News and press releases

DUSHANBE, 20 February 2015 – Twenty-six officers from the Tajik border troops, the State Committee for National Security, the Ministry of Interior, Drug Control Agency and Customs Service completed a two-week training course today on combating organized crime, organized by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.

YEREVAN, 20 February 2015 – The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, James Warlick of the United States of America, and Pierre Andrieu of France) traveled to the region on February 16-19. They were joined by the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk...

VIENNA, 19 February 2015- OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić today met his Special Representative in Ukraine Ambassador Heidi Tagliavini, OSCE Chief Monitor in Ukraine Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan and OSCE Chief Observer at the Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk Paul Picard, who informed the Chair about their activities and the challenges they face in their work...

The SMM continued monitoring the ceasefire, which entered into force at 00:00hrs on 15 February. In the Luhansk region, the SMM observed a limited number of ceasefire violations. In Donetsk city the SMM heard intense outgoing shelling throughout the reporting period...

The SMM continued monitoring 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 that fighting continued in and around Debaltseve, and, to a lesser extent, in a number of other locations. Elsewhere – where the SMM monitored – the SMM noted no violence...

Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both BCPs. Overall, compared with last week, cross-border traffic flows slightly decreased at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The OM continued to observe a number of persons in military-style clothing crossing the border in both directions.

VIENNA, 19 February 2015 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic joined OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) for the opening plenary of the PA’s Winter Meeting today, with both stressing that the internationally brokered plan to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine must not be derailed...

VIENNA, 19 February 2015 –Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), in an address today to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) annual Winter Meeting, stressed the importance of an effective, co-operative effort in observing local elections agreed for the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in Ukraine...

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 19 February 2015 – Cases of illegal re-occupation of properties call for a determined response by Kosovo institutions to guarantee the full protection of the property rights of all communities in Kosovo, concludes an OSCE Mission report launched today...

SKOPJE, 18 February 2015 – OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors joined the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić on a visit to Skopje, as part of the Chairmanship’s efforts to support democratic reforms and enhance regional co-operation...

BELGRADE, 18 February 2015- OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Ivica Dačić, welcomed the adoption of the UNSCR 2202 and reiterated the need for full and unconditional compliance by all signatories of the Minsk Document with the comprehensive ceasefire agreed in Minsk on 12 February...

The SMM continued monitoring the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. The SMM, based on its monitoring – which was restricted due to security considerations – noted that there had been heavy fighting in and around the Debaltseve-Horlivka area. However in many other places, the ceasefire largely held...

SKOPJE, 18 February 2015- OSCE Chairperson in Office and Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić today pledged support in building democracy and promoting reforms as he visited the OSCE Mission to Skopje, accompanied by High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors...

On 17 February, the SMM went to the headquarters of the JCCC, temporarily relocated to Soledar (77km north of Donetsk, government-controlled). The SMM was present at four video conference sessions with the Russian General formerly representing the Russian Federation at the JCCC, the Russian Major-General, Representative of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation to the JCCC and the Ukrainian Major-General, Head of the Ukrainian side to the JCCC and members of the “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”) and the “Lugansk People’s Republic” (“LPR”). Representatives of the Presidential Administration and the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were also present...

VIENNA, 18 February 2015 – The Bureau of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly today unanimously rejected the Russian Federation’s designation of Olga Kovitidi as a Member of the OSCE PA. Ms. Kovitidi was identified by the Russian Federation as a Member of the Federation Council representing the so-called government of Crimea. The Bureau made its decision following an official challenge by the Ukrainian Delegation to the OSCE PA regarding the designation...

On 13 February 2015 the OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier concluded a three-day working visit to Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk. During the visit, Zannier held meetings with government officials, representatives of the regional administration and civil society. In Dnipropetrovsk, he visited the Centre for internally displaced persons (IDPs), to which he handed over a donation of 20,000 Euros from the OSCE charity fund...

BISHKEK, 18 February 2015 – The protection of human rights in the armed forces was the focus of an OSCE-supported roundtable discussion today bringing together representatives of the Office of President of Kyrgyzstan, Parliament, the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the Defence Council, military judges and prosecutors, as well as international and non-governmental organizations and media...

Kyiv, 17 Feb, 2015 – Today the OSCE SMM visited the temporary headquarters of Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC). The Deputy Chief Monitor was present at four rounds of videoconference discussions, in which representatives of the General Staff of Ukraine, members of the so-called “DPR” and “LPR,” and Russian and Ukrainian heads of the JCCC took part...

The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. The SMM observed that the ceasefire has largely held in most areas with the exception of Debaltseve (55km north-east of Donetsk) and Horlivka (44km north-west of Donetsk)...

PODGORICA, 17 February 2015 – OSCE Chairperson in Office and Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić today conveyed his full support for the Government’s reforms and commended progress achieved towards the country’s strategic objective of Euro-Atlantic integration, urging it to make the most of OSCE support in key areas such as rule of law, justice and combating corruption and organized crime...

WARSAW, 16 February 2015 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), today condemned attacks that killed a security guard at a synagogue and a participant in a freedom of speech event in Copenhagen on Saturday...

BELGRADE, 16 February 2015 – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Serbia's Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić today strongly urged all sides to refrain from any action that might endanger the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, which came into effect on 15 February 2015...

The SMM began monitoring the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. The SMM monitored the ceasefire which commenced at 00:00hrs on 15 February. It observed that the ceasefire has been adhered to despite some incidents in Sievierodonetsk (90km north-west of Luhansk, government-controlled), Luhansk, Debaltseve (80km north of Donetsk) and in Donetsk city...

