News and press releases

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine and the Forum for Security and Co-operation presented, on 5 February 2021, outcomes of three years of OSCE assistance to Ukraine in modernizing its system of protection from threats related to toxic and hazardous chemicals.

An online training course on international co-operation in asset recovery and cross-border collaboration prior to and during the mutual legal assistance process, for criminal justice practitioners from Montenegro, was held from 2 to 4 February 2021.

Summary The SMM recorded no ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded two ceasefire violations in the region. The Mission recorded nine ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded no ceasefire violations in the

KYIV, 4 February 2021 – Lower levels of violence have been observed since the additional measures to strengthen the ceasefire entered into force on 27 July 2020, but the ceasefıre is fraying in parallel to the absence of substantial political progress, said Yaşar Halit Çevik, Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine.

The OSCE Presence in Albania and the Central Election Commission (CEC) organized a series of activities centered around young voters, with the aim to boost their participation in elections on the occasion of Global Elections Day, on 4 February 2021.

On 3 February, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) has launched a series of workshops on various aspects of corporate governance and compliance applicable to the specifics of state-owned enterprises in Uzbekistan. The series titled “Corporate governance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs): an overview of current practices in Uzbekistan and best international practices” is taking place online and will last until 24 February 2021.

Summary The SMM recorded two ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 38 ceasefire violations in the region. The Mission recorded no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 72 ceasefire violations in the

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Teresa Ribeiro, met today, 3 February 2021, with Ambassador Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk to discuss the media freedom developments in Ukraine and areas in which the RFoM’s institution can provide assistance. In particular, the discussion focused on the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine on the application of sanctions against certain media outlets, which was enacted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 2 February 2021.

KYIV, 3 February 2021 — The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Heidi Grau, made the following statement to the press after the regular meetings of the TCG and its Working Groups held through video conferencing:

MOSCOW, 3 February 2021 — The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ann Linde, met on Tuesday with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov during her official visit to Moscow. Various issues that affect security in the OSCE region were on the agenda.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Teresa Ribeiro, met today, on 2 February 2021, with Ambassador Adam Hałaciński to discuss the current media freedom landscape as well as challenges in Poland and the broader OSCE region.

Summary The SMM recorded 38 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous 24 hours, it recorded four ceasefire violations in the region. The Mission recorded 72 ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous 24 hours, it recorded no ceasefire violations in the region. Small-arms

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Teresa Ribeiro, met today, 2 February 2021, with Ambassador Rauf Engin Soysal to discuss the current media freedom landscape and challenges in Turkey and the broader OSCE region.

KAMENSK-SHAKHTINSKIY, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week...

Summary Between the evenings of 29 and 31 January, the SMM recorded 65 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded nine ceasefire violations in the region. Between the evenings of 29 and 31 January, the Mission recorded 23 ceasefire violations in Luhansk

COPENHAGEN, 1 February 2021 – Recent reports of conditions for detained protesters in Belarus, including widespread allegations of abuse and torture, must be addressed by the international community, said leaders of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s human rights committee today. They highlighted several ongoing cases of political prisoners, including that of Igor Losik, who recently ended a 42-day hunger strike, and called on the Belarusian authorities to accept visits from international organizations to learn more about the situation in prisons.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Teresa Ribeiro, met today, 1 February 2021, with Ambassador Katrĩna Kaktiņa to discuss the current state of media freedom in Latvia and the broader OSCE region

Summary The SMM recorded nine ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 474 ceasefire violations in the region. The Mission recorded no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region, as in the previous reporting period. The last time it recorded ceasefire

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Teresa Ribeiro, met today, 29 January 2021, online with Ambassador Jeroen Boender. They discussed several issues regarding media freedom in The Netherlands and the OSCE region, including the safety of journalists, the role of Big Tech platforms and the issue of “fake news” and social media bubbles.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Teresa Ribeiro, met today, 29 January 2021, with Ambassador Elena Rafti to discuss the situation on media freedom in Cyprus and the potential areas of co-operation.

Summary The SMM recorded 474 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, most of which were assessed as a live-fire exercise in non-government-controlled areas inside the security zone. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 335 ceasefire violations in the region. The Mission recorded no

Tajikistan presidential election 2020 The 2020 presidential election in Tajikistan was conducted in a peaceful manner but it took place in a tightly controlled environment, with long-standing restrictions on fundamental rights and freedoms. Moreover, there was no space for pluralistic political

Ukraine local elections 2020 The 2020 Ukraine local elections were effectively organized amid the COVID-19 pandemic and proved more inclusive, but further improvements are required to strengthen the capacity of the election administration and oversight of campaign rules, including related to

CHISINAU, 29 January — The Special Representative of the Swedish OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian Settlement Process, Ambassador Thomas Mayr-Harting, has concluded a four-day official visit to Moldova today.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Teresa Ribeiro, met today, 29 January 2021, with Ambassador Galib Israfilov to discuss media freedom developments in Azerbaijan and areas in which her institution can provide assistance...

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Teresa Ribeiro, met today, 29 January 2021, with the Canadian Ambassador Jocelyn Kinnear to discuss the current state of media freedom and freedom of expression in the OSCE region as well as the RFoM’s future priorities...

Tajikistan’s national priorities on cybercrime activities was the focus of a virtual discussion held on 28 January 2021. The OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department/Strategic Police Matters Unit (TNTD/SPMU) hosted the event...

