News and press releases

The OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in co-operation with Beruku Identity, an expert group on digital identity, personal data and cybersecurity and forensic experts from Greece, trained 40 officers from the Border Police of Moldova and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine on detecting and preventing vehicle document fraud at land border crossing points during an online training course from 12 to 15 May.

From 14 to 15 May 2025, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, in co-operation with the Public Order Protection Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Tajikistan, organized a two-day training in Bokhtar, Khatlon region. The course was attended by 20 senior police officers—all men—who head the Public Order Protection Units of the MIA’s regional departments.

On 13 and 14 May, six representatives of the Parliamentary Institute of Montenegro, led by its Head, Nataša Komnenić, undertook a study visit to the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia with the support of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro.

On 15 May 2025, experts in policing and minority rights gathered in The Hague, the Netherlands for a roundtable discussion on how emerging technologies are shaping policing practices in multi-ethnic societies. The event was jointly organized by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities

From 5 to 9 May, representatives of the Montenegrin Police Directorate and the Police Academy Danilovgrad participated in a study visit to Spain, organized by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, in close cooperation with the Embassy of Spain.

As part of efforts to help prevent young people from becoming criminals, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities held a regional training course on multi-stakeholder co-operation in youth crime prevention for law enforcement and social services professionals from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on 13 and 14 May.

VIENNA, 14 May – Today, Estonia held its first meeting as Chair of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC). Over the course of its tenure as FSC Chair, Estonia will aim to strengthen dialogue and co-operation on security challenges facing the region, notably Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, which has a profound impact on the whole OSCE region.

An OSCE-organized seminar on strengthening the role of youth and women in responding to climate change risks in Turkmenistan and Central Asia took place on 12 May 2025 in Ashgabat. The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat initiated this event within the framework of the 7th Central Asian Conference on Climate

TIRANA, 12 May 2025 – Elections to Albania’s parliament were competitive and professionally managed, the authorities rose to the challenge of organising out-of-country voting for the first time and candidates could mostly campaign freely, but they were marked by widespread misuse of public resources and institutional power by the ruling party, while numerous reports of pressure on public employees and other voters as well as cases of intimidation were of concern, international observers said in a statement today.

Four cyber hygiene training facilities were officially opened in educational institutions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine on 6 and 7 May 2025 with the support of the OSCE Secretariat Extra-Budgetary Support Programme for Ukraine (SPU). The rooms will serve to educate the future law enforcers- cadets of the Lviv State University of Internal Affairs, Lviv State University of Life Safety, Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs, and Donetsk State University of Internal Affairs- about the safe and responsive use of digital tools. The new in-person cyber hygiene training course designed for cadets and students includes practical assignments, case studies, and hands-on training.

VIENNA/HELSINKI, 9 May 2025- The Chairperson-in-Office’s Special Envoy, Ambassador Terhi Hakala, concluded her official visit to Montenegro and North Macedonia today. The trip reaffirmed the OSCE’s commitment to stability, security and strengthening democratic institutions in South-Eastern Europe.

As part of the OSCE’s efforts to empower women in the security sector and strengthen regional security, the OSCE Secretariat, with support from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the five OSCE field operations in Central Asia, held the first meeting of the Regional Network of Women in Law Enforcement and Border Agencies in Central Asia in Vienna, Austria, on 7 and 8 May.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) Jan Braathu, concluded his first visit to European Institutions today. During his visit, the RFoM discussed current challenges to media freedom across EU Member States and the broader OSCE region with the cabinets of European Commissioner for

An intensive training course on strategic planning for young advisers from Central Asian countries was held in Istanbul, Republic of Türkiye, from 5 to 9 May 2025. The event was organized by the OSCE Programme Offices in Bishkek and Dushanbe, with support from the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, and the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. Mr. Santeri Leinonen, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Youth and Security, welcomed the participants via video message. The course aimed to enhance practical skills and deepen understanding of the role of strategic advisers in today’s dynamic environment. Participants — young professionals from government institutions, academia, and other relevant organizations — explored key aspects of strategic analysis, communication, and stakeholder engagement. The training covered the following thematic areas: The role of political and strategic advisers in public administration; Strategy development and implementation in rapidly evolving political contexts; Engaging internal and external stakeholders, including inclusive approaches to various social groups; Developing communication strategies, including public speaking, working with the media, and tools for public diplomacy. The course was based on practical learning and active participation. Attendees improved their skills in drafting analytical materials, speeches, and briefings on key policy and development issues. Delivered in an interactive format, the training served as a platform for knowledge exchange and strengthened regional co-operation in the field of planning and advisory work.

