News and press releases

WARSAW, 6 April 2001-- The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) deplores the response by the Belarusian authorities to the 25 March 2001 peaceful demonstrations,

SARAJEVO, 6 April 2001-- OSCE Head of Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Robert L. Barry, condemned Friday\'s organized violence against Federation and international law enforcement officials during an operation at Hercegovacka Bank in Mostar.

PRISTINA, 6 April 2001-- This Sunday, 8 April, is International Roma Day and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is sponsoring several events to mark the occasion.

BANJA LUKA, 6 April 2001- OSCE Head of Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Robert L. Barry, congratulated the Republika Srpska Ombudsmen Office on its first year of operation of a multiethnic ombudsmen

BANJA LUKA, 6 April 2001- OSCE Head of Mission Ambassador Robert L. Barry expressed the \"profound dissatisfaction\" of the international community with the Banja Luka municipal authorities for their poor record in identifying alternative accommodation.

BANJA LUKA, 6 April 2001- The OSCE Head of Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Robert L. Barry, met with Republika Srpska Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic today in Banja Luka.

SARAJEVO, 6 April 2001- The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina today opened a seminar on Partnership in Parliament: Strategic Steps Towards Gender Equality.

TRAVNIK, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 5 April 2001- OSCE Head of Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Robert L. Barry, criticized the Council of Ministers for failing to come to a consensus today on the draft election law.

SKOPJE, 5 April 2001- The Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Romanian Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana, has welcomed developments towards inter-ethnic dialogue in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia...

TRAVNIK, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 5 April 2001- OSCE Head of Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Robert L. Barry, visited Travnik Thursday to discuss the implementation of election results in Central Bosnia Canton.

PRISTINA, 5 April 2001-- Leaders from Kosovo\'s Serb communities are being invited to attend special seminars on electoral systems and voter registration. The first of these will be held in Leposavic on Friday, 6 April 2001...

SARAJEVO, 5 April 2001-- At its meeting on 30 March, the Provisional Election Commission paid special tribute to the Election Appeals Sub-Commission, which has ceased operations...

VIENNA, 4 April 2001-- The annual Yearbook 2000/2001 Freedom and Responsibility was presented by Freimut Duve, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, on 4 April 2001 at the Hofburg...

SARAJEVO, 4 April 2001- The Provisional Election Commission in Bosnia and Herzegovina has removed the mandate of Nevenka Lovren (SNS- Biljana Plavsic) as a municipal councillor in Vlasenica for violating the election rule regarding conflict of interest.

SARAJEVO, 4 April 2001- The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina firmly rejected the baseless and legally spurious accusations made by various Croat officials in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton.

SARAJEVO, 3 April 2001- The government of the Federation of BiH and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina have signed a memorandum of understanding concerningan audit of the budget of the Ministry of Defense

PRISTINA, 3 April 2001-- The OSCE and the UNHCR today release their seventh joint assessment of the situation of minority communities in Kosovo. The 30-page report covers the period from October 2000 to February 2001

VIENNA, 2 April 2001- Thousands of people gathered in Moscow on 31 March in support of freedom of expression. Many of the speakers at this rally underlined their concern regarding the future of NTV...

VIENNA, 2 April 2001- The OSCE has launched its Rapid Expert Assistance and Co-operation Teams (REACT) programme, designed to set new standards for the rapid recruitment and deployment of skilled personnel into current and future field operations...

COPENHAGEN, 2 April 2001-- From 3-5 April 2001 Mr. Adrian Severin, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, will pay a visit to France...

VIENNA, 2 April 2001- Individuals who are interested in working for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe can now find listings of current vacancies and apply online through the new OSCE Employment web site.

KYIV, 2 April 2001-- From 28 March to 2 April 2001, a group of Ukrainian officials visited Denmark to study Danish experiences in maintaining population registers and the human rights safeguards involved, especially personal data protection measures

SARAJEVO, 2 April 2001- OSCE Head of Mission Ambassador Robert L. Barry expressed his full support for the actions of BiH Presidency member Jozo Krizanovic and Federation Minister of Defense Mijo Anic...

