News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE PA President and Secretary General condemn clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, urge restraint
Publishing date: 28 September 2020
COPENHAGEN, 27 September 2020 – Following reports of armed clashes along the Line of Contact in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, OSCE Parliamentary President George Tsereteli condemned today’s military actions and urged restraint from Armenia and Azerbaijan to prevent further hostilities and the loss of life...
OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Bureau holds discussion with Belarusian Head of Delegation and exiled opposition leader, urges further dialogue
Publishing date: 23 September 2020
COPENHAGEN, 23 September 2020 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli (Georgia) and Secretary General Roberto Montella opened a web meeting today with Belarusian Head of Delegation Andrei Savinykh, Belarusian opposition presidential candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, and OSCE PA Bureau members by noting the importance of building dialogue for the benefit of all. Following weeks of increased polarization in Belarus characterized by street protests, violence and mass arrests, what is needed is to find common ground and pursue a way forward for the country, the PA leaders stressed...
Parliamentary input, greater urgency from governments needed to address climate crisis, say OSCE parliamentarians at webinar
Publishing date: 17 September 2020
COPENHAGEN, 16 September 2020 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s webinar today, entitled “From the Arctic to Global: The Political Role in addressing Climate Change,” featured the participation of some 50 parliamentarians and experts for a discussion on the effects of climate change in the Arctic and beyond. The PA’s Special Representative on Arctic Issues, Norwegian parliamentarian Torill Eidsheim, opened the event, followed by keynote addresses by the Arctic Council’s Adalheidur Thorsteinsdottir, the UN’s Daniele Violetti, and Prof. Tore Furevik, Director of the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research...
International co-operation vital for addressing terrorism during the pandemic, OSCE PA counter-terrorism Chair says in Vienna
Publishing date: 14 September 2020
VIENNA, 14 September 2020 – Parliamentarians play a crucial role in promoting international co-operation and championing a whole-of-society approach in countering and preventing terrorism including during the pandemic, Austrian parliamentarian Reinhold Lopatka said at the 2020 OSCE-wide Counter-Terrorism Conference in Vienna today.
Montenegro’s parliamentary elections efficiently managed, but abuse of state resources gave ruling party unfair advantage, international observers say
Publishing date: 31 August 2020
PODGORICA, 31 August 2020 – While Montenegro’s parliamentary elections were managed transparently and efficiently, the widespread abuse of office and state resources gave the ruling party an undue advantage against the backdrop of an intensely polarized debate over issues of church and national identity, international observers to the parliamentary elections said in a statement today...
OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to deploy observers to parliamentary elections in Montenegro
Publishing date: 19 August 2020
COPENHAGEN, 19 August 2020 – In the first OSCE PA election observation activity since the coronavirus outbreak last spring, a limited number of OSCE parliamentarians will deploy to Montenegro for the 30 August parliamentary elections. OSCE PA Vice-President Margareta Cederfelt (Sweden) has been nominated to be the Special Co-ordinator of the Special Limited Election Observation Mission (SLEOM), which will include some 12 observers. The PA observers will work closely with the Limited Election Observation Mission deployed by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights...
Belarus must uphold international obligations and respect fundamental freedoms in wake of disputed election, OSCE PA President says
Publishing date: 13 August 2020
COPENHAGEN, 13 August 2020 – Disturbed by reports of excessive force following Sunday’s presidential election in Belarus, including the use of rubber bullets, water cannons, stun grenades and mass arrests, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli called today for authorities in Minsk to halt the repressive tactics and fully uphold international human rights standards. He also stressed that protests should be nonviolent...