Central Europe

From 7 to 12 June, the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan organized a tour of water facilities in the Almaty, Zhambyl, Turkestan and Kyzylorda regions for young specialists. The tour was conducted in partnership with the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS).

Some 14 undergraduate students and teachers (9 women and 5 men) specializing in water management from Almaty, Shymkent, and Kyzylorda cities took part. They visited ten major hydraulic structures in Kazakhstan’s southern regions where water shortages are especially problematic, and where, apart from climate change and population growth, water supply is also dependent on upstream countries.

Participants learned about the water facilities’ technical characteristics, purpose of use and operational safety aspects. They also familiarized themselves with the environmental aspects of water resource management in a transboundary context and the implications of climate change on water security.

The tour is part of the Office’s work to promote efficient water management systems and to reduce natural and human-made disaster risks.

489475

On 11 June, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Teresa Ribeiro, met with Ambassador Konstantinos Kollias to discuss media freedom in the OSCE region and in Greece.

During the meeting, Ribeiro and Kollias discussed the role of media freedom as a cornerstone of comprehensive security, agreeing that media plays a crucial role, particularly in times of crisis.

Ribeiro and Kollias also spoke about several traditional and emerging threats to media freedom and the right to freedom of expression. The Representative offered her Office’s assistance in reviewing any legislation pertaining to the media. She reiterated her deep shock and condolences regarding the killing of Greek journalist Giorgos Karaivaz and again requested to be informed on developments in the investigation.

Ribeiro and Kollias also touched upon media in overall comprehensive security, including issues of increasing politicized barriers to the free flow of information; manipulation and disinformation; and geopolitical issues around increasing power of a handful of online platforms as gatekeepers of our global information space.

They concluded their meeting with an aim toward an official visit of the RFoM to Greece during her mandate.

489493 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized an online training course, from 8 to 11 June, to present best practices in developing target indicators for renewable energy sources in Turkmenistan.

Lecturers and students of the Turkmen State Energy Institute in Mary and officials from the Ministry of Energy of Turkmenistan discussed different scenarios in developing and implementing large-scale renewable energy projects, including solar and wind energy power plants, considering specific climate conditions of the country.

Opening the session, John MacGregor, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, referred to the 2013 Ministerial Council decision on improving the environmental footprint of energy-related activities. The decision called on OSCE participating States to pursue energy diversification, including through supporting further development and use of renewable energy, and sharing best practices.

“Today’s discussion is a very important step towards further implementation of the National Strategy for Renewable Energy Development in Turkmenistan until 2030”, said MacGregor. “The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat is ready to share standards and practices from across the OSCE region and provide expert advice on further practical steps in the implementation of the Strategy.”

He also mentioned that the Centre has contributed to the development of several key policy documents, which determine the main direction of Turkmenistan’s policy for the gradual transition to an economy with lower greenhouse gas emissions values. The documents include the National Climate Change Strategy and the National Strategy on Renewable Energy Development in Turkmenistan up to 2030.

International experts from Austria and Belarus facilitated a roundtable discussion. They shared efficient strategies and policies on projecting and the use of energy accumulators’ systems as well as developing target indicators on the public procurement management in the energy sector. Participants discussed national priorities in the elaboration of target indicators on the use of energy generated from renewable sources.

VIENNA, 13 June 2021 — The OSCE Secretary General, Helga Maria Schmid, will visit Georgia on 14 and 15 June for meetings with high-level officials and other stakeholders.

She will meet with Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani, State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Tea Akhvlediani, and members of parliament. She also plans to meet with representatives of civil society and OSCE partners.

Secretary General Schmid will discuss ongoing and future co-operation between Georgia and the OSCE, ways the Organization can support Georgia in implementing its OSCE commitments, and the OSCE’s engagement in the context of the Geneva International Discussions and related issues.

She will also address participants of the 100th meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) in Ergneti, which the OSCE co-moderates with the European Union Monitoring Mission to Georgia (EUMM).

