News and press releases

The OSCE Mission to Skopje is holding a four-day seminar in the “training of trainers” format for twelve national trainers in the lawmaking area from 27 to 30 June 2012...

COPENHAGEN, 27 June 2012 – Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared fighting proposed visa ban laws a top foreign policy priority...

Freedom, responsibility and challenges for the media following the adoption of new legislation were the focus of an OSCE-organized roundtable discussion that took place on 27 June 2012 in Bishkek...

The OSCE/ODIHR's final report on Armenia’s parliamentary elections concludes that they were characterized by a competitive and largely peaceful campaign, and offers recommendations, including ways to improve the integrity of the election process...

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, 26 June 2012 – The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Knut Vollebaek today participated in a high-level event in Astana to launch a new project on policing in multi-ethnic Kazakhstan...

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) highlighted the vital role of education in combating intolerance and discrimination against Muslims during the Summer Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on 26 June 2012 in Strasbourg...

A two-day OSCE-supported conference on the empowerment of women in decision-making for more than 70 representatives of the Assembly of Kosovo and municipal women caucuses, political parties, Agency for Gender Equality, and local and international agencies dealing with gender issues, concluded in Prishtinë/Priština on 23 June 2012...

DUSHANBE, 26 June 2012 – A roundtable discussion on co-operation between law enforcement agencies and the challenges and approaches involved was held at the OSCE Border Management Staff College today...

COPENHAGEN, 27 June 2012 – Recognizing the importance of national defence and neutrality in the OSCE area, especially small states, Ukrainian MP Oleh Bilorus has proposed a resolution calling upon governments to respect a state’s right to neutrality and include such states in security dialogue...

VIENNA, 26 June 2012 – Taking pragmatic steps in areas of common ground is the best way forward to building a security community in the OSCE area, speakers told the OSCE’s Annual Security Review Conference (ASRC) in Vienna today...

COPENHAGEN, 27 June 2012 – More than 60 parliamentarians from 21 countries have co-sponsored a resolution that recommends pulling the 2014 International Ice Hockey World Championships out of Belarus unless authorities release all political prisoners being held there...

On 26 June 2012 the OSCE Gender Section organized a discussion in Vienna on ways to incorporate gender perspectives into security discussions and increase the role of women in maintaining peace and security, as set out in the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325...

COPENHAGEN, 26 June 2012 – In its first meeting since democratic elections were held in Egypt and Tunisia, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is expected to vote on a resolution aimed at furthering democratic transition in the Middle East and North Africa...

An OSCE-initiated and Kyrgyzstan Parliament-chaired public hearing on enhancing the co-operation between the police and communities on crime prevention in the Kyrgyz Republic was held on 25 June 2012 in Bishkek...

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago, 25 June 2012 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, and three other international freedom of expression rapporteurs, launched today their annual 2012 Joint Declaration on "Crimes against Freedom of Expression"...

The third and last in a series of training sessions on human rights for Kyrgyzstan’s prosecutors concluded on 23 June 2012 in Bishkek...

COPENHAGEN, 25 June 2012 – Governments should increase their contributions to Afghanistan border security projects by 2014 and beyond, according to a resolution now pending before the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly...

VIENNA, 25 June 2012 – New approaches to arms control, resolving protracted conflicts and promoting reconciliation as foundations for strengthening security in the OSCE area are the focus of OSCE Security Days 2012 in Vienna today...

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo supported the development of new 2012-2017 strategies and action plans against drug trafficking, terrorism and organized crime for Kosovo through a series of workshops held in Durres, Albania, between 6 and 23 June 2012...

An agreement aimed at strengthening gender equality at the local level was signed between the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and local and national authorities in Montenegro on 22 June 2012...

BISHKEK, 22 June 2012 – Representatives of Kyrgyzstan’s law enforcement bodies and local self-government from Bishkek and Osh visited the United Kingdom on an OSCE-supported study tour...

VIENNA, 22 June 2012 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, condemned today the arrest of Belarusian journalist Andrzej Poczobut and called the new charges against him for libel of the President politically motivated...

COPENHAGEN, 22 June 2012 – Two weeks after Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, parliamentarians from the world’s largest regional security organization, the OSCE, will vote on a resolution that aims to strengthen global food security...

Dunja Mijatović, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, presented her second official report of 2012 to the OSCE Permanent Council on 21 June 2012, where she highlighted Internet freedom and journalists’ safety as major concerns...

YEREVAN, 22 June 2012 – A two-day training workshop for some 25 lawyers and human rights defenders from non-governmental organizations on third party intervention (amicus curiae) in constitutional and international human rights procedures started in Yerevan today...

A two-day roundtable discussion on assessing the Interior Ministry’s achievements in the area of crime prevention began in Ohrid on 21 June 2012...