COPENHAGEN, 16 February 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) today urged all sides in the Ukraine conflict to adhere strictly to the ceasefire and expressed deep concern about the continuation of fighting in areas of eastern Ukraine, particularly around the town of Debaltseve...

BELGRADE, 16 February 2015- The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Serbia's Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić, on Sunday strongly condemned the attacks on participants of the event “Art, freedom of speech and blasphemy” and on a synagogue in Copenhagen, that resulted in a death of two civilians and injury of five policemen, and offered his condolences to the families of the victims.

On 15 February 2015 at 07:50hrs (Moscow time), a Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 86 vehicles were inspected by the Russian border guard and customs services. All the vehicles crossed back into the Russian Federation (RF) at 19:22hrs on February 15...

COPENHAGEN, 15 February 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Secretary General Spencer Oliver issued the following statement today on the weekend's dual terror attacks in Copenhagen...

VIENNA, 15 February 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović strongly condemned yesterday’s attack in Copenhagen, where a gunman opened fire at a public event on art, freedom of speech and blasphemy. One man was left dead, and three police were injured.

The SMM continued to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum and the work of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC). The SMM assessed damage from shelling in Donetsk and Luhansk cities.

Following the recent summit meeting in the Normandy Format in Minsk, the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), consisting of senior representatives of Ukraine, the Russian Federation and the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, today, 14 February 2015, held a round of consultations in the form of a video-conference with representatives of certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

KYIV, 13 February 2015 – OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier and Head of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine Ertugrul Apakan today issued a joint statement in Kyiv on the implementation of the Minsk package of measures agreed yesterday by the Trilateral Contact Group...

The SMM continued to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum and the work of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC). In the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk the SMM visited areas impacted by recent shelling...

THE HAGUE, 13 February 2015 – Four senior representatives of law-making and law-enforcement bodies from Turkmenistan today concluded a five-day OSCE-supported visit to The Hague that focused on best practices in criminal justice reform. Representatives of the Mejlis (Parliament), Supreme Court, Justice Ministry and the General Prosecutor’s Office got a comprehensive overview of the legal reform process and its implementation stages...

VIENNA, 13 February 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today welcomed the release of journalist Hairullo Khamidov, who has been imprisoned since 2010, and said the authorities should free all detained journalists in Uzbekistan...

WARSAW, 12 February 2015 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said today that his Office is ready to observe local elections that could be held as part of the ceasefire agreement on eastern Ukraine reached in Minsk...

Hate crime awareness and recognition were the focus of a training event for Polish civil society activists organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Warsaw on 11 and 12 February 2015.

COPENHAGEN, 12 February 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) met today with Russian State Duma Chairperson Sergey Naryshkin in Moscow for talks that focused on Russia’s role in international efforts to resolve the crisis in and around Ukraine...

The SMM continued to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum and the work of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC). The SMM continued observing widespread and recurrent shelling in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. In Dnepropetrovsk the OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier started an official two-day visit to Ukraine...

BELGRADE, 12 February 2015- The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Serbia's Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić, welcomed the results of the Summit in Minsk and gave his full support to the package of measures for the implementation of the September 2014 Minsk agreements agreed by the Trilateral Contact Group...

Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both BCPs. Overall cross-border traffic flows slightly increased at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The OM continued to observe a number of persons in military-style clothing crossing the border in both directions...

The SMM continued to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum and the work of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC). Fighting surged ahead of diplomatic talks in Minsk. Multiple rockets struck Kramatorsk (95km north of Donetsk) with 7 killed and dozens injured...

MOSCOW, 11 February 2015 – The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Ambassador Madina Jarbussynova, at the conclusion of a three-day visit to Moscow today announced plans to intensify co-operation with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

VIENNA, 11 February 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović met today with Serbian Minister of Culture and Information Ivan Tasovac to discuss the Serbian OSCE Chairmanship’s work plan for media freedom issues...

CHISINAU, 11 February 2015 – The Special Representative of the Serbian OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian settlement process, Ambassador Radojko Bogojević, completed today three days of meetings in Chisinau and Tiraspol. This was his first visit of the year and under the 2015 Serbian Chairmanship of the OSCE...

DNIPROPETROVSK, Ukraine, 11 February 2015- OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier and Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan, will visit Dnipropetrovsk Ukraine on Wednesday and Thursday to meet government officials and will also visit displaced people affected by the ongoing conflict in Eastern Ukraine...

On 10 February at 11:51hrs, the SMM heard a powerful explosion in Kramatorsk (95km north of Donetsk). From their position at Kramatorsk Boulevard #41, the SMM assessed that the sound of the explosion came from approximately 1.5 kilometres south-east, near Kramatorsk airport (where the Ukrainian authorities have deployed an “Anti-terrorist Operation” (ATO) base). The SMM also observed a white smoke trail in the direction of the explosion. At 12:00hrs, the SMM contacted the “ATO” command, which did not have further information. The SMM did not go to the airport for security reasons...

KYIV, 10 February 2015- Today, in the early afternoon, the city of Kramatorsk in Donetsk region was struck by several shells which landed in heavily-populated residential neighbourhoods. Deaths and injuries have been reported. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) made all efforts to observe the impact of the shelling within the constraints of the rapidly deteriorating security situation...

The SMM continued to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum and the work of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC). An explosion occurred in Kharkiv city...

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors visited Serbia from 2 to 4 February 2015, where she took stock of progress at the Bujanovac Department of the Subotica Faculty of Economics of the Novi Sad University and met with key interlocutors to discuss issues related to her mandate.

COPENHAGEN, 10 February 2015 – OSCE parliamentarians will observe the upcoming parliamentary elections in Tajikistan and provide leadership for the OSCE's short-term observer mission...