Newsroom
News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office expresses serious concern about recent developments in Kyrgyzstan
Publishing date: 5 April 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Chairmanship, OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek
Vienna, 5 April 2000- The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner, is seriously concerned about reports...
Training to start for journalists in Kosovo
Publishing date: 31 March 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Mission in Kosovo
What we do: Media freedom and development
PRISTINA, 31 March 2000-- The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is launching a training course for local radio journalists from across Kosovo, to begin Monday 3rd April....
OSCE Chairmanship deplores unprovoked show of police force in Belarus
Publishing date: 27 March 2000
VIENNA, 27 March 2000-- The OSCE Chairmanship has learned with alarm about an unprovoked, unjustified and exaggerated show of police force in Minsk, Belarus on 25...
OSCE/ODIHR meets Presidential Representative for Human Rights in Chechnya and agrees to develop concrete support
Publishing date: 24 March 2000
Content type: Press release
MOSCOW, 24 March 2000-- Vladimir Kalamanov, the Russian Presidential Special Representative for Human Rights in Chechnya,...
Statement by Chairman of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly ad hoc Working Group on Belarus
Publishing date: 23 March 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
THE HAGUE, 23 March 2000-- The Chairman of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly ad hoc Working Group on Belarus, Mr. Adrian Severin (MP, Romania),...
President Helle Degn will lead the OSCE Observation Mission for the Russian Presidential Elections
Publishing date: 16 March 2000
COPENHAGEN, 16 March 2000-- President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Mrs. Helle Degn, will arrive in Moscow on Wednesday 22 March...
Statement by OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan
Publishing date: 15 March 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Chairmanship, OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek
What we do: Elections
VIENNA, 15 March 2000-- The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner, welcomes the peaceful and well-organized...
News Conference: civil registration and election preparations
Publishing date: 10 March 2000
PRISTINA, 10 March 2000-- UNMIK/OSCE will be holding a news conference on Monday, to announce details about civil registration in Kosovo, as well as giving information about...
Kosovo NGO Council to be established
Publishing date: 10 March 2000
PRISTINA, 10 March 2000-- The first meeting of registered non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Kosovo is taking place this weekend, with the aid of the OSCE. The meeting will establish the NGO...
OSCE sponsors journalists' code of conduct conference
Publishing date: 10 March 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Mission in Kosovo
What we do: Media freedom and development
PRISTINA, 10 March 2000-- As part of its continued efforts to develop a professional, democratic media, the OSCE is organizing a two-day conference on the \"Rights and...
OSCE/ODIHR establishes Election Observation Mission
Publishing date: 9 March 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, OSCE Mission to Georgia (closed)
What we do: Elections
TBILISI, 9 March 2000-- Following an invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, the Organization for Security and Co-operation...
Macedonian Women's Lobby becomes first lobby group
Publishing date: 6 March 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Mission to Skopje
What we do: Democratization, Human rights, Gender equality
SKOPJE, 6 March 2000-- Under the auspices of the Gender Task Force of the Stability Pact Working Table I, and upon the initiative of the Macedonian National Gender Task...
OSCE calls for charges against Babitsky to be dropped
Publishing date: 29 February 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
What we do: Media freedom and development, Safety of journalists
VIENNA, 29 February 2000-- Freimut Duve, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, welcomes the news from Russia that Andrei Babitsky, the Radio Liberty correspondent in...
OSCE welcomes Russian appointment of human rights representative for Chechnya
Publishing date: 28 February 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Chairmanship, OSCE Assistance Group to Chechnya (closed)
What we do: Human rights
VIENNA, 28 February 2000-- The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Foreign Minister of Austria Benita Ferrero-Waldner, welcomes the...
Friends of Albania meeting in Vienna focuses on elections and reform
Publishing date: 28 February 2000
VIENNA, 28 February 2000-- At today's Friends of Albania (FOA) meeting in Vienna, jointly chaired by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in...
OSCE Parliamentry Assembly to visit Moldova
Publishing date: 24 February 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, OSCE Mission to Moldova
What we do: Democratization
COPENHAGEN, 24 February 2000-- From 29 February to 3 March 2000, the recently established OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Team on Moldova will visit Moldova to support the OSCE\'s efforts of...
Registered NGOs in Kosovo invited to general meeting
Publishing date: 24 February 2000
PRISTINA, 24 February 2000-- The Interim NGO Council, with support from the Democratization department of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo will hold a general meeting for all non-governmental...
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office visits Croatia
Publishing date: 18 February 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Mission to Croatia (closed)
VIENNA, 18 February 2000-- The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Foreign Minister of Austria Benita Ferraro-Waldner, today paid a one-day visit to Croatia, where she took part in the formal...
OSCE establishes new field office in Osh, Kyrgyzstan
Publishing date: 18 February 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek
VIENNA, 18 February 2000-- The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe will open a new field office in Osh, Kyrgyzstan, to assist the OSCE Centre in Bishkek in carrying...
OSCE Parliamentry Assembly President to address Romanian Parliament
Publishing date: 15 February 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
COPENHAGEN, 15 February 2000-- On Tuesday 22 February 2000 Mrs. Helle Degn, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, will address...
Statement by the Chairperson-in-Office on the fate of journalist Babitsky
Publishing date: 10 February 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Chairmanship
What we do: Media freedom and development
VIENNA, 10 February 2000-- The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner, is deeply concerned about the fate of Andrei...
Election observation mission issues preliminary findings on Croatia
Publishing date: 8 February 2000
ZAGREB, 8 February 2000-- The 7 February 2000 second round election of the President of the Republic of Croatia confirmed the progress in fulfilling the country's commitments as a participating State of the OSCE....
Statement by the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the presidential elections in Croatia
Publishing date: 8 February 2000
VIENNA, 8 February 2000-- The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner, welcomes the orderly...
Limitations on political parties raise concerns with Kyrgyzstan elections
Publishing date: 8 February 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek
What we do: Elections
BISHKEK, 8 February 2000- The ODIHR Election Observation Mission in Kyrgyzstan is extremely concerned that the Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan's party list...
OSCE roundtable on education in Peja/Pec, 9 February
Publishing date: 8 February 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Mission in Kosovo
What we do: Democratization, Human rights
PEJA/PEC-- 8 February 2000-- A roundtable discussion on educational issues will be held by the OSCE Regional Centre in Peja/Pec on Wednesday, 9 February 2000. The roundtable is...
Kosovo media commissioner issues statement regarding erroneous media report
Publishing date: 7 February 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Mission in Kosovo
What we do: Media freedom and development
PRISTINA-- 7 February 2000-- The following statement was issued by OSCE Director of Media Affairs, Douglas Davidson, who is also the temporary media...
Statement by the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the situation in Kosovo
Publishing date: 4 February 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Chairmanship, OSCE Mission in Kosovo
VIENNA, 4 February 2000-- The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner, is appalled by the escalating violence in Kosovo and...
OSCE Ministerial Troika holds meeting in Vienna
Publishing date: 21 January 2000
Content type: Press statement
Vienna, 21 January 2000-- The OSCE Ministerial Troika, Foreign Ministers Wolfgang Schüssel of Austria, Petre Roman of Romania, and Knut Vollebæk of Norway, met today in Vienna...
OSCE condemns vandalization of graves at the Serb memorial cemetery
Publishing date: 20 January 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Mission to Croatia (closed)
What we do: Democratization
VUKOVAR, 20 January 2000-- During the night of 19/20 January 2000, eight more graves at the Serb memorial cemetery \'Aleja\' in Vukovar were damaged. Previously a similar incident at this cemetery occurred on Christmas Eve when 11 graves...
OSCE/ODIHR establishes observation mission in Kyrgyzstan for February elections
Publishing date: 18 January 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek
What we do: Elections
BISHKEK, 18 January 2000-- The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Office for Democratic Institutions and...
Concern about media intimidation in Russia
Publishing date: 17 January 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
VIENNA, 17 January 2000-- On 24 January 2000, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Freimut...
OSCE Chairman-in-Office Schüssel to address Parliamentary Assembly
Publishing date: 7 January 2000
Content type: Press statement
Where we are: OSCE Chairmanship, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
VIENNA, 7 January 2000-- The Standing Committee of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly will hold its winter Meeting in Vienna on Thursday 13 and...
International observers issue preliminary statement on parliamentary elections in Croatia
Publishing date: 4 January 2000
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Mission to Croatia (closed), OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
What we do: Elections
ZAGREB, 4 January 2000-- The International Election Observation Mission for the 2-3 January 2000 election to the House of Representatives of the...
