 2015 – The 7 May General Elections in the United Kingdom provided an opportunity for a thorough debate on challenges facing the country, and voters could freely cast their ballots in a strong demonstration of democratic processes, observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly concluded...

A half-day roundtable expert discussion to enhance the technical capacity on dam safety of the newly-established “State Service for Supervision over Hydro Technical Facilities” under the Government of Tajikistan was supported by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan on 6 May 2015. This activity was jointly conducted with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)...

DUSHANBE, 08 May 2015 – A five-day training on Crime Scene Examination and Forensic Recovery of Evidence for the law enforcement agencies concluded today at the OSCE Office in Tajikistan...

BISHKEK, 7 May 2015 – The OSCE Centre in Bishkek and Aarhus centres in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan launched today the Environmental Reporting Award for broadcast, print, and online media with the topic: "Raising awareness about the good practices of disaster risk management in the border areas of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.”...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by third parties and security considerations.* The SMM continued to observe ceasefire violations in and around the area of Donetsk airport and Shyrokyne. In Odessa the SMM observed approximately 100 protesters threatening to storm the office of the Department of Internal Security...

BELGRADE, 7 May 2015- OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić welcomed the successful launching of working groups under the auspices of the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG). Yesterday’s TCG meeting in Minsk was convened to inaugurate the activities of the working groups established in line with point 13 of the Package of Measures on the Implementation of Minsk Agreements...

BISHKEK, 7 May 2015 – The OSCE Centre in Bishkek is supporting a three-day study tour to Georgia for Kyrgyz Government press officers to enhance their professional capacity in transparent communications policies development and implementation of access to information legislation starting today...

YEREVAN, 7 May 2015 – In an effort to promote collaboration amongst women’s resource centres, the OSCE Office in Yerevan hosted a delegation from European Association of Women Resource Centres (WINNET) Europe...

Vienna, 7 may 2015- “Global challenges are on the rise, and this highlights the need for the UN and Regional Organizations to step up their efforts to co-ordinate and co-operate more effectively to maintain peace and security” OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier told the General Assembly during a high-level thematic debate on “Strengthening Co-operation between the United Nations and Regional and Sub-regional Organizations” held in New York on 4 May.

DUSHANBE, 7 May 2015 – A three-day training on international best practices in hazardous waste management concluded today at the OSCE Office in Tajikistan...

ANKARA, 7 May 2015 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened a limited election observation mission (LEOM) for the 7 June parliamentary elections in Turkey. The mission’s deployment follows an invitation from the Turkish authorities...

VIENNA, 7 May 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović once again called on the Slovenian authorities to reform the Criminal Code to protect journalists reporting on classified information in the public interest...

VIENNA, 7 May 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today said the attack on politico.eu journalist Ben Judah while he was working on a story in Bradford, United Kingdom, is worrying...

A two-day regional conference on public integrity at local level, organized by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, in co-operation with the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities and the Council of Europe was held from 5 to 6 May in Budva...

BISHKEK, 7 May 2015 – The official opening of the Aarhus Centre in Bishkek was marked today by a one-day roundtable discussion on activities planned for the newly opened centre in the capital and the existing one in Osh, southern Kyrgyzstran. Their work is aimed at implementing the Aarhus Convention in the region...

MINSK, 6 May 2015 – The Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), consisting of senior representatives of Ukraine, the Russian Federation and the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, convened a meeting in Minsk today to inaugurate the activities of working groups. Representatives of certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions also took part in the meeting...

SKOPJE, 6 May, 2015-The Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, Ambassador Ralf Breth, expressed concerns over yesterday’s protests in front of the government building in Skopje...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by third parties and security considerations.* The SMM observed movement on both sides of the contact line. The SMM observed a significant amount of “DPR” infantry forces in Donetsk city...

VIENNA, 6 May 2015- OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today urged French lawmakers to reconsider provisions of a proposed law expanding surveillance, which was adopted by the National Assembly of France on 5 May and sent to the upper house Senate for further debate...

ULAANBAATAR, 6 May 2015 – Ending a five-day visit to Ulaanbaatar, her first official visit to the newest OSCE participating State, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović said Mongolia has taken major steps to reach today’s level of media freedom. At the same time, she also stressed the importance for continued efforts to further advance and support free media in the country...

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

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. The SMM, based on its monitoring – which was restricted by third parties and by security considerations* – observed ongoing fighting in and around Donetsk airport and Shyrokyne. The SMM observed military movement and presence along the contact line...

COPENHAGEN, 5 May 2015 – The Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, Isabel Santos (MP, Portugal), today addressed government representatives from the OSCE’s 57 participating States in Vienna, urging robust action and an end to “business as usual” on issues ranging from migrants and refugees to prisoners of conscience to the Guantanamo detention facility to the situation in occupied Crimea...