PRISTINA, 2 April 2001-- The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Mission in Kosovo and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees will issue their Seventh Assessment on the Situation of Minorities in Kosovo

TIRANA, 31 March 2001-- The following statement was issued today by the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Mr. Adrian Severin, at the end of a visit to Albania from 29 to 31 March:

DUSHANBE, 30 March 2001-- From 27 to 29 March 2001, the Head of OSCE Mission to Tajikistan, Ambassador Marc Gilbert, accompanied by three international Mission members, paid a visit to the three districts of Karotegyn Valley

SARAJEVO, 30 March 2001-- OSCE Head of Mission Ambassador Robert L. Barry welcomes the election of Mr. Beriz Belkic and Mr. Jozo Krizanovic as members of the presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina...

PRISTINA, 30 March 2001-- The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is appalled that one of its staff members was attacked while driving through Pristina Thursday evening.

VIENNA, 30 March 2001-- In a special session Friday, the Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) discussed the current situation in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia...

SARAJEVO, 30 March 2001- The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe condemns the threat made by SDA Vice-President Sulejman Tihic on Thursday that the SDA would consider withdrawing from the BiH and Federation parliamentary bodies

PRISTINA, 29 March 2001-- The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe offers its sincere condolences and sympathy to the wife and family of APTN producer, Kerem Lawton.

MINSK, 27 March 2001- The OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group in Belarus has donated hygiene and sanitary items to TB Colony No.12 in Orsha. The recipients were 2,300 inmates with active tuberculosis.

TASHKENT, 29 March 2001-- The current challenges and future prospects in Central Asia for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe was the theme for discussion in Uzbekistan

VIENNA, 29 March 2001-- The Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe has decided to prolong its current border monitoring mission in Georgia until 15 November 2001.

PRISTINA, 29 March 2001-- Seven law students from the University of Pristina will be travelling to Washington D.C. and Vienna, Austria, in April thanks to the Kosovo Law Centre.

TIRANA, 29 March 2001-- Upon invitation of the Albanian Parliament, the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Mr. Adrian Severin, will pay a three-day visit to Tirana, Albania, 29-31 March.

PRISTINA, 29 March 2001- The Central Elections Commission secretariat is holding a series of information seminars on electoral systems throughout Kosovo over the coming days.

YEREVAN, 29 March 2001-- The OSCE Office in Yerevan has launched a training programme for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Armenia on accurate and comprehensive human rights reporting. The first session took place from 24 to 28 March 2001...

PODGORICA, 28 MARCH 2001-- The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights has deployed an Election Observation Mission to monitor the 22 April parliamentary elections in Montenegro (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)...

VIENNA, 27 March 2001-- On 21 March, Bulgarian police entered the premises of Bulgarian National Radio and barred the station\'s journalists from their studios. The journalists were protesting the appointment of a new Executive Director

VIENNA, 27 March 2001-- Freimut Duve, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, welcomed the restraint and level of responsibility of the media in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in reporting the current conflict

SARAJEVO, 27 March 2001-- Today, the Office of the High Representative and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina forwarded amendments to the draft defamation legislation submitted to the Entity governments on 12 February 2001...

SARAJEVO, 27 March 2001-- At its session on 23 March, the Election Appeals Sub-Commission for Bosnia and Herzegovina issued three summary decisions and two individual decisions regarding alleged violations of the campaign financing requirements

SARAJEVO, 27 March 2001-- The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina welcomes the decision by the Banja Luka municipal authorities to issue the urban permit required for the reconstruction of the Ferhadija Mosque in Banja Luka...

PRISTINA, 26 March 2001-- The following statement is issued by the Office of the Temporary Media Commissioner in Kosovo.

SARAJEVO, 26 March 2001-- Ambassador Robert L. Barry, Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, accompanied by his wife and Fra Marko Orsolic, visited Rama monastery and Bugojno yesterday, Sunday, 25 March...

COPENHAGEN, 23 March 2001-- After a four-day visit to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and to Kosovo Mr. Adrian Severin, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, made the following statement...

PRISTINA, 23 March 2001-- The leaders of Kosovo\'s political parties have been invited to take part in the first session this year of the Political Party Consultative Forum...

VIENNA, 22 March 2001-- The Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe today decided on a temporary strengthening of the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje...

HRVATSKA KOSTAJNICA, 21 March 2001-- An \"Economic Forum\" aimed at facilitating business contacts and developing joint commercial projects, investments and economic cooperation at local, national and international levels...