Central Europe

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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.

Ribeiro referred to the RFoM’s efforts aimed at encouraging collaboration and solidarity amongst the journalistic communities in Cyprus, contributing to media pluralism and a free flow of information, and to advancing quality journalism under the auspices of the Cyprus Media Dialogue project. Ribeiro offered her continued support to this co-operation and exchange of professional experience. She reiterated her willingness to remain in an open dialogue with Cyprus authorities and with Cyprus media and civil society on advancing this important work.

Ribeiro and Rafti also discussed issues related to the recently reported cases of online harassment and legal prosecution against several Turkish Cypriot journalists.

They agreed to continue their co-operation on the further development of a vibrant media landscape in Cyprus and for countering the existing challenges to media freedom.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

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 ceasefire violations in Luhansk region.  In the previous reporting period, it recorded 13 ceasefire violations in the region.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. It saw construction works on and close to road T-1316, near the Zolote disengagement area’s southern edge.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to enable repairs and operation of critical civilian infrastructure. It heard five ceasefire violations close to the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS), during the time when a bus with DFS workers was driving towards Yasynuvata.
• The SMM continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at four entry-exit checkpoints and three corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at checkpoints of the armed formations near Staropetrivske and Petrivske, Donetsk region.*

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. He praised the Sides for actively engaging in negotiations since the beginning of the year and called on them to step up efforts to achieve tangible results in 2021.

“The start of this year has seen constructive meetings at the level of the Chief Negotiators and the expert Working Groups. These are promising developments, and the dialogue should continue to address issues of immediate concern of both Sides in a timely manner,” said Ambassador Mayr-Harting. “People on both banks of the Dniester/Nistru need a true commitment from the Sides to set aside differences and make progress in the settlement process.”

In Chisinau, Mayr-Harting met with President Maia Sandu, Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Aureliu Ciocoi, and Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration, Olga Cebotari.  In Tiraspol, he met with Transdniestrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky and Chief Negotiator Vitaly Ignatiev.

In his discussions, Mayr-Harting exchanged views on the priorities for this year for the settlement, and the potential for moving on key issues, including protection of human rights and the freedom of movement. He pledged the full support of the Swedish OSCE Chairperson-in-Office to facilitate the settlement process in line with the principles of independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova with a special status for Transdniestria.

“We have agreed with the Sides to focus on the full and continuous implementation of the ‘Berlin-plus’ package and to identify new joint confidence-building measures to deepen trust between the two banks,” Mayr-Harting said. “I welcome the decision of the Transdniestrian side to remove pandemic-related checkpoints, which will go a long way to help reduce tension and to create conditions conducive for combatting the pandemic in a spirit of unity and solidarity.” 

In his meetings in Chisinau and Tiraspol, the Special Representative encouraged the Sides to advance the role of women in the settlement process, including by identifying women officials to lead Working Group discussions as co-chairs, and in other capacities.

During his visit, the Special Representative met a number of stakeholders to understand better the opportunities to improve support for the Sides, including with leaders of parliamentary political parties and Ambassadors representing mediators and observers locally. He noted that a lasting and comprehensive solution for the Transdniestrian conflict will require broad consensus within the Republic of Moldova as well as among international partners in the settlement process.

Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Ton van den Brandt

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.

Ribeiro stressed that the safety of journalists will be a focus of her work. She underlined the important contribution of Azerbaijan in supporting the adoption of 2018 Ministerial Council Decision on the Safety of Journalists, a document that acknowledges the key role of governments in enabling a safe working environment for journalists, free from intimidation and harassment.

The RFoM noted the recently announced initiatives by the Azeri authorities for deepening media reforms, including the establishment of a new agency for media development and the drafting of a new law on media. Ribeiro expressed her interest in learning more about the work of this agency and offered her Office’s assistance in providing expert recommendations, in line with relevant international standards and OSCE commitments.

Ribeiro and Israfilov also discussed the regional South Caucasus Media Conference, organized annually by the RFoM’s Office, and agreed to engage in further discussions about the 2021 event, including a possible visit of the RFoM to Azerbaijan on its occasion.   