VIENNA, 8 May 2025 – Over 400 participants from across the OSCE gathered in Vienna for the “Building resilience through inclusion and empowerment” Conference on Gender Equality organized under Finland’s 2025 OSCE Chairpersonship on 6 and 7 May 2025.

On 7 May, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Serbia, launched the seventh edition of the Media Fellowship Programme, bringing together eight young journalists from Kosovo Albanian and Kosovo Serb media outlets. The initiative is designed to strengthen media

BRUSSELS, 7 May 2025-  Considering the vital impact that Artificial Intelligence (AI) has on freedom of expression, freedom of the media and the information ecosystem; acknowledging that the development and use of AI can be beneficial but raise serious human rights-related concerns; stressing the

ODIHR Kazakhstan fair trial monitoring WARSAW, 6 May 2025 – In a report summarising its year-long monitoring of more than 400 court hearings related to the January 2022 protests in Kazakhstan, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) documented court practices that fall

The OSCE Transnational Threats Department held a workshop for 20 senior representatives of law enforcement agencies in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on 1 and 2 May. The workshop was aimed at strengthening national capacities to provide systematic and sustainable professional training and development on cybercrime and electronic evidence to law enforcement and criminal justice practitioners.

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 05 May 2025 – Ambassador Gerard McGurk, a career member of the British Diplomatic Service, has been appointed as the new Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and has officially assumed his duties today.

BUCHAREST, 5 May 2025 – The first round of Romania’s repeat presidential election was efficiently run and the rights to freedom of assembly and association were respected. However, widespread inauthentic behaviour online by candidates, the fragmented approach of the authorities to overseeing the online space, and a lack of transparency in decision-making had a negative impact on the election process, international observers said in a statement today.

From 22 to 24 April 2025, the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, in co-operation with the Centre for Arms Control and Inspection Support and the Kazakhstan Peace Operations Centre (KAZCENT) of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and with the support of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, and the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, organized a three-day international seminar in Almaty to enhance understanding and implementation of the Vienna Document 2011 on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures.

VIENNA, 5 May 2025 – A vibrant civic space in which everyone contributes to public and political life is increasingly challenged by growing threats to freedom of peaceful assembly and severe challenges faced by human rights defenders through discreditation, criminalization, and direct attacks, OSCE leaders said as a two-day conference began today.

Sarajevo, 3 May 2025 – A free society depends on a free press.  In recognition of World Press Freedom Day, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission) reaffirms its continued commitment to defending the fundamental right to free and independent journalism, as well as the corresponding

VIENNA, 2 May 2025 – Over 140 participants from OSCE Participating States, Partners for Co-operation, OSCE Institutions, civil society, and international organizations gathered in Vienna for the "Resilient Together in a Changing Climate" Chairpersonship Event, organized under Finland’s 2025 OSCE Chairpersonship on 28 to 29 April 2025.

For several years, the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek (POiB) has been leading a sustained effort to promote financial literacy among youth in Kyrgyzstan. Through comprehensive training programmes held annually across the country, the POiB helps young people build the skills they need to make

On 28 and 29 April, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, held a two-day training course on gender-based violence (GBV) for 24 police and judicial professionals from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

VIENNA/HELSINKI, 2 May 2025 — On World Press Freedom Day, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen and the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) Jan Braathu reaffirm the necessity of upholding media freedom in an environment marked by rapid technological developments.

On 30 April, over 50 representatives from Central Asia, South-East Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa gathered in Astana to share good practices and exchange experience related to prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration (PRR) of returnees from conflict zones. The meeting was co-organized by the Ministry of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) Programme Office in Astana, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), and the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA).

On 29 April, representatives from the Ministry of Sports and Youth, local governments, and local youth services gathered in Podgorica for the introductory capacity-building training titled "Networking and Cooperation of the Youth Sector at the Local Level." The event was organized by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports and Youth.

Skopje, 30 April 2024 – Accelerating the delivery of justice was the central focus as the OSCE Mission to Skopje joined senior judicial professionals today at the Annual Judicial Conference, marking the National Day of the Judiciary. Held under the theme “Strengthening judicial independence and

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro, in co-operation with the Supreme Court of Montenegro and the Judicial Training Centre, hosted a three-day court simulation training aimed at strengthening institutional responses to violence against women and girls, with a particular focus on marital rape.