On 14 June, she will participate in the inauguration of the potable water supply system that provides access to clean drinking water for 144 households in the conflict-affected village of Tsitsagiaantkari, in the Shida Kartli region.

On 8 and 9 June 2021, the Balkan Asset Management Interagency Network (BAMIN) conducted its first joint training course for 2021 focused on the management of companies. The training course, supported by the OSCE, aimed at improving the technical competencies of BAMIN members to manage confiscated assets in a cost-effective way while also enhancing regional and international co-operation.

Denise Mazzolani, co-manager of the project and Deputy Head of the Strategic Police Matters Unit at the OSCE, opened the course by highlighting OSCE efforts to promote the seizure and management of assets from organized crime groups. She noted that networks such as BAMIN should be replicated in other regions and highlighted the importance of ensuring the continuity of BAMIN’s work.

Through an interactive scenario-based approach, the two-day course aimed at facilitating the exchange of best practices between participating jurisdictions and enhancing cross-agency co-operation, while also identifying their limitations, gaps and challenges. Representatives of asset management offices and other relevant institutions from fifteen jurisdictions participated in the training course.

BAMIN is a network of practitioners working in asset management within their respective jurisdictions. The network’s core members represent jurisdictions from the Western Balkans; however, observer and associate members from other countries are part of the network as well. The OSCE supports BAMIN through an extra-budgetary project on asset recovery in South-Eastern Europe funded by the United States Department of State, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy.

WASHINGTON, D.C., 11 June 2021 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde, participated in a congressional hearing with the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (the Helsinki Commission) today.

The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, monitors the compliance with the Helsinki Accords and advancing comprehensive security through promotion of human rights, democracy, and economic, environmental, and military cooperation in the OSCE-region.

Linde discussed the main priorities of the 2021 Swedish OSCE Chairpersonship and current developments across the OSCE. She emphasised the importance of returning to the fundamental norms and principles on which the OSCE was founded, to which all participating States have committed and re-committed – in Helsinki in 1975, Paris in 1990, Istanbul in 1999 and Astana in 2010.

“Safeguarding these commitments, on which the European security order rests, is my first priority as Chairperson-in-Office. But it is our common task to ensure that principles such as respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, the duty to refrain from the threat or use of force, and every country’s right to choose its own security arrangements, are respected”, she stated.

Closely linked with the mandate of the commission is the Swedish Chair´s priority to safeguard and promote the organisation’s unique concept of comprehensive security.

“This concept has human rights, democracy and the rule of law at its core. There is a clear link between freedom within States and security between States”, Chairperson Linde stated.  

Communication and Media Relations Section

On 8 June 2021, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) held online a national workshop in Uzbekistan. The workshop focused on strengthening national and regional capacities and co-operation on the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in Central Asia, including as a response to climate change,  implemented in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

Some 30 representatives from the State Committee for Ecology and Environmental Protection of Uzbekistan, different key ministries and agencies, and national and international experts attended the workshop.

Participants discussed the principles of the SEA and its benefits, including the state of its implementation in Uzbekistan. The aim was to introduce and discuss the results of the needs assessment report on the SEA and the importance of integrating recommendations into the action plan for establishing a national SEA system in line with the SEA Protocol.

Hans-Ullrich Ihm, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan and Deputy Head, highlighted the role of the SEA in introducing the environmental perspective in governmental policies and programmes. “Uzbekistan, in the last year, has implemented several environmental reforms, with particular reference to environmental legislation with best practices and standards on the environmental impact assessment and the SEA, supported by the PCU.”

Sarangoo Radnaaragchaa, UNECE Regional Advisor, highlighted the importance of the SEA as a key instrument for integrating environmental and health considerations into strategic planning and decision-making at the very early stage of development. “The SEA helps prevent and mitigate possible damage from economic and regional development, which supports the SDGs attainment and efforts towards the transition to the green economy,” said Radnaaragchaa.