476917 Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Ton van den Brandt

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.

Ribeiro and Ambassador Kinnear discussed the issue of safety of journalists, including the office’s project Safety of Female Journalists Online (SOFJO), as well as the impact of Artificial Intelligence on freedom of expression and media freedom.

They also exchanged views on how to improve the effectiveness of the Organization’s performance in the media field and concluded that an open dialogue between all OSCE participating States is of crucial importance.

476935 Communication and Media Relations Section

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.

National counterparts from the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Police Academy of the Interior Ministry discussed upcoming training modules and reaffirmed their commitment to the OSCE’s Extra-Budgetary project “Capacity Building on Combating Cybercrime in Central Asia”, launched in October 2020.

The project aims to work closely with five OSCE participating States in Central Asia; Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, to enhance the criminal justice’s response to cybercrime, while upholding human rights. It is a collaborative endeavor of the TNTD/SPMU, OSCE Field Operations in Central Asia, law enforcement training institutions and other relevant national authorities.

The TNTD/SPMU is currently in the process of setting up a team of experts from European countries, the Russian Federation and the United States to support the development and organization of training courses scheduled for on-line delivery in 2021.

The initiative is implemented in co-operation with the UNODC Global Programme on Cybercrime and co-ordinated with the Council of Europe. The United States of America is funding the project, which will last until March 2024.

476947 Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan

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. 

The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan, the Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and the Law Enforcement Academy under the Prosecutor General’s Office of Kazakhstan, jointly organized the event.

Some 43 representatives of law-enforcement agencies, offices of the prosecutor general, civil society and academia discussed regional state obligations in the field of combating trafficking in persons and the importance of strengthening regional co-operation between law enforcement agencies and non-governmental organizations in the fight against modern-day slavery. Experts from Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan presented good practices on ways of counteracting organized crime related to human trafficking in their respective countries.

The event was part of the OSCE Programme Office’s long-standing efforts to support the host country in combating human trafficking and in implementing the OSCE Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

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 region.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and spotted people inside the area near Petrivske during daytime.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to enable repairs and operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The SMM continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at four entry-exit checkpoints and five corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

Information for Google Short title:  Tajikistan presidential election 2020 476845 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz

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 debate and voters were not presented with genuine political alternatives. These are some of the main conclusions from the final report on Tajikistan’s presidential election of 11 October 2020, as published by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

The final report also states that significant efforts are needed to align the electoral process with Tajikistan’s OSCE commitments and standards for democratic elections. The document offers 23 recommendations to improve the conduct of elections and increase the transparency in the electoral process.

Recommendations

Key recommendations include:

• Upholding the principle of equality of all citizens before the law by reviewing provisions that give special status and electoral privileges to the incumbent president

• Eliminating excessive and discriminatory restrictions on fundamental rights and freedoms by carrying out a comprehensive reform of the legal framework

• Ensuring the independence of election administration members by providing adequate transparency and accountability measures during the selection process

• Improving the accuracy of voter lists, including through the introduction of a permanent, centralized voter register

• Enabling citizens to stand in the election as independent candidates

• Reducing the role of electoral bodies and local authorities in defining and organising campaign modalities and events, and requiring simple notification for public events

• Ensuring clear separation between the state and political parties and candidates

• Ensuring regulation of campaign finance and oversight mechanisms with dissuasive sanctions in place

• Reducing media interference from state authorities to enable journalists to carry out their professional duties freely, without intimidation and fear of retribution

• Establishing clear deadlines related to post-election disputes in order to ensure the right to effective legal redress

• Providing independent, non-partisan citizen election observation

• Publishing full preliminary and final election results in a timely manner, in line with basic principles for transparency and accountability

ODIHR deployed an Election Assessment Mission on 26 September 2020 to observe the presidential election. All 57 countries across the OSCE region have formally committed to following up promptly on ODIHR’s election assessments and recommendations.

Information for Google Short title:  Ukraine local elections 2020 476842 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz

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 campaign financing and media coverage. These were some of the main conclusions from the final report on the elections held on 25 October 2020, as published by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

The report offers 39 recommendations to improve the conduct of elections and increase the transparency of and public confidence in the electoral process.

