News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE Centre supports political dialogue ahead of Kyrgyzstan's presidential election
Publishing date: 16 August 2011
BISHKEK, 16 August 2011 – The Chief of Kyrgyzstan’s Presidential Administration, Parliamentarians, senior government officials, political party leaders, experts, representatives of the civil society and international organizations met today in Bishkek to discuss ways to ensure fair, transparent and safe conduct of the Presidential election scheduled for 30 October 2011...
Turkish diplomat new head of OSCE Office in Baku
Publishing date: 15 August 2011
BAKU, 15 August 2011- Ambassador Koray Targay of Turkey took office today as the new Head of the OSCE Office in Baku...
Social inclusion of migrant workers critical to preventing human trafficking, says OSCE Special Representative on visit to Canada
Publishing date: 12 August 2011
TORONTO, Canada, 12 August 2011 – The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, emphasized prevention as a strategic area of anti-trafficking action during a visit to Canada that concluded today...
Joint statement by heads of mission of EU, NATO, OSCE and US in Skopje on tenth anniversary of Ohrid Framework Agreement
Publishing date: 12 August 2011
SKOPJE, 12 August 2011 – The heads of mission of the European Union, NATO, OSCE, and US issued the following statement today on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the signing of the Ohrid Framework Agreement on 13 August 2001...
‘State union’ concept of Bosnia and Herzegovina has no legal basis, says Head of OSCE Mission
Publishing date: 11 August 2011
SARAJEVO, 11 August 2011- The Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Gary D. Robbins, expressed profound concern today over recent statements by public officials asserting that Bosnia and Herzegovina is a “state union” deriving its sovereignty from the entities...
OSCE media freedom representative urges Skopje to halt ‘alarming’ deterioration in media freedom in the country
Publishing date: 11 August 2011
VIENNA, 11 August 2011 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, in a letter sent to Skopje to newly appointed Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki, said today that she is alarmed by the sharp decline of media freedom and the continued repression of media and critical voices in the country...
Press release issued by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Publishing date: 11 August 2011
VIENNA, 11 August 2011- The following is a press release issued by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on 11 August. The views expressed in this press release do not necessarily reflect those of the OSCE Chairmanship, nor of all OSCE participating States.
OSCE Chairperson urges respect for fair trial standards in Tymoshenko case
Publishing date: 8 August 2011
VILNIUS, 8 August 2011 – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis, today expressed concern over the decision of a Kyiv court to detain former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko, in a telephone conversation with the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Kostyantyn Gryshchenko...
OSCE Chairperson condemns continued action by Belarus against civil society
Publishing date: 5 August 2011
VILNIUS, 5 August 2011 – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis, today expressed deep concern over the continued worsening of the human rights situation in Belarus, citing the arrest of Aliaksandr (Ales) Bialiatski, President of the Belarus Human Rights Centre ‘Viasna’ on 4 August 2011 and the search of the NGO’s premises, as the latest example of persecution...
OSCE Office in Yerevan encourages sensitive reporting on religious issues
Publishing date: 5 August 2011
TSAKHKADZOR, Armenia, 5 August 2011 – A three-day OSCE-supported workshop for Armenian journalists on national legislation and international human rights standards on freedom of religion or belief began today in Tsakhkadzor...
OSCE supports efficient water use in schools and universities in Kyrgyzstan
Publishing date: 5 August 2011
BISHKEK, 5 August 2011 – Water meters have been installed in 14 schools and university campuses in Bishkek as part of a joint OSCE/Regional Ecological Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) initiative to improve the use of scarce water resources...
OSCE Office helps to prevent domestic violence in Azerbaijan’s regions
Publishing date: 4 August 2011
MASALLY, Azerbaijan, 5 August 2011 – The OSCE Office in Baku, in co-operation with the State Committee on Family, Women and Children’s Affairs, organized a discussion today on the role of local communities in preventing domestic violence in Masally, in the southern district of Azerbaijan. Participants from surrounding districts also participated in the event...