Barbara Beckert, German Environment Agency Project Co-ordinator, reiterated how the SEA has proven to be an effective tool to make environmental impacts visible. “The SEA can be seen as a contribution to overall environmental protection. The project strengthens the Aarhus Convention and can be a model project for neighbouring countries.”

Saule Ospanova, OSCE Senior Environmental Advisor, said: “The OSCE is particularly committed to assisting its participating States in the implementation of the Espoo Convention and its SEA Protocol. This event supports the OCEEA’s long-term efforts to promote green growth and sustainable development principles to strengthen environmental security in line with the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security.”

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 30 ceasefire violations, including eight explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 104 ceasefire violations in the region.
• In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded ten ceasefire violations, including three explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 56 ceasefire violations in the region.
• Small-arms fire was assessed as directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near government-controlled Bohdanivka, Donetsk region.*
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. It again spotted people inside the disengagement area near Petrivske.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to enable the operation and maintenance of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at five entry-exit checkpoints and four corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted. Its UAVs again experienced instances of GPS signal interference.*

489448

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, together with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), organized an election observation training course for persons with disabilities on 9 and 10 June 2021.

The training course aimed to build capacity of disabled people’s organizations (DPOs) for the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The CRPD was recently ratified by Uzbekistan on 7 June 2021. 

Among the 20 participants were leaders of local DPOs, members of the Association of Disabled People of Uzbekistan and representatives of the Central Election Commission. Experts from the United States of America and Ukraine shared practical examples and tools of election observation for persons with disabilities.

Mathieu Lemoine, Acting Head of Mission at the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, congratulated the participants on the recent ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and highlighted the importance of a collaborative relationship between civil society and government agencies in its implementation.

The Project Co-Ordinator in Uzbekistan organized the training course in the framework of its Project on the support to the promotion and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities. The event was part of the preparation for the upcoming October 2021 presidential election.

SDGs SDGs:  5 - Gender equality 8 - Decent work and economic growth 10 - Reduced inequalities 17 - Partnerships for the goals

VIENNA/STOCKHOLM, 10 June 2021 – Women have disproportionately suffered socio-economic consequences during the COVID-19 pandemic. At today’s 2nd Preparatory meeting of the OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum (EEF) participants stressed the need for policies that will ensure a more level playing field for women, now that a return to ‘normalcy’ seems within reach. Promoting equal opportunities for women is a key factor for securing prosperity, stability and security.

Chaired by the 2021 Swedish OSCE Chairpersonship, the two-day meeting focuses on women’s economic empowerment as a means to promote comprehensive security, stability and sustainable development in the OSCE area.

UN Women and the United Nations Development Programme are projecting that the pandemic will push 47 million more women and girls below the poverty line, reversing decades of progress to eradicate extreme poverty.

“The pandemic has made visible existing structural barriers for women and girls’ economic empowerment. When we are rebuilding from the pandemic, we have a chance to make it right,” said Swedish Minister for Foreign Trade and Nordic Affairs Anna Hallberg during the opening session, where she was joined by the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia, Fatmire Isaki, and the President of the Swedish Trade Union Kommunal, Tobias Baudin.

“Work to strengthen women’s role on the labour market, women-owned businesses, and women’s entrepreneurship must be prioritized when we build forward together,” Hallberg said.

The OSCE plays a role as a platform to share good practices on gender-responsive approaches to trade, transport and environmental co-operation. The pandemic has shown how social dialogue can mitigate the impact of a crisis on the economy and help shape solutions.

OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid said that creating a socioeconomic environment that responds to the needs of both men and women is instrumental for promoting cohesive, prosperous, inclusive and secure societies. “I encourage all of you to consider the benefits of addressing the economic gender gap — as well as the costs of inaction. At this juncture, women’s economic participation and empowerment are perhaps more critical than ever.”

Research by McKinsey, before the pandemic, suggested that global annual GDP could be 26 per cent higher by 2025, compared to 2015, if women and men participated equally in the economy.

The concluding meeting of the 29th OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum is envisaged to take place on 9 and 10 September in Prague.