Recommendations

Key recommendations include:

• Continuing the reform of the electoral legal framework, in an open and inclusive manner, to address remaining gaps, errors, and conflicting and ambiguous formulations

• Introducing additional mechanisms for recruitment of election commission members, such as professional selection criteria, compulsory training, a national register and higher remuneration

• Ensuring that law-enforcement bodies investigate allegations of payments from candidates and parties to commissioners

• Safeguarding the stability and independence of the election administration by introducing deadlines and provisions on clear and restrictive grounds for the replacement of election commission members

• Further strengthening legislation to provide for effective and proportionate sanctions for campaign violations, including circumvention of campaign-finance regulations, misuse of administrative resources and vote-buying

• Monitoring compliance with campaign finance regulations by mandating an independent body with regional representation with sufficient authority and resources to effectively fulfill this task

• Extending the deadlines for address change requests and increasing outreach related to this procedure

• Enforcing the gender quota for candidate lists at all stages of the electoral process, including during nomination and registration

• Strengthening the capacity of the media regulator to approve sanctions for violations during election campaigns

• Ensuring that all infringements on the freedom of the media are investigated and addressed, and that the law is applied in a consistent and effective manner

• Reviewing legal provisions governing the invalidation of election results and recounts

ODIHR deployed a Limited Election Observation Mission on 21 September 2020 to observe the local elections. All 57 countries across the OSCE region have formally committed to follow up promptly on ODIHR’s election assessments and recommendations.

476782 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

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.

The training course covered topics such as working with a schematic map, movement technique on mountainous terrain, tools and equipment of a rescuer in the mountains during winter, extreme movements on frozen water, search and rescue operations in an avalanche area and others.

Theoretical sessions were held in the Republican Training Center of the CoESCD in Dushanbe city and practical sessions were conducted in the Varzob district. Local experts from the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe and the CoESCD delivered the course.

Project Manager Antoni Mis, said: “The winter search and rescue course is one of the most crucial trainings that was delivered within the framework of our project. It was a very interesting experience to observe the CoESCD rescuers train during practical exercises conducted under the watchful eye of a very experienced colleague, who has a true wealth of experience in conducting mountain rescue operations. I am positive that the experience and new skills the rescuers have acquired during the course will be successfully used by them upon their return to their duty stations across the country.”   

Ainiddin Rajabov, Rescuer, training participant from Khatlon region said: "We learned specialized skills and enhanced our knowledge on conducting search and rescue operations during winter time, in difficult terrain and in adverse weather conditions. We highly appreciate all the efforts of the CoESCD, OSCE an EU for arranging this course and making significant contribution to enhance our qualification on search and rescue area."

The event was conducted as part of the OSCE’s project on the “Stabilization of Tajikistan’s southern border region with Afghanistan. The project aims to strengthen the capacity of CoESCD to respond to natural disasters in border regions.

Parliamentary Assembly’s virtual roundtable seeks to reaffirm OSCE’s common purpose ahead of 50th anniversary

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.

Opening the event, OSCE PA President Peter Lord Bowness (United Kingdom) identified one of the key challenges facing the OSCE as its lack of recognition at the highest levels of government, noting that parliamentarians have some distinct assets that could help in this regard. “We have a political role to play in helping to generate that interest in our national parliaments and with our governments,” President Bowness said.

PA Secretary General Roberto Montella noted that the idea for launching an initiative to revive and strengthen the OSCE came up last summer when the top four leadership positions in the Organization remained vacant after failure to reach agreement on re-appointments. “The PA’s Helsinki +50 initiative, led and supported by the OSCE PA Bureau and co-ordinated by High-Level Expert Lamberto Zannier, is helping to pull together various ideas, as well as people who have worked in the OSCE, to strengthen the Organization as the 50th anniversary approaches,” Montella said.

Ambassador Zannier recalled that there have been many efforts over the years to help the OSCE overcome its difficulties, including the Panel of Eminent Persons in 2005 and the Corfu Process in 2009, as well as numerous recommendations offered by the PA on increasing the Organization’s effectiveness, but these recommendations have largely been disregarded. The question, Zannier said, is how parliaments can help push these initiatives to make the Organization stronger, more effective, and more visible. The focus must be on investing in multilateralism in a way that keeps everyone on board, and to present the OSCE as a tool that is useful to governments, Zannier said.