GENEVA, 21 June 2012- The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, urged the Organization’s participating States today to take concrete steps to prevent trafficking for domestic servitude in diplomatic households at the first OSCE workshop on the topic for South-Western Europe in Geneva, Switzerland...

COPENHAGEN, 21 June 2012 – The same week that the European Union oil embargo against Iran takes effect parliamentarians from the world’s largest regional security organization, the OSCE, will gather to vote on how to peacefully prevent the nation from becoming a nuclear power...

Advancing new and existing synergies between the OSCE structures, its participating States and Partners for Co-operation was the goal of the official visit to Israel of the OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier from 20 to 21 June 2012...

BAKU, 21 June 2012 – An OSCE workshop on increasing the participation of women in political parties in Azerbaijan opened today in Baku...

ERGNETI, 21 June 2012- The 24th meeting under the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism, co-facilitated by the EU Monitoring Mission and the OSCE, took place in Ergneti...

A collective visit to Kosovo by 41 displaced persons to obtain documents necessary to regulate their legal stay in Montenegro took place on 20 June 2012. It is one in a series of such visits facilitated by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro.

BAKU, 21 June 2012 – A two-day training course on human trafficking and asylum seekers started today for border guards and officials from the State Migration Service and security service based at Baku International Airport. The OSCE Office in Baku is co-organizing the event with UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) missions in Azerbaijan. The training course will focus on the identification of victims of trafficking and forced labour among asylum seekers...

ROTTACH-EGERN, Germany, 20 June 2012- Moldovan Prime Minister Vladimir Filat and Transdniestrian leader Yevgeny Shevchuk met today on the margins of an OSCE conference in the German town of Rottach-Egern...

VIENNA, 20 June 2012 – Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Gryshchenko, outlining in his address to the OSCE Permanent Council today the main tasks on Ukraine’s agenda for its 2013 Chairmanship, stressed the country’s commitment to strengthening the OSCE...

ALMATY, Kazakhstan, 20 June 2012 – The OSCE Centre in Astana together with the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) held an expert workshop on national human rights institutions and gender equality today in Almaty...

The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings Maria Grazia Giammarinaro received a Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Hero Award on 19 June 2012 from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to honour her significant contributions in the struggle to end modern-day slavery...

DUSHANBE, 20 June 2012- The OSCE Office in Tajikistan presented today to representatives of embassies and international organizations in Dushanbe the results of the report “Islamist Radicalization in Tajikistan: An Assessment of Current Trends”...

SKOPJE, 19 June 2012 – Secondary schools from nine municipalities from across the country will benefit from an OSCE-supported project on school safety launched in Skopje today...

OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier during his official visit to Jordan from 17 to 19 June 2012 met with high-level officials to discuss existing and potential projects and areas of co-operation between Jordan and the OSCE...

LOS CABOS, Mexico, 19 June 2012- The President of the United States Barack Obama, the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, and the President of France François Hollande made the following statement on 18 June on Nagorno-Karabakh at the Los Cabos Summit of the Twenty...

ASTANA, 18 June 2012 – An OSCE-supported meeting on improving interaction between customs and businesses to facilitate international trade was held in Astana today...

AMMAN, 18 June 2012 – Water scarcity, land degradation, climate change, energy security and the role of the civil society are the focus of a three-day workshop that started today in Amman, organized by the OSCE Office of the Co-ordinator for Economic and Environmental Activities and the Jordanian government...

RIGA, 18 June 2012- A regional seminar for high-ranking officials from the Baltic Sea area on the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security started in Riga today...

PARIS, 18 June 2012 – Today, the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Robert Bradtke of the United States of America, Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, and Jacques Faure of France) met jointly with the Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, and the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, Elmar Mammadyarov. Also participating in the meeting was the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk...

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo concluded a one-week training course on witness protection for 20 Kosovo police officers on 15 June 2012 in Vushtrri/Vučitrn. The training focused on legal provisions and appropriate procedures and protection programmes that can be offered to witnesses...

DUBLIN, 18 June 2012 – A conference hosted by Ireland’s 2012 OSCE Chairmanship on the challenges to freedom of expression and media freedom online and the debate around Internet governance opened in Dublin today...

Enhancing gender equality within political parties was the focus of a roundtable discussion held in Tirana by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Presence in Albania on 18 June 2012...

Five members of Turkmenistan’s Central Election Commission and Mejlis (Parliament) discussed practices in organizing and conducting parliamentary elections during a working visit to France that concluded on 11 June 2012...

BISHKEK, 15 June 2012- The OSCE Centre in Bishkek, Kyrgyz authorities and civil society organizations signed a multilateral Memorandum of Understanding today in Bishkek aimed at increasing co-operation in monitoring places of detention...