489400 Jeff Bieley Edita Buçaj

In response to the proliferation of fake news and misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic, on 8 June 2021, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo launched a one-month media literacy campaign aimed at youth.

Through animated video spots shared on social media and broadcast on TV, the Mission will promote the development of skills and knowledge required to deconstruct media messages, understand context, and justify opinion with sound arguments.

In addition, the campaign includes a media literacy quiz to assess the public’s ability to seek credible sources, identify bias and understand the basics of media.

“We want young people to know how to identify and avoid spreading fake news and misinformation, and how to report fake news when they see it. We aim to equip them with skills to spot illicit reporting, share those skills with friends and family, and step in when false information is reported,” said Michael Davenport, Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

“My hope is that our efforts will help to nurture educated and media literate young people to go beyond the theory and take concrete steps to verify the information they see in the media,” he added.

The campaign will empower the public with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the online environment safely and critically. It will also underscore the importance of seeking accurate sources, consuming and sharing online content with due consideration, and strengthen the ability to analyse information when engaging with media.

The campaign complements previous Mission efforts to build resilience against the emerging challenges posed by a digital media environment, including misinformation, online safety, conspiracy theories and fake news.

The campaign video spots are available here:

https://bit.ly/3grimae (Albanian)

https://bit.ly/3gm1zWc (Serbian)

489379 Kunduz Rysbek

3 June 2021, BISHKEK – The recently appointed Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, Alexey Rogov, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, Ruslan Kazakbaev.

During the meeting, they exchanged views regarding further co-operation between the OSCE and the Kyrgyz Republic. In particular, they discussed the possible expansion of the OSCE's project portfolio in Kyrgyzstan in the areas of, inter alia, improving the judicial system, combating corruption, developing a green and digital economy and ecological issues.

Minister Kazakbaev briefed Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek Rogov about the ongoing national reforms and the revision of laws and regulations following the recent adoption of a new constitution. He noted the importance of advancing public administration reform, strengthening judicial and law enforcement systems, and continuing the fight against corruption. He asked the OSCE to assist Kyrgyzstan in these processes.  

Minister Kazakbaev also noted the important role OSCE support plays in the development of national democratic institutions, and expressed hope for OSCE’s continued support to the electoral reform. He indicated that Kyrgyzstan remains committed to upholding and implementing OSCE commitments, and working with all OSCE bodies across all three dimensions.

Rogov thanked Minister Kazakbaev for the warm welcome in Kyrgyzstan, and assured him that the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek would continue to support the host country on a wide range of matters, including in judicial and law enforcement reforms; combating corruption, including through digitalization; strengthening the electoral system, the rule of law and green economy.

The meeting also included a discussion regarding the events at the Kyrgyz-Tajik border that took place at the end of April this year. Rogov welcomed the peaceful and diplomatic resolution and noted that OSCE leadership was closely following the situation. The Kyrgyz side invited the OSCE to consider the possibility of implementing peacebuilding projects and contributing to promoting trust between border communities of the two countries.

SARAJEVO, 10 June 2021 – The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and the Embassy of Sweden in BiH, representing the OSCE 2021 Chairpersonship, organized conference with more than 50 journalists and media professionals today to discuss threats against media freedom.

The discussion, which was held in a hybrid format, with both in person and online participation, focused on the frequent attacks against journalists, the work of the media during the pandemic and how the pandemic has affected overall trust in the media in BiH.

“Free and independent media is a fundamental democratic principle. Unfortunately, threats against independent media are growing, undermining democracy and stability,” said Swedish Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Johanna Strömquist. “We need to stand up to strengthen independent, democratic voices and to combat disinformation actively.”

Over the last year, the media sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina has faced numerous political and financial challenges. Yet, journalists were not deterred from investigating, reporting and publishing stories of public interest.

Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, said: “Journalists and media workers play an important role in sharing vital information, uncovering corruption and illegal activities that affect the lives of citizens. The safety of journalists, online and offline, must be protected in all democratic societies. BiH is no exception to this. The OSCE Mission to BiH is committed to strengthening journalists’ rights and freedoms in BiH.”