Christian Strohal expressed delight that the OSCE Call for Action has developed into a broader process, stressing that to work through disagreements a common understanding is needed of the Organization’s purpose. He underlined the importance of shared responsibility and accountability, and the need to strengthen mechanisms for reviewing implementation of commitments and follow-up. He highlighted the human dimension in particular as being in crisis, with a general fatigue of human rights engagement and civil society often sidelined. The positive role of parliamentarians, he said, must be utilized to build complementarity between the PA and the diplomatic machinery in Vienna. He mentioned, in particular, the peer-review capacities of parliamentarians and their ability to engage with civil society.

Douglas Wake noted that making the OSCE more well-known has been a long-time goal but noted that communications strategies are not effective unless there is a good story to tell. Therefore it is important to focus on the bigger picture and to highlight success stories, he said, which is something that parliamentarians can contribute to by using their platforms to speak about the OSCE to national audiences. Regarding challenges that inhibit the OSCE from playing a more positive role, he pointed to polarization in the Organization, lack of genuine dialogue, uneven implementation of commitments, the difficult budget process, disagreement over core functions, and trying to do too much with limited resources. To overcome these difficulties, he said, every participating State must do more to implement its OSCE commitments, and pursue constructive dialogue in both formal and informal settings.

In the discussion, participants highlighted ongoing challenges facing the OSCE and the ways forward. One of the challenges, it was stressed, was that some participating States do not accept OSCE principles and don’t want the Organization to succeed. The PA plays a critical role, it was noted, in empowering parliamentarians to advocate on behalf of OSCE commitments and values.

Ilkka Kanerva (Finland), who has served as both OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and OSCE PA President, emphasized that the added value of the PA is not through hard-power instruments such as sanctions but rather parliamentary diplomacy. “We must get deeper into the actual security challenges in our region so that real concrete results can be achieved,” Kanerva said.

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro stressed the need to avoid duplication with other organizations, remain focused on the core business of the OSCE, and only approach new issues if they relate directly to the raison d'être of the Organization. Being close to ministers and other policymakers, parliamentarians have an important role to play in increasing attention to the Organization, Ribeiro said.

Other participants highlighted the need to promote the OSCE’s field work and to focus on what makes the OSCE unique. The need to strengthen formal structures of the Organization was stressed, as well as the need for holding more informal discussions, and for parliamentarians to engage in dialogue on OSCE issues. Spanning three continents and consisting of 57 very different States, the OSCE’s diversity is something to value and build upon, it was emphasized.

476734 Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Ton van den Brandt

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. 

Ribeiro and Ambassador Soone discussed issues such as safety of media workers, including harassment of female journalists online, counteracting disinformation, the impact of artificial intelligence on media freedom, and other challenges to a full execution of the RFoM mandate.

Ribeiro referred to the 2019 developments – when journalists of the Sputnik-Estonia website were obstructed in their work – and underlined the need to enable all journalists to freely report on all matters of public interest in their country and abroad. She raised the question of whether these actions disproportionally affected media freedom and freedom of information. Ambassador Soone replied by referring to the Opinion of the European Commission interpreting the application of EU financial sanctions of 19 June 2020 and to the ongoing legal dispute between Sputnik and the authorities in domestic courts.

Ambassador Soone expressed the wish of his authorities to support the work of the RFoM, in particular in her long-term projects, such as reports and guidance on restrictions on freedom of information caused by the ongoing pandemic and on addressing disinformation.

Ribeiro and Ambassador Soone agreed they would follow-up this discussion within the framework of the informal OSCE Group of Friends on the Safety of Journalists.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

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 region.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and spotted people inside the latter two areas during daytime.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to enable repairs and operation of critical civilian infrastructure. It heard three ceasefire violations close to the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS), during the time when a bus with DFS workers was driving towards the station.
• The SMM continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at three entry-exit checkpoints and four corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The Mission monitored peaceful gatherings in Kyiv and Lviv.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a checkpoint of the armed formations near Bezimenne, southern Donetsk region.*

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.