OSCE supports women in conflict prevention and reconciliation efforts in southern Kyrgyzstan
Publishing date: 3 August 2011
OSH, Kyrgyzstan, 3 August 2011 – A co-operation agreement between women community leaders, the community police, healthcare and education structures and the Mayor’s Office was signed today in Osh in the framework of an OSCE project on gender issues and conflict prevention in southern Kyrgyzstan...
OSCE supports raising awareness on human rights and environment for Ukrainian youth
Publishing date: 3 August 2011
A summer camp for children and youth to raise awareness of environmental and human-rights issues, organized by the Ukrainian Youth Association and supported by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine (PCU) was launched on August 1, 2011 in Lviv region in western Ukraine...
OSCE human rights chief expresses concern over proposed restrictions on freedom of assembly in Belarus
Publishing date: 2 August 2011
WARSAW, 2 August 2011 – Ambassador Janez Lenarčič, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), today expressed concern about a proposal by the Belarusian Council of Ministers to introduce further restrictions on the freedom of peaceful assembly...
OSCE Mission to Montenegro regrets non-adoption of amendments to Election Law
Publishing date: 1 August 2011
PODGORICA, 1 August 2011 – The Acting Head of OSCE Mission to Montenegro, Waldemar Figaj, said today he regretted that the amendments to the Law on Election were again not adopted within the deadline of 31 July...
On first joint visit, OSCE Special Representatives meet President of Kyrgyzstan, discussed prevention of human trafficking and violence against women
Publishing date: 30 July 2011
BISHKEK, 30 July 2011 – On a joint visit to Kyrgyzstan, the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, and the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Gender Issues, Wendy Patten, stressed today the importance of continuing co-operation with the authorities of Kyrgyzstan to better prevent and fight against trafficking in human beings and all forms of gender-based violence...
OSCE Permanent Council adopts agenda for 2011 Human Dimension Implementation Meeting
Publishing date: 29 July 2011
The OSCE’s Permanent Council adopted the agenda for the 2011 Human Dimension Implementation Meeting on 29 July 2011. The OSCE’s annual human rights and democracy conference will take place from 26 September to 7 October in Warsaw...
OSCE Centre donates vehicles to Kyrgyzstan’s rural police stations
Publishing date: 29 July 2011
BISHKEK, 29 July 2011 – Today the OSCE Centre in Bishkek donated eight off-road vehicles to the Interior Ministry of Kyrgyzstan to be used in remote rural police stations covering villages located in mountainous isolated areas in Naryn, Chuy, Osh and Batken provinces...
OSCE human rights chief welcomes declaration of official Roma genocide remembrance day in Poland
Publishing date: 29 July 2011
WARSAW, 29 July 2011 – Ambassador Janez Lenarčič, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), welcomed today’s decision by the Polish parliament to declare 2 August as the official Roma and Sinti Genocide Remembrance Day...
14th IPRM Meeting takes place in Dvani
Publishing date: 28 July 2011
DVANI, 28 July 2011- The 14th IPRM meeting under the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism took place today in Dvani. The meeting was co-facilitated by the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) and the OSCE. This was the first meeting attended by the new Head of the EUMM, Ambassador Andrzej Tyszkiewicz...
OSCE Chairperson condemns violence and encourages dialogue in Kosovo
Publishing date: 28 July 2011
VILNIUS, 28 July 2011 – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis, today condemned recent violent incidents and encouraged dialogue in Kosovo...
OSCE Presence supports Central Election Commission and State Police in administering re-run election
Publishing date: 28 July 2011
TIRANA, 28 July 2011 – The OSCE Presence in Albania loaned today satellite phones to the Albanian State Police and the Central Election Commission to support their work in remote rural areas during the local government elections to re-run on 31 July 2011...