Participants addressed the extent that the widespread dissemination of disinformation has further deteriorated trust in the media sector in BiH.

“The public trust in the media in BiH is at a very low level. With the emergence of disinformation as a strategic political tool, professional and ethical journalism remains a guardian of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, serving the interest of the public,” said Elvira Jukić-Mujkić, Editor in Chief at Mediacentar Sarajevo. “What should remain the standard and our common guiding principle is high quality journalism and a media-literate and information-literate audience.”

The conference is part of wider efforts to address the challenges related to media freedom and freedom of expression in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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Communication and Media Relations Section SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions 17 - Partnerships for the goals

Advancing beneficial ownership reform in the Western Balkans, transparency, and common challenges were the focus of an online workshop, on 14 June 2021, organized by the OSCE, jointly with the Open Government Partnership (OGP), and German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ).

Government, civil society, and private sector representatives shared lessons learned in implementing public beneficial ownership registries and the use of data by civil society and the media.

Beneficial ownership transparency has emerged as a key tool in combating corruption, preventing the flow of illicit funds, and fighting tax evasion. By collecting and publishing beneficial ownership information, countries around the globe are working to promote corporate accountability and end anonymous companies.

At the OSCE 2020 Ministerial Council in Tirana, OSCE participating States adopted a decision on digitalization as a tool to prevent and combat corruption and improve the business climate in the OSCE region. The decision stressed the need to strengthen transparency in public administration and employ tools that can facilitate access to information and the effective delivery of public services, and encourage transparency in beneficial ownership information.

This workshop is a continuation of the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities focus and activities on beneficial ownership as a mechanism to combat corruption and money laundering. This webinar and future activities in this area are part of a network on beneficial ownership, initiated by the OGP, and supported by the OSCE.

ULAANBAATAR, 10 June 2021 – Mongolia’s presidential election was well run in difficult circumstances and candidates were able to reach out freely to voters, but overly restrictive candidate eligibility and the blurred line between journalism and political advertising as well as the absence of public debate limited the range of choices and information for voters, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a statement today.

“We were glad to hear a high degree of confidence in the work of election commissions, and also to see that all candidates could campaign freely even though the pandemic largely ruled out face-to-face campaigning,” said Lolita Čigāne, head of ODIHR’s special election assessment mission. “However, the stringent rules on candidate eligibility, campaigning and editorial freedom are out of sync with international standards, and the lack of campaign finance transparency remained a matter of concern.”

The legal framework has improved following changes made since the last presidential election, and form an adequate basis for democratic elections to take place. Nevertheless, a number of key ODIHR recommendations remain unaddressed.  In the limited number of polling stations visited by the observers, the process was well administered and organized.

The election campaign itself was highly regulated, and the campaign period was shortened due to recent legal changes. At the same time, observers noted an apparent inequality of resources and the involvement of public officials in the campaign that increased the advantages of the ruling party.

Campaign financing was a further area of concern. Although certain improvements have been introduced to the process of submitting campaign finance reports, the overall framework for campaign financing lacks sufficient oversight and transparency, leaving voters under-informed about the sources of donations to contestants.

The media landscape is diverse. However, observers noted concerns about the lack of independence of many major outlets. While the media played an important role in informing voters about the election process, there were misgivings over the blurred line between news and paid content submitted by contestants. This limited the independent information available to voters about candidates and their programmes.

ODIHR’s Special Election Assessment Mission to Mongolia took up its work on 21 May. The mission has focused on issues identified by ODIHR’s needs assessment mission ahead of the election in order to assess the presidential election for its compliance with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation.

For further information, please contact:

Katya Andrusz, ODIHR: katya.andrusz@odihr.pl or +48 609 522 266

KYIV, 10 June 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:

“The level of ceasefire violations has decreased in recent weeks. However, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) continues to record the use of heavy weapons deployed in violation of the withdrawal lines. In addition, the Mission has observed a deterioration of the security situation in the disengagement areas. Such trends undermine confidence between the sides.

