News and press releases

The OSCE Mission to Serbia organized a visit of representatives from the Serbian Government and other relevant institutions to discuss State-language education in Serbia with the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Astrid Thors on 11 and 12 March 2015 in The Hague...

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 that fighting continued in areas in and around the Donetsk airport and in areas to the east of Mariupol...

SARAJEVO, 12 March 2015 – The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina signed today in Sarajevo Implementing Partnership Agreements with the Associations of Municipalities and Cities of the Federation of BiH (FBiH) and Republika Srpska (RS)...

BISHKEK, 12 March 2015 – The OSCE Centre in Bishkek held today the third and final roundtable on the improvement of the Kyrgyz Republic’s normative framework on the management of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and conventional ammunition (CA)...

AK-BULAK, Kazakhstan, 12 March 2015 – An OSCE-supported roundtable discussion on the application of new Criminal Procedure Code of Kazakhstan and major areas of criminal justice modernization began today in Ak-Bulak near Almaty, Kazakhstan...

Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, 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) confirming OM’s predicted return of movement into Ukraine. The OM also observed an increase of the number of persons in military-style clothing crossing the border in both directions...

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* – directly observed heavy fighting in and around the Donetsk airport and in the areas to the east of Mariupol. The SMM was granted access to a number of storage sites where Ukrainian Armed Forces heavy weapons are concentrated, following the movements of weapons monitored by the SMM in recent days...

“The Geneva International Discussions are and remain the only inclusive platform for dialogue,” said OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier during an official visit to Georgia on 8-11 March 2015...

BISHKEK/WARSAW, 11 March 2015 – Representatives of the Kyrgyz Minister of Culture, Information and Tourism began a three-day OSCE-supported study tour on Tuesday to the Polish Ministry of Administration and Digitalization, to learn more about the country’s successful transition to digital television broadcasting...

SARAJEVO, 10 March 2015 – The gender perspective in natural disasters was the focus of the session of the Gender Equality Committee held today at the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in Sarajevo. The session was held as part of Gender Equality Week, an initiative supported by the OSCE Mission...

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* – assessed the situation to be calm in the Luhansk region, while fighting in and around the Donetsk airport and east of Mariupol had continued...

BELGRADE, 10 March 2015 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić today welcomed the beginning of efforts to remove and destroy unexploded ordinance in southeast Ukraine as a good example of co-operation by all sides yielding tangible results and producing visible improvements in the lives of the local population...

The review of the legal framework and enhancing capacity and authority of the campaign finance oversight body are two of the main recommendations contained in the final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on the 30 November 2014 parliamentary elections in Moldova.

A new documentary film chronicling the activities of the OSCE Community Security Initiative (CSI) in Kyrgyzstan was released on 10 March 2015. The CSI, part of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, supports the Kyrgyz police in its efforts to build trust between the police and citizens as well as to enhance the capabilities and skills of the local police in community policing, human security, and the use of Mobile Police Reception vehicles.

Existing practices on electoral dispute resolution were the focus of a roundtable meeting organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on 9 and 10 March 2015, in Warsaw.

The first meeting of the OSCE-supported Working Group on developing an Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) certification programme for the financial sector was held on 10 March 2015 in Almaty, Kazakhstan...

ULAANBAATAR, 10 March 2015 – A three-day conference, organized by the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre, on the role of armed and security forces in democratic societies got underway today in the Mongolian capital, bringing together representatives from Central Asia and the OSCE’s Asian Partners for Co-operation...

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* – assessed the situation in the Luhansk region to be calm, but in the Donetsk region the SMM monitored fighting in and around the Donetsk airport and to the east of Mariupol. The SMM also monitored the movements of Ukrainian Armed Forces, “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”) and “Lugansk People’s Republic” (“LPR”) heavy weapons...

On 9 March 2015, the SMM facilitated the demining of the village of Kominternove (88km south-east of Donetsk) by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Kominternove is located in between territory controlled by the government and areas controlled by “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”) and as a result has been subject to constant shelling since the beginning of the conflict. Many unexploded tank and mortar shells, rocket-propelled grenades (RPG), 220mm rockets and burned tanks can be found throughout the village, including the yard of a local school and kindergarten. Previously, the SMM had seen children playing near the unexploded ordnance (UXO), and had informed Ukrainian authorities (see SMM Daily Report 29 December)...

COPENHAGEN, 9 March 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) has appointed U.S. Senator Benjamin Cardin to serve as the PA’s first Special Representative on Anti-Semitism, Racism and Intolerance...

TIRANA, 6 March 2015- On the occasion of the upcoming International Women’s Day on 8 March, the Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Ambassador Florian Raunig, stressed the need for a significantly increased representation of women in the Albanian politics as key to the further development of democracy.

BELGRADE, 8 March 2015 – Women, who make up half of the population, should be actively involved in any changes and solutions that shape and affect their society, including conflict prevention and resolution, said OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić, today on the ocassion of International Women’s Day...

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* – assessed the security situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as relatively calm...

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 – assessed the security situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as relatively calm. The SMM observed no violence in the Luhansk region. The SMM monitored the movement of numerous Ukrainian Armed Forces convoys. It verified that a convoy of weapons moved by the Ukrainian Armed Forces the previous day remained in situ...