Ensuring a proportionate approach to combating the instrumentalization of non-profit organizations (NPOs) by terrorists in Central Asia was the focus of a workshop organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the EU Global Facility on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) in Vienna from 28 to 30 April.

VIENNA, 29 April 2025- OSCE Secretary General Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu concluded his first official visits to Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan today, reaffirming the Organization's strong commitment to peace, security and stability in the South Caucasus.

How to effectively evaluate potential environmental policies, plans and programmes was the focus of a training workshop for 40 government and civil society representatives in Uzbekistan organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in Tashkent from 23 to 24 April.

On 24–25 April 2025, Bishkek hosted the high-level international conference "Global Mountain Dialogue for Sustainable Development: Towards the Bishkek+25 Summit."  The forum brought together over 200 delegates from 50 countries and around 30 international and regional organizations. The

The OSCE, in partnership with Ukraine’s Ministry of Interior, convened an expert roundtable to discuss various aspects of preventing and combating illicit trafficking of weapons, ammunition and explosives (WAE) in Ukraine on 25 April.

The latest Annual Report of the OSCE Court of Conciliation and Arbitration (CCA) has now been published. The 2024 report provides an account of the CCA’s institutional matters over the past year and the efforts made by members of the CCA’s Bureau to raise awareness of the Court and its potential.

On 25 April 2025, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, in close co-operation with the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, hosted the 6th Kafarnigan River Basin Council Meeting. Held in Dushanbe, the meeting brought together 44 professionals from government structures, international organizations, academic institutions, and the Young Water Professionals Network, with 14 female participants.

Officers of Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service got an in-depth look at emerging trends in travel document forgery and explored ways to strengthen co-operation with the United Kingdom during an online seminar organized on 23 April by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department in partnership with the UK HM Passport Office and Beruku Identity, an expert group on digital identity, personal data and cybersecurity.

Election experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) presented the final report on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s 2024 local elections to government officials, the election administration, courts and representatives of the international community and civil society in Sarajevo between 23 and 25 April 2025.  The visit also offered an opportunity to present the report and its recommendations during a post-election conference organized by the Central Election Commission.

From 23 to 25 April 2025, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, in co-operation with the Inter-ministerial Commission on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings, organized a three-day training course for 12 representatives (8 men and 4 women) from Tajikistan’s private sector and labour inspection authorities.

Today, the Acting Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Cornelia Taylor, visited Mitrovicë/Mitrovica region to engage with local organizations supporting people with disabilities and survivors of domestic violence, and to meet with women editors and journalists. The visit began at “Podrži Me”, an

On 24 April 2025, in the lead-up to the parliamentary elections due on 11 May, the OSCE Presence in Albania, in co-operation with the General Directorate of Prisons, organized a comprehensive training seminar for about 45 senior prison staff on prisoners’ right to vote. The purpose of this training was to support prison authorities to ensure the protection and facilitation of prisoners’ voting rights, in line with national laws and international standards.

A total of some 45 forensic experts and medical staff of penitentiary system from five regions of Uzbekistan learned about international mechanisms for documenting torture, as well as national laws governing the treatment of those in detention, during training events in Termez and Ferghana on 21-22

Today Bosnia and Herzegovina is facing the most serious constitutional crisis since the end of the war nearly thirty years ago. The Dayton Peace Agreement that ended that devastating war entrusted the OSCE with a vital role: to help secure lasting peace, protect human rights, and support building a stable, democratic state.

Moldovan law enforcement and border agencies as well as representatives of Chisinau International Airport strengthened their skills in managing severe incidents through a video-based table-top exercise organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and AIRPOL in Chisinau, Moldova on 23 April.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the signing of the 1975 Helsinki Final Act and the International Year of Peace and Trust designated by the UN General Assembly's Resolution at the initiative of Turkmenistan, the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat together with the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan organized a high-level forum in Ashgabat on 22 April.

From 1 to 11 April 2025, eighteen specialists from the Ministry of Defense of the Kyrgyz Republic completed a training course on safe storage, surveillance and transportation of ammunition. The course was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, in collaboration with the Ministry of

On 17 April, the State Election Commission of Montenegro (SEC) held its first livestreamed session using video equipment provided by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro.