News and press releases

SKOPJE, 23 October 2021 — OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid concluded her two-day visit to North Macedonia today. She congratulated the country on its 2023 OSCE Chairpersonship and offered full support in preparing for and exercising this important responsibility.

Summary In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 169 ceasefire violations, including 70 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 120 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded 71 ceasefire violations, including 39 explosions. In the previous reporting

On 20 and 21 October 2021, the OSCE convened the first meeting of the Multi-Agency Committee in Montenegro established as part of its project, Enhancing Criminal Justice Capacities for Combating Gender-based Violence in South-Eastern Europe, which is run by the OSCE’s Strategic Police Matters Unit.

BELGRADE, 22 October 2021 – A regional expert conference on achievements and challenges in improving victims’ rights, organized by the OSCE Mission to Serbia with the support of the European Union, took place today, in Belgrade.

ATHENS, 22 October 2021 – Speaking today at the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament in Athens, OSCE Parliamentary President Margareta Cederfelt (Sweden) called for greater attention to the OSCE from national parliaments and governments. She highlighted next month’s UN Climate Change Conference as an example of how countries need to work closely together to meet global problems, and stressed that despite recent setbacks and challenges in the international arena, there is a need for more solidarity and co-operation, not a retreat to unilateralism.

Beneficial ownership information is one of the most important tools in combating corruption, enhancing transparency, and strengthening accountability. On 22 October 2021, the OSCE, the Open Government Partnership (OGP) and the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) held a virtual workshop focused on strengthening mechanisms to enhance beneficial ownership transparency and ensuring that beneficial ownership data in South-Eastern Europe is accurate, reliable and up to date.

International best practices in developing strategies and promoting energy diplomacy in the oil and gas sector were the focus of an OSCE-organized online seminar held on 21 and 22 October 2021.

A three-day training course aimed at further strengthening the capacity of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to counter terrorist financing concluded on 21 October 2021.

The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan organized an online two-day training seminar on enhancing capacities of professional societies for lawyers on 21 and 22 October 2021.

Summary In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 120 ceasefire violations, including 38 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 216 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded ten ceasefire violations, including nine explosions. In the previous reporting

This week, the Swedish OSCE Chairpersonship hosted the second high-level retreat for Chairperson-in-Office Ann Linde’s Special and Personal Representatives dealing with conflicts in the OSCE region as well as her Special Envoy outside Vienna from 20-21 October.

A simulation-based training on combating human trafficking — the first of this kind in Albania — took place from 18 to 21 October 2021 in Tirana. The training, organized by the OSCE Presence and the Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, promoted an innovative approach to the capacity development of anti-trafficking practitioners...

In its efforts to strengthen private media in Montenegro and contribute to their further professionalization and adaption to the digitalization challenges, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro delivered a set of seven desktop computers to the media outlet Nova M TV on 21 October 2021 in Podgorica...

As part of the longstanding support to the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Interior, on 20 and 21 October 2021, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro organized the first in a series of working group meetings for drafting a “Rulebook on safe storage of ammunition in storage sites.”

COPENHAGEN, 20 October 2021 – Today’s Call for Action – Helsinki +50 meeting hosted by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly focused on challenges in the human dimension of security, with participants offering ideas for ways forward to build accountability among OSCE countries and renew governments’ human rights commitments.

Washington DC/Geneva/Vienna/Banjul (20 October 2021)- The United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the Protection and Promotion of Freedom of Opinion and Expression, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Representative on Freedom of the Media, the Organization of American States (OAS) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information today issued their 2021 Joint Declaration.

VIENNA/STOCKHOLM, 20 October 2021 — OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid expressed deep concern over the continuing freedom of movement restrictions faced by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) in non-government-controlled areas of Ukraine.

Summary In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 216 ceasefire violations, including 16 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 255 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded 53 ceasefire violations, including two explosions. In the previous reporting

Building on previous work supporting the Ministry of Interior and Police Directorate in combating trafficking in human beings, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro organized a two-day workshop to support the drafting of guidelines for police officers when conducting interviews with persons suspected of being trafficked on 19 and 20 October 2021 in Podgorica...

In co-operation with Parliament, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro organized two training modules for members of Parliament and parliamentary staff on parliamentary diplomacy, international relations and European integration, on 7 and 8 October and on 18 and 19 October 2021, in Podgorica...

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe organized a public discussion and presentation of the draft Information Code of Tajikistan on 14 October 2021 in Bokhtar, the Khatlon region.

An OSCE-supported series of seminars on enhancing the role and capacity of maslikhats (local self-governance bodies) was launched, in a blended format, from 19 October to 23 November 2021. The event covers all fourteen provinces and the three major cities – Almaty, Nur-Sultan and Shymkent. Some 140 deputies of the district, city and province-level maslikhats of the Kostanay province attended the first event.

Summary In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 255 ceasefire violations, including 29 explosions. In the previous 24 hours it recorded 522 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded 135 ceasefire violations, including 36 explosions. In the previous reporting 24 hours,

BISHKEK, 19 October 2021 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an election observation mission (EOM) for the 28 November parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan, following an invitation from the national authorities.

Summary In Donetsk region, between the evenings of 15 and 17 October, the SMM recorded 734 ceasefire violations, including 139 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 236 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, between the evenings of 15 and 17 October, the Mission

On 18 October, at 15:40, the SMM saw that the previously observed padlock and chain (see SMM Spot Report 20/2021 of 17 October 2021) had been removed from the vehicle gates of its Forward Patrol Base (FPB) in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), and that the gates were open. In front of the FPB, the Mission observed a previously installed tent, but saw no people or vehicles nearby. The SMM left its FPB to conduct a patrol, and returned at 16:03...

COPENHAGEN, 18 October 2021 – The governments of Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland must work together to ensure that persons trapped in the border area between their countries have access to food, water, adequate health care and temporary shelter, the leadership of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration and the Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions said today.

COPENHAGEN, 18 October 2021 – More than 70 OSCE parliamentarians from 24 countries will deploy this week to Uzbekistan for the 24 October presidential election. The OSCE PA observers will work closely with colleagues from the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, as well as the European Parliament.

Members of the OSCE Gender Equality Platform on Border Security and Management and representatives of border agencies from the OSCE region and beyond discussed the importance of an inclusive approach to gender equality in the security sector on 18 October 2021.

The seventh OSCE Dialogue Academy for Young Women concluded on 16 October 2021 in Mavrovo, North Macedonia. Eighteen participants from Prishtinë/Priština and Belgrade attended the Academy...

SKOPJE, 18 October 2021 – Candidates could campaign freely and fundamental freedoms were widely respected in North Macedonia’s local elections, but numerous gaps in the law and legislative changes close to election day undermined legal stability and the largest parliamentary parties enjoy systemic advantages in the distribution of public resources for campaigning, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a statement today...

The OSCE’s Strategic Police Matters Unit, in co-operation with six OSCE field operations in South-Eastern Europe and the Shortest Path Training Company from the United Kingdom, held on 4 to 6 October 2021 the advanced round of a series of online training courses focused on utilizing IBM’s i2 software packages Analyst’s Notebook and iBase for criminal intelligence analysis.

On 17 October, an SMM patrol consisting of three vehicles and nine people arrived at a checkpoint of the armed formations on road H-15 near the Kargil plant in Kreminets (non-government-controlled, 16km south-west of Donetsk) at 12:01, intending to travel to non-government-controlled areas. Another SMM patrol, consisting of two vehicles and six people, intending to cross to government-controlled areas, arrived at the same checkpoint ten minutes later. At the checkpoint, two members of the armed formations denied both patrols passage, referring to instructions of their superiors “not to let the SMM pass through the checkpoint in either direction”.

On 17 October, at 16:03, the SMM observed that the vehicle gates of its Forward Patrol Base (FPB) in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk) was being locked with a chain and a padlock, and that a vehicle with blue “DPR” plates was parked south of its gates, blocking the exit. It also saw two members of the armed formations standing next to the vehicle.

Summary In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 236 ceasefire violations, including 72 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 32 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded 273 ceasefire violations, including 214 explosions. In the previous reporting

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) is closely following the recent developments related to the incident in the disengagement area near Zolote on 13 October. On that day, the SMM patrols were present on both sides of the contact line near the disengagement area where they were monitoring adherence to a localized ceasefire to enable vegetation clearance along the road that traverses the area. All relevant observations concerning this activity were duly reflected in SMM Daily Report of 14 October 2021.

Summary In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 32 ceasefire violations, including 20 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 230 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded 207 ceasefire violations, including 157 explosions. In the previous reporting

COPENHAGEN, 15 October 2021 – Following an invitation of President of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly Valentina Matvienko, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Vice-President Pia Kauma (Finland) represented the PA at the Third Eurasian Women’s Forum in St. Petersburg on 13-15 October.

Eighteen young journalists from the Western Balkans gathered in Tirana from 10 to 14 October 2021 to discuss media challenges across the region and brainstorm on ways of tackling them...

As a concrete outcome of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro’s campaign on more women in policing, the first meeting of the Women Police Association from Montenegro and the Network of Women in Police from Serbia was organized in Podgorica on 14 October 2021, supported by the Mission and the Swedish Police Regional Project Office in Belgrade...

An OSCE-supported a workshop on enhancing youth participation in political and civic life in Kazakhstan took place in Nur-Sultan on 15 October 2021. Some 50 members of parliament, representatives of the Ministry of Information and Social development, youth organizations, young experts and human rights defenders participated in the event, which was held in a blended format.

Legislators and experts discussed strategies and policies for effective and human rights-compliant prosecution, rehabilitation, and reintegration of foreign terrorist fighters and their families in South-Eastern Europe and neighboring countries at a Regional Policy Dialogue held in blended format on 14 and 15 October 2021 in Vienna.

On 15 October 2021 in Nur-Sultan, the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan concluded a two-day seminar on countering illegal capital flight.

VIENNA, 14 October 2021 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, concluded her official visit to Albania yesterday. During her visit, Ribeiro met with several governmental authorities, including Prime Minister Edi Rama, Minister of Foreign Affairs Olta Xhaçka, President Ilir Meta, Speaker of Parliament Lindita Nikolla, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Media Agron Gjekmarkaj and Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Media Petro Koçi.

Summary In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 230 ceasefire violations, including 96 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 244 ceasefire violations in the region. In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded 95 ceasefire violations, including 33 explosions. In the previous reporting

COPENHAGEN, 14 October 2021 – Dutch parliamentarian Farah Karimi, who serves as Vice-Chair of the OSCE PA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration and as Special Representative on Youth Engagement, has been in Albania this week discussing the situation of Afghans sheltered in Albania under Temporary Protected Status with representatives of the international community and national authorities.

With the support of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and the Directorate for Sports and Youth, the Regional Youth Co-operation Office (RYCO) Local Branch Office in Montenegro organized the third youth camp on “Intercultural Competencies in Sports”, from 10 to 13 October 2021 in Kolašin.

Effective good governance in preventing and combatting corruption to promote economic efficiency and favourable business investment climate was the focus of an OSCE-organized online seminar held on 14 and 15 October 2021.

The OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) organized a train-the-trainer course in Vienna from 11 to 13 October 2021, as part of a multiannual training programme focused on strengthening North Macedonia’s capacities in countering terrorist financing.

An OSCE-organized week-long simulation exercise on combating human trafficking along migration routes, hosted by the Almaty Police Academy under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, started on 11 October 2021 in Almaty.