Strengthening organizational mechanisms and promoting co-operation in addressing labour exploitation in Kazakhstan and other OSCE participating States was the focus of an online international roundtable discussion, which concluded on 29 January 2021.

Summary The SMM recorded 335 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 76 ceasefire violations in the region. The Mission recorded 13 ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 46 ceasefire violations in the

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe completed a capacity-building training course on winter search and rescue for 18 representatives of Tajikistan’s Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defence (CoESCD) on 28 January 2021. The three-week course aimed at enhancing the rescuers’ skills and capacities in the area of search and rescue operations in an avalanche area as well as the recovery of victims after an avalanche in challenging winter conditions

COPENHAGEN, 27 January 2021 – With more than 130 participants, including former OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Presidents, OSCE Chairs, Secretaries General, current and former leaders of OSCE institutions, as well as members of OSCE PA Delegations, an online roundtable was held today under the theme, “Toward Helsinki +50: Reaffirming a Common Purpose.” Featuring keynote addresses from Christian Strohal, who served as Director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights from 2003 to 2008, and Douglas Wake, Senior Expert at the OSCE Office of the Secretary General, the event followed up on the “OSCE Call for Action: Reaffirming a Common Purpose” with a view towards the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act in 2025...

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Teresa Ribeiro, met on 26 January 2021 with Ambassador Sander Soone to discuss the current state of media freedom in Estonia and the broader OSCE region...

Summary The SMM recorded 76 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 62 ceasefire violations in the region. The Mission recorded 46 ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 56 ceasefire violations in the

STOCKHOLM/WARSAW/WASHINGTON, 27 January 2021 – “Co-operation and an ongoing conversation about the changing face of anti-Semitism are crucial to ensure that we do not only commemorate the horrors of the Holocaust but also learn from it for the future,” leading OSCE officials said on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

VIENNA, 27 January 2021 — NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) and its role in European security was the focus of the OSCE’s Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) meeting held online today under the Forum’s United States Chairpersonship.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Teresa Ribeiro, met today, 26 January 2021, with Ambassador Christine Fages to discuss the current state of media freedom and freedom of expression in France and in the broader OSCE region... 

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Teresa Ribeiro, met today, 26 January 2021, with German Ambassador Gesa Bräutigam to discuss the media landscape and the challenges for freedom of expression in Germany and in the broader OSCE region.

Summary The SMM recorded 62 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous 24 hours, it recorded 17 ceasefire violations in the region. The Mission recorded 56 ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous 24 hours, it recorded no ceasefire violations in the region. The SMM

An educational series of videos on cyber hygiene rules for civil servants, produced with the support of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator, was presented at an event in Kyiv on 26 January 2021. Nine episodes lasting from 3 to 7 minutes are placed on the Dia.Osvita digital education platform of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.

KAMENSK-SHAKHTINSKIY, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week...

The OSCE Presence in Albania, in close partnership with the Albanian State Police and with the support of the Central Election Commission and the General Prosecutor’s Office, organized a series of training courses for about 6,000 police officer across Albania. The training courses, which started on 26 January 2021 and will run until mid-March, address the role of the police in the electoral process and comes ahead of the 25 April parliamentary elections.

COPENHAGEN, 26 January 2021 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Peter Lord Bowness (United Kingdom) and OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid were among the speakers at today’s meeting of the Assembly leadership, held in an online format. OSCE PA Secretary General Roberto Montella also addressed the meeting, providing an overview of upcoming Assembly activities and ongoing work...

Summary Between the evenings of 22 and 24 January, the SMM recorded 364 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. The majority of these ceasefire violations were bursts and shots of small-arms, heavy-machine-gun and 30mm cannon fire recorded on the morning of 23 January close to the disengagement

SARAJEVO, 25 January 2021- In light of the dire situation facing migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission) calls upon authorities at all levels of government to develop and agree upon sustainable and human rights-compliant solutions to the growing humanitarian crisis.

WARSAW, 25 January 2020 – Recognizing the vital importance of reflecting the experience and knowledge of survivors in all endeavours to combat human trafficking, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has launched the International Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Council (ISTAC) to assist countries across the OSCE region increase and improve their anti-trafficking efforts...

The OSCE, in close co-operation with the Academy for Judges and Public Prosecutors of North Macedonia, concluded on 22 January 2021, a three-day online training course on international co-operation and mutual legal assistance in asset recovery for fourteen public prosecutors and judges...

Summary The Mission recorded 45 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 39 ceasefire violations in the region. The SMM recorded no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it also recorded no ceasefire violations in the

Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, Maryse Daviet, congratulated the journalists in the country the Day of Journalists, 23 January, which marks the publication of the first printed newspaper in Cetinje in 1871...

Summary The SMM recorded 39 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded seven ceasefire violations in the region. The Mission recorded no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region, as in the previous reporting period. The SMM continued monitoring the

SARAJEVO, 22 January 2021 – The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Office of the High Representative (OHR), the Embassies of the US and UK, and the Embassy of Sweden in BiH, as chair of the OSCE, welcome the decision of the Central Election Commission to annul the elections in several polling stations in Doboj and Srebrenica, having detected serious irregularities in the election processes. The decision of the CEC will help ensure the integrity of the elections and restore citizens’ confidence in election administration. We urge relevant authorities to investigate the reported allegations of electoral fraud promptly.