ODIHR trains Egyptian NGOs on human rights, election observation
Publishing date: 27 July 2011
Fifteen civil society representatives from Egypt arrived in Warsaw on 26 July for a three-day training workshop on election monitoring and human rights organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in co-operation with the OSCE’s Lithuanian Chairmanship...
OSCE Mission in Kosovo regrets loss of life, calls for calm and co-operation
Publishing date: 27 July 2011
Prishtinë/Priština, 27 July 2011- The Acting Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Edward Joseph, said today that he regrets the loss of life and injuries in the wake of the operation by Kosovo police special units in northern Kosovo...
OSCE Office promotes human rights education in Armenia
Publishing date: 26 July 2011
VANADZOR, Armenia, 26 July 2011 – Thirty secondary school teachers from many regions of Armenia are participating in a three-week intensive course on human rights that started today in Vanadzor in the Lori region...
OSCE Special Representatives on gender and human trafficking visit Kyrgyzstan
Publishing date: 26 July 2011
The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Gender Issues, Wendy Patten, and the OSCE Special Representative and Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, are visiting Kyrgyzstan from 26 to 29 July 2011...
OSCE Secretary General meets Austrian Foreign Minister
Publishing date: 25 July 2011
VIENNA, 25 July 2011 – Newly appointed OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier met Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger today to discuss plans to enhance the effectiveness of the Organization as well as developments in the OSCE area...
OSCE Office in Baku co-hosts course on fundamental rights and freedoms for judges and lawyers
Publishing date: 25 July 2011
BAKU, 25 July 2011 – The OSCE Office in Baku and the German Justice Ministry's International Legal Co-operation Foundation today launched a week-long course on fundamental rights and freedoms for 30 judges and lawyers...
OSCE Centre in Bishkek helps local police strengthen forensic expertise
Publishing date: 25 July 2011
An OSCE-supported training course that aimed to help Kyrgyzstan's police improve the quality of its investigations concluded on 25 July 2011 in the town of Balykchy in the north-eastern province of Issyk-Kul...
Press release issued by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Publishing date: 25 July 2011
VIENNA, 25 July 2011- The following is a press release issued by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on 23 July. The views expressed in this press release do not necessarily reflect those of the OSCE Chairmanship, nor of all OSCE participating States...
OSCE condemns attack on vehicle belonging to independent newspaper in Montenegro
Publishing date: 24 July 2011
PODGORICA, 24 July 2011 – The Acting Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro Waldemar Figaj today condemned the attack on a delivery vehicle belonging to the independent newspaper “Vijesti”, early on Saturday morning, 23 July. The vehicle was set on fire while parked in the settlement of Masline in Podgorica...
OSCE Chairperson strongly condemns deadly violence in Norway
Publishing date: 22 July 2011
VILNIUS, 22 July 2011 – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis, condemned the violence that claimed many lives today in Norway. “On behalf of the OSCE, I strongly condemn the atrocious violence that took place in Norway today,” Ažubalis said...
OSCE has contributed to progress in Croatia, Secretary General says in Zagreb
Publishing date: 22 July 2011
ZAGREB, 22 July 2011 – Croatia is contributing to stability in its region, the OSCE Secretary General, Lamberto Zannier, said today, adding that the OSCE’s field presence in the country for the last 15 years had played a key role in its progress by supporting reforms and work to protect human rights...
Finnish parliamentary elections professionally administered, conducted in full respect for fundamental freedom, ODIHR report says
Publishing date: 22 July 2011
Finland’s 17 April parliamentary elections were professionally administered and commanded high levels of confidence, ODIHR concluded in the final report on the electoral process published on 21 July 2011...
Geneva Discussions must continue and deliver progress for the sake of those affected, says OSCE Chairmanship official
Publishing date: 22 July 2011
VIENNA, 22 July 2011 – Participants in the Geneva Discussions must do their part to make the talks effective as the Discussions remain the only forum where all parties to the August 2008 conflict are represented, Ambassador Giedrius Čekuolis, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for protracted conflicts, said today...