Compliance with the ceasefire was in the focus of the discussions of the Working Group on Security Issues and the TCG. Participants continued to discuss proposals on the coordination mechanism, the differences in positions remained however significant. 

Procedural issues again dominated the discussions of the Political Working Group, preventing the development of an action plan in full compliance with the Minsk agreements as tasked by the TСG. Overcoming disagreements require constructive engagement, interaction and readiness  to compromise.

The Humanitarian Working Group addressed obstacles to the simultaneous opening of new crossing points near Zolote and Shchastia in the Luhansk region. The participants discussed the mutual release and exchange of conflict-related detainees and exchanged information as regards missing persons.

The Economic Working Group focused on water supply issues in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine (CADLR), especially in the area of activities of the public utility enterprise 'Voda Donbassa'. The topic of pension payments was also given consideration during the discussions. In addition, there was an intensive exchange on environmental issues”.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 104 ceasefire violations, including 79 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 53 ceasefire violations in the region.
• In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded 56 ceasefire violations, including three explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 23 ceasefire violations in the region.
• The SMM followed up on reports of a man injured due to the detonation of an explosive object in Novohrodivka, Donetsk region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. It again spotted people inside the disengagement area near Petrivske.

• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to enable the operation and maintenance of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at three entry-exit checkpoints and two corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Luhansk region.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a border crossing point and a railway station near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk), Luhansk region. Its unmanned aerial vehicles again experienced multiple instances of GPS signal interference.*

SUMMARY

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 decreased at both BCPs compared to the previous week. 

OPERATIONAL REMARKS

The OM is currently operating with 22 permanent international Mission members, including the Chief Observer (CO) and a First Responder.[1] The Mission is supported administratively by a staff member and the Chief of Fund Administration based in Vienna. The OM is now operating under a two-month mandate as of 1 June based on PC.DEC/1402 of 28 May 2021.

Update on COVID-19 measures

Activities have been impacted by COVID-19 and measures undertaken by the OM to ensure the safety and duty of care of its Mission members and compliance with measures set by the host country authorities. The Mission is continuing to keep the situation under review, in close contact with the OSCE Secretariat and the Chairpersonship. Following the host country’s recommendations, the observers are adhering to distancing. Due to the preventive measures taken by the central and regional authorities, the OM is faced with certain difficulties, but is still able to continue to fulfil its mandate without any limitations in its observation and reporting activities. During this reporting period, the vaccination process provided by the host country medical system continues on a voluntary basis. To date, 80 per cent of OM staff have now been vaccinated.

OBSERVATIONS AT THE BORDER CROSSING POINTS

Persons crossing the border

The profile of persons crossing the border can be categorized as follows:

1. Adults travelling on foot or by car with little or no luggage.
2. Persons in military-style outfits.
3. Families (often including elderly persons and/or children) travelling on foot or by car with a significant amount of luggage.

The average number of entries/exits decreased from 9,150 to 8,689 per day at both BCPs compared to last week. During the reporting period, the majority of border crossings were to Ukraine, with an average net flow of 125 per day for both BCPs. The Donetsk BCP continued to experience much more traffic than the Gukovo BCP.

Responding to the COVID-19 situation, the host country closed its borders for the majority of foreigners starting from 18 March 2020. Among the exceptions of persons allowed to cross the border (which entered into force on 19 March) are Ukrainian citizens and stateless persons holding passports or identification documents proving permanent residence in certain areas of Luhansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine. In addition, reportedly, due to the threat of the spread of COVID-19, starting from 10 April 2020, the organized passenger transport commuting between the non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region of Ukraine and the Russian Federation was temporarily suspended and restored from 25 June.

Persons in military-style outfits

During the reporting period, the number of persons in military-style outfits crossing the border was 15, compared to seven last week; eight persons crossed into the Russian Federation while seven persons crossed into Ukraine. These individuals crossed the border on foot.