Statement by OSCE Chairman-in-Office on the conflict in Chechnya
Publishing date: 29 December 1999
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Chairmanship, OSCE Assistance Group to Chechnya (closed)
What we do: Conflict prevention and resolution
VIENNA, 29 December 1999-- The Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE, Foreign Minister of Norway Knut Vollebaek, urges the Russian Federation to do everything in its power to...
Parliamentary Assembly President to lead election observers in Croatia
Publishing date: 20 December 1999
COPENHAGEN, 20 December 1999-- Mrs. Helle Degn MP (Denmark), President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, will arrive in Zagreb on 2 January 2000 to...
OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President concerned about Chechnya situation
Publishing date: 10 December 1999
Content type: Press release
What we do: Human rights
COPENHAGEN, 10 December 1999-- The President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Mrs. Helle Degn, strongly appealed to the Russian leadership to...
Appeal issued to free journalist from jail in Serbia
Publishing date: 9 December 1999
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
What we do: Media freedom and development, Safety of journalists
VIENNA, 9 December 1999- Freimut Duve, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, is concerned with the continued imprisonment of Nebojsa Ristic, editor of TV Soko in Sokobanja,...
OSCE/ODIHR will not deploy observation mission to Turkmenistan elections
Publishing date: 9 December 1999
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
What we do: Elections
WARSAW, 9 December 1999-- The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Office for Democratic Institution and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR)...
High Commissioner welcomes State Language Law in Latvia
Publishing date: 9 December 1999
Content type: Press statement
What we do: Democratization, National minority issues
THE HAGUE, 9 December 1999- The following statement regarding the the adoption of the State Language Law by the Latvian Parliament was issued by the OSCE High Commissioner on...
OSCE organizes first multilateral meeting on Serb minority education
Publishing date: 7 December 1999
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Mission to Croatia (closed)
What we do: Democratization, Human rights, National minority issues
VUKOVAR, 7 December 1999-- The first multilateral meeting on Serb minority education issues took place on 7 December 1999 in the premises of the OSCE Co-ordination Centre Vukovar.
ODIHR sends limited mission to parliamentary elections in Uzbekistan
Publishing date: 6 December 1999
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan
What we do: Elections
TASHKENT, 6 December 1999-- The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR)...
Preliminary statement on re-runs of second round of presidential election in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Publishing date: 6 December 1999
Content type: Press release
What we do: Elections
SKOPJE, 6 December 1999-- The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic...
OSCE parliamentarians to observe Russian Duma elections on 19 December
Publishing date: 3 December 1999
COPENHAGEN, 3 December 1999-- The Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe will send more than 100 observers to the...
Parliamentary Assembly head to lead observer mission for elections in Russia
Publishing date: 3 December 1999
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Chairmanship, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
What we do: Elections
OSLO, 3 December 1999-- The Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE, Foreign Minister of Norway Knut Vollebaek, has designated Ms. Helle Degn, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, as his Special Representative to lead the OSCE Observation Mission to the
Chairman-in-Office issues statement on Belarus
Publishing date: 2 December 1999
OSLO, 2 December 1999-- The Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Foreign Minister Knut Vollebæk of Norway, welcomes the release of Mikhail...
Need for public debate in post-conflict situations
Publishing date: 25 November 1999
Content type: Press release
Where we are: Permanent Council, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
What we do: Media freedom and development, Media pluralism
VIENNA, 25 November 1999-- Freimut Duve, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, spoke today at the OSCE Permanent Council. In his address, Duve pointed out that freedom...
OSCE initiative against organized crime in South-Eastern Europe
Publishing date: 23 November 1999
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Mission to Croatia (closed)
What we do: Democratization
ZAGREB, 23 November 1999-- On 23-24 November a working meeting on the "OSCE Organised Crime Initiative in South-Eastern Europe" is taking place in...
OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission established in Croatia
Publishing date: 23 November 1999
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
What we do: Elections
ZAGREB, 23 November 1999-- The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) has...
OSCE hosts meeting on organized crime
Publishing date: 22 November 1999
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Mission to Croatia (closed)
What we do: Democratization
ZAGREB, 22 November 1999-- The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe will host a working meeting on the OSCE Organized Crime Initiative in South-East Europe in Zagreb, 23-24...
ODIHR deploys limited mission to Uzbekistan elections
Publishing date: 22 November 1999
Content type: Press release
Where we are: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan
What we do: Elections
TASHKENT, 22 November 1999- The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), has decided not...