WARSAW, 6 March 2015 Ahead of International Women’s Day, on 8 March, Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), called on participating States to take decisive action to protect and support those working for women’s rights...

Twenty-five women officials from the Mongolian border-related agencies completed a five-day training course in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on 6 March 2015 on border security and management. The course was organized by the Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department...

VIENNA, 6 March 2015 – In view of the next round of the Geneva International Discussions which is scheduled for 17-18 March, the co-chairs held consultations with participants in Tbilisi, Sukhumi, Tskhinvali and Moscow. Ambassador Angelo Gnaedinger, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus, visited Tskhinvali, Sukhumi and Tbilisi from 16-20 February and Moscow on 5 March together with his fellow co-chairs, EU Special Representative Herbert Salber and UN Representative Antti Turunen...

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana organized a visit to Belgrade for Kazakhstan’s parliamentarians, representatives of the Health Care and Social Development and Interior Ministries and civil society activists from 4 to 7 March 2015. The purpose of the visit is to study Serbia’s experience in establishing a National Referral Mechanism for Victims of Human Trafficking...

COPENHAGEN, 5 March 2015 – The Swedish Parliament and one of the country’s leading think-tanks, The Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI), will host the next leg of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Helsinki +40 Project in Stockholm on 11 March...

The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić today expressed his deepest sympathy over the loss of life in a mining accident at the Zasyadko coal mine in eastern Ukraine

KAMENSK-SHAKHTINSKY, 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 net flow considerably decreased confirming OM’s predicted return movement into Ukraine. The OM also observed an increase of the number of persons in military-style clothing crossing the border in both directions...

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission, launched a new human rights publication offering advice and expertise on how to legislate on and advocate for freedom of association on the margins of the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva on 5 March 2015.

SKOPJE, 5 March 2015 – The OSCE-supported “Building Bridges Fund”, launched in 2014, continues this year with an open call for grants for municipalities, students, teachers, parents and schools that plan to organize joint activities involving students from all communities and different languages of instruction...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Based on its monitoring – which was restricted by third parties and by security considerations* – the SMM assessed the security situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as relatively calm.

VIENNA, 5 March 2015 – One year on after her assessment visit to Ukraine, which included Simferopol, Crimea, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today said the media freedom situation in Crimea has continued to deteriorate...

The first in a series of OSCE-supported educational events for schoolchildren on energy efficiency and the rational use of natural resources was launched on 5 March 2015 at School No. 47 in Astana, Kazakhstan...

KYIV, 05 March, 2015 — Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan, today expressed his sadness and regret at reports that several dozen had been killed in a mining accident in eastern Ukraine. He sent his deep condolences to the families of the victims.

On 04 March 2015 at 07:21hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 83 vehicles were checked by the Russian border guard and customs services. All the vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 17:18hrs on 04 March.

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 – assessed the security situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as relatively calm, but noted continued fighting in certain locations, notably on the outskirts of Donetsk city, and continued military activity around the village of Shyrokyne, close to Mariupol...

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 4 March 2015- Kosovo needs sustainable policy on special or subsidized transportation services so that communities and vulnerable groups are able to travel and access different services, including education, health, and municipal administration, concludes an OSCE Mission in Kosovo report presented today...

Co-operation among police and civil society in monitoring and recording hate crimes was the focus of the conference “Facing Facts Forward”, organized by CEJI – A Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe, in collaboration with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), in Brussels on 3 and 4 March 2015.

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 – noted the security situations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions to be relatively calm, although distant shelling and gunfire were heard by the SMM. The SMM also monitored “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”)-controlled Shyrokyne – which has experienced recent fighting...

Furthering dialogue between women parliamentarians from South East Europe and paths for advancing women’s participation in political and public life was the focus of the regional conference “Equal and Empowered – Stronger Together”, held on 2-3 March 2015 in Belgrade, Serbia...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Movement of heavy weapons was monitored by the SMM in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

BELGRADE/VIENNA, 2 March 2015 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić and OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier today condemned the murder of Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov on Friday 27 February, and called for a thorough investigation into his death.

VIENNA, 2 March 2015 – On the 10th anniversary of the death of Azeri journalist Elmar Huseynov, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović, today called on OSCE participating States to ensure journalists’ safety and the right to freedom of expression...

BISHKEK, 2 March 2015 – The Foundation of the former President of Kyrgyzstan, Roza Otunbaeva, in co-operation with the United Nations (UN), the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and other international donors, is supporting the first national Women’s Forum in Kyrgyzstan on 2 and 3 March 2015 in Bishkek...

The Prime Minister of the Kyrgyzstan, Joomart Otorbaev, approved on 24 February 2015 a set of regulations on the comprehensive evaluation of police performance, a proposal submitted for approval by the Interior Ministry’s working group and the OSCE Centre in Bishkek...

Awareness-raising of disaster risk reduction at the local level was the focus of a training seminar organized in Vadul lui Voda on 25 and 26 February 2015 by the OSCE Mission to Moldova in partnership with local partners...

DUSHANBE, 2 March 2015 – Some contestants provided political alternatives, yet the March 1 parliamentary elections in Tajikistan took place in a restricted political space and failed to provide a level playing field for candidates, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today. Although the government stated its ambition to hold democratic elections, and some improvements were made to electoral law, restrictions on the right to candidacy, on freedoms of expression and assembly, and on access to the media limited the opportunity to make a free and informed choice...