Families with a significant amount of luggage

The OTs continued to report on families, sometimes with elderly persons and/or children, crossing the border at both BCPs with a significant amount of luggage, or travelling in heavily loaded cars. During this reporting week, four families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and one family into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when no families were observed crossing neither into the Russian Federation nor into Ukraine.

Bus connections                                         

Regular local and long-distance bus connections continued to operate between Ukraine (mostly from/to the Luhansk region) and the Russian Federation. During the reporting period, the OTs observed a decrease in the overall number of buses crossing the border at both BCPs (350 compared to 396 observed during the previous week). There were 178 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 172 bound for Ukraine.

On some occasions, the OTs noticed the bus drivers removing the itinerary signs from the windshields of their buses, while some buses did not display their route at all. The majority of long-distance buses commuting between the Luhansk region and cities in the Russian Federation had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region.

Trucks

During the reporting period, the OTs observed a decrease in the overall number of trucks crossing the border at both BCPs (779 compared to 822 during the previous reporting week); 429 at the Gukovo BCP and 350 at the Donetsk BCP, 462 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation, and 317 crossed into Ukraine. Most of the trucks observed by the OTs had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region; however, on a daily basis, the OTs also noted trucks registered in Belarus, Georgia, Lithuania, Armenian the Russian Federation, and trucks with “LPR” and “DPR” plates.

The OTs also continued to observe tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions. During the reporting period, the OTs observed a decrease in the overall number of tanker trucks crossing the border at both BCPs (43 compared to 50 during the previous reporting week). These trucks were observed crossing the border at both BCPs. The trucks had the words “Propane” and “Flammable” written across the tanks in either Russian or Ukrainian. The majority of tanker trucks had hazard signs, indicating that they were transporting propane or a mix of propane and butane. All trucks underwent systematic inspection by Russian Federation officials, which could include an X-ray check. Due to the unfavorable observation position at the Gukovo BCP, the OTs continued to be unable to observe any X-ray checks.

Compared to the previous week, the total number of X-ray checks at the Donetsk BCP slightly decreased from 150 to 148. Of the total number of trucks scanned, 114 trucks (77 per cent) were bound for Ukraine, and 34 truck (23 per cent) were bound for the Russian Federation

Minivans

The OM continued to observe passenger and cargo minivans[2] crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs. The OTs observed minivans predominantly with Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region; however, the OTs also saw minivans registered in the Russian Federation. During the reporting period, the OTs observed a slight increase in the overall number of minivans crossing the border at both BCPs (134 compared to 127 observed during the previous week); 57 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 77 into Ukraine.

Trains

The OTs continued to pick up the sound of trains on the railway tracks located approximately 150m south-west of the Gukovo BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on 26 occasions; the OTs assessed that 14 trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and the remaining 12 trains were travelling to Ukraine (more details are provided in the sections “trends and figures at a glance” below).

Visual observation was not possible because of the line of trees located between the train tracks and the BCP.

Other observations

The majority of vehicles crossing the border had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region or Russian Federation licence plates. A significant number of vehicles with “LPR” plates were also observed crossing the border in both directions on a daily basis. The OTs also observed vehicles with Georgian and Lithuanian licence plates.

On 2 June at 15:28, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed an ambulance with Russian Federation licence plates and the inscription “Emergency medical help” written in Russian on the side, entering the BCP from the Russian Federation and parking in front of the control area. One paramedic went inside the main building and returned shortly. At 15:40, the ambulance returned to the Russian Federation.

On 5 June at 00:33, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed an ambulance entering the BCP from the Russian Federation and parking in front of the control area. At 00:42, the ambulance left the BCP and returned to the Russian Federation.  The OT was unable to notice any other details from its position.

The same day at 11:00, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed an ambulance with Russian Federation licence plates with two paramedics on board entering the BCP from the Russian Federation and parking next to the main building. The paramedics entered the main building and returned shortly after. At 11.15, the vehicle left for the Russian Federation.