Land registration and road signs in Albania's south coast assisted by €1.5 million European Union-funded project implemented by OSCE
Publishing date: 21 July 2011
TIRANA, 21 July 2011 – This EU funded €1.5 million technical assistance project, implemented by the OSCE Presence in Albania was presented today in Tirana...
OSCE Office holds Preparatory Human Dimension Implementation Meeting in Dushanbe
Publishing date: 21 July 2011
DUSHANBE, 21 July 2011- The fifth annual OSCE Preparatory Human Dimension Implementation Meeting during which government and civil society representatives will discuss human rights issues began in Dushanbe today...
OSCE Centre supports training seminar for law enforcement staff in Kazakhstan on combating terrorism
Publishing date: 21 July 2011
ASTANA, 21 July 2011 – An OSCE-supported two-day distance learning seminar on countering terrorism and extremism for Kazakhstani prosecutors and other law enforcement staff began today...
OSCE Chairperson expresses solidarity with Central Asian States following earthquakes
Publishing date: 21 July 2011
VILNIUS, 21 July 2011 – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis, expressed his solidarity today with the people of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, following earthquakes in the Ferghana Valley...
Press release issued by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Publishing date: 20 July 2011
VIENNA, 20 July 2011- The following is a press release issued by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on 20 July. The views expressed in this press release do not necessarily reflect those of the OSCE Chairmanship, nor of all OSCE participating States...
Students at OSCE workshop propose ways to increase participation of young people in political life in Tajikistan
Publishing date: 20 July 2011
VARZOB, Tajikistan, 20 July 2011- Some 60 university students from across Tajikistan presented recommendations on how to increase the participation of young women and men in public and political life today at the conclusion of a five-day workshop organized by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan on "Youth, Gender and Democratic Standards for Elections”...
OSCE Mission in Kosovo supports protection of cultural heritage
Publishing date: 20 July 2011
The OSCE Mission in Kosovo, the Kosovo Council for Cultural Heritage and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports are jointly organizing a series of public debates to raise awareness of the need to protect cultural and religious heritage...
OSCE Chairperson welcomes arrest of Goran Hadžić
Publishing date: 20 July 2011
VILNIUS, 20 July 2011- The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis, today welcomed the arrest by Serbian authorities of Goran Hadžić, the last remaining fugitive wanted by the UN war crimes tribunal in the Hague...
OSCE Chairperson urges Albanian government, parties to urgently resume dialogue
Publishing date: 20 July 2011
VILNIUS, 20 July 2011- The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis, today urged the Albanian government and opposition to restore political dialogue and move ahead with reforms...
OSCE Troika, EU High Representative Ashton discuss co-operation
Publishing date: 20 July 2011
The foreign ministers of Lithuania, Kazakhstan and Ireland – representing the 2011, the 2010 and the 2012 OSCE Chairmanships respectively – and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, discussed OSCE-EU co-operation during a meeting on 18 July 2011 in Brussels...
OSCE Office in Baku organizes UK study trip for government spokespersons
Publishing date: 19 July 2011
Eleven senior government spokespersons from Azerbaijan are visiting London from 18-21 July 2011 on an OSCE-supported study visit to discuss best practices in government-media relations and freedom of information practices with their British peers...
OSCE media freedom representative welcomes decriminalization of libel by Kyrgyzstan
Publishing date: 19 July 2011
VIENNA, 19 July 2011 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, today commended Kyrgyzstan for being the first Central Asian state to decriminalize libel...
Need for greater political pluralism highlighted in OSCE report
Publishing date: 18 July 2011
Better compliance with the OSCE’s political pluralism commitments is one of the recommendations of a report from the May 2011 OSCE Human Dimension Seminar on the role of political parties in the political process, published by ODIHR on 15 July...
Statement of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs
Publishing date: 18 July 2011
YEREVAN, 18 July 2011- The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassadors Bernard Fassier of France, Robert Bradtke of the United States, and Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, released the following statement today...