On 7 June at 23:39, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed a white minivan and a medium sized truck with ”LPR”  plates and the inscription “LPR Post” (in Russian) on the side entering the BCP from Ukraine. At 00:32, after undergoing border control procedures, the vehicle crossed into the Russian Federation.

The truck with “LPR” plates carrying four jet engines (the main part of the engine, similar to the Klimov VK-1 and the Rolls-Royce Nene jet engines), observed by the OT at the Gukovo BCP on 25 April and reported in recent Weekly Updates is still parked at the BCP’s customs control area facing in the direction of the Russian Federation.

For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 4 May 2021 to 8 June 2021, please see the attachment here.

[1]First responders are OSCE staff or Mission members deployed for a short period of time.

[2]Cargo minivans: light commercial vehicles with a maximum authorized mass of more than 3.5 t and not more than 7.5 t; with or without a trailer with a maximum mass of less than 750 kg (small cargo vehicles that correspond to driving licence C1).

489391 Kunduz Rysbek

The newly appointed Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, Alexey Rogov, and Minister of Interior of the Kyrgyz Republic, Ulan Niyazbekov, met on 3 June 2021 in Bishkek.

They discussed further co-operation in strengthening community policing, combating organized crime, preventing drug abuse, transnational threats, and combating violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism. Further support through capacity-building initiatives for the Ministry of Interior (MoI) officers and staff members was also discussed.

Minister Niyazbekov expressed his appreciation of the co-operation between the Ministry and the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, especially the Programme Office’s contribution to fighting crime, supporting public safety in Kyrgyzstan, and helping increase public confidence in the police through transparency. Minister Niyazbekov especially noted the Mobile Police Receptions project that has been implemented across Kyrgyzstan: “Ten years ago, within the framework of the Community Security Initiative project, the first mobile police receptions began to work in Kyrgyzstan. They were launched to reach citizens living in remote areas, far from state administrative institutions and organizations. They have demonstrated their effectiveness in the prevention of crimes and offenses.”

Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek Rogov stressed that the Interior Ministry remains one of the main state partners for the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek. He assured that the Programme Office intends to continue to support the Ministry on a wide range of issues, including those related to COVID-19 and its consequences, and the fight against domestic and gender-based violence.

Niyazbekov expressed the Ministry’s commitment to preventing all forms of gender-based and domestic violence. He noted that the MoI has already appointed Elmira Isakova, Deputy Head of Directorate for Legal Issues and International Co-operation of the MoI, as the new Gender Focal Point responsible for working on gender issues and initiatives.

SOFIA, 9 June 2021 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an election observation mission (EOM) for the 11 July early parliamentary elections, following an invitation from the country’s authorities.

The mission is led by Tana de Zulueta and consists of a core team of 12 experts based in Sofia and 14 long-term observers, who will be deployed throughout the country from 16 June.

The mission will assess whether the elections are held in line with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation. Observers will closely monitor key aspects of the elections such as voter registration, campaign activities, the work of the election administration and relevant government bodies, election-related legislation and its implementation, and the resolution of election-related disputes. The mission will also monitor media coverage of the campaign.

ODIHR also plans to request 200 short-term observers from OSCE participating States to follow events on election day. However, this remains dependent on developments in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, including health concerns, travel and border restrictions across the OSCE region, and related regulations within Bulgaria.

Meetings with representatives of relevant authorities and political parties, civil society, the media and the international community form an integral part of the observation. On election day itself, the ODIHR mission will join efforts with delegations from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

An interim report will be published to update the public and media during the course of the observation. The day after the elections, the mission’s preliminary findings will be presented at a press conference, and ODIHR will publish a final report summing up the observation and making recommendations for improvements approximately two months after the end of the election process.

For further information, please visit www.osce.org/odihr/elections/bulgaria.

Media contacts:

Egor Tilpunov, Media Analyst: egor.tilpunov@odihr.bg or +359 878 529 066

Katya Andrusz, ODIHR Spokesperson: katya.andrusz@odihr.pl  or +48 609 522 266