"Today we pay tribute to the six million Jewish persons, half a million Roma and all other victims – who were murdered in the Holocaust.  The passing of the last witnesses to the Holocaust puts a clear responsibility on all participating States to document their testimonies, to educate the next generation, to support research of the Holocaust, to remember, and never to forget.  This responsibility applies equally to all genocides or mass atrocities,” says the Chairperson-in-Office, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Ann Linde. “For this reason, Sweden will host the Malmö International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism in October 2021,” she added. In order to also address current challenges related to anti-Semitism in the OSCE region, the Swedish OSCE Chairpersonship is organizing an expert meeting on 1 and 2 February. 

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen hatred spreading as Jewish people and minorities have found themselves scapegoated, and in some cases, become victims of targeted violence. This spread has often been fuelled by individuals using digital technologies as a tool, which make it easier and faster to disseminate anti-Semitic conspiracy theories that have been in circulation for years or centuries. States must ensure accountability for hate crimes.

“The Holocaust provides the ultimate lesson on the horrific consequences of prejudice and hatred when they are allowed to run rampant or are actively promoted,” said Matteo Mecacci, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). “The efforts to combat anti-Semitism and the crimes connected to it must be redoubled by governments – while always respecting human rights and the rule of law – as we otherwise risk further spreading these toxic narratives, including through new digital technologies.”

Finding strategies to counter the spread of anti-Semitism requires a co-ordinated and comprehensive approach that brings together government, civil society, faith communities, the private sector, media, schools, and universities. ODIHR can effectively contribute to these efforts, through its coalition-building work and educational initiatives that address anti-Semitism and foster more tolerant and inclusive societies, making sure that the human rights of all those involved are always respected.

"The Holocaust demonstrated how anti-Semitism, if unchallenged, can lead  societies to become undemocratic and immune to prejudice and even hate attacks against Jewish people, generating immediate and long-term threats to their security,” said Rabbi Andrew Baker, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Anti-Semitism. “For this reason, it is critical that governments address comprehensively the security needs of Jewish individuals and communities to enable them to fully participate in the life of society."

ODIHR is continuously seeking new and creative solutions to counter anti-Semitism in all its forms through the remembrance and study of the Holocaust and the Roma and Sinti genocide, and has developed numerous resources and teaching materials to challenge anti-Semitism both off- and online. Recognizing that education is key to preventing anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance, the Office has published dedicated curricula to train school directors and teachers to address anti-Semitism and counter prejudice through innovative teaching methods and practices.    

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 discussion on eFP was the first Security Dialogue organized by the US FSC Chairpersonship. eFP refers to NATO’s enhanced forward presence in Central Europe, which is composed of four multinational battlegroups in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.

“The United States scheduled this Security Dialogue to help address questions and concerns regarding the goals and character of eFP,” said Michael Murphy, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State of the United States for European and Eurasian Affairs, who spoke on behalf of the US FSC Chairpersonship. “I hope all participating States will leave this meeting with a better understanding of what eFP is and what it isn’t.” He stressed that these forces “threaten no nation, militarily or otherwise.”

During the discussion, five senior-level speakers addressed the representatives of the OSCE’s 57 participating States and explored the history, evolution, current status, and future plans for eFP. They also shared their views on eFP’s contributions to European security and its relationship to the Vienna Document. The aim of the discussion was to foster dialogue around eFP and to strengthen military transparency.

Providing an in-depth look at eFP from NATO’s perspective, Burcu San, Director for Operations in NATO’s Operations Division, opened the session by stressing that eFP demonstrates unity and solidarity among NATO countries and explained the history behind the presence. She also highlighted the defensive nature of eFP, noting that NATO fully respects its international commitments and supports efforts to build confidence and transparency on military activities.

Murphy elaborated on eFP and its broader contributions to security in Europe. He highlighted the US’s perspective on eFP and its purpose, as well as the country’s role, including as a leader of the eFP battlegroup in Poland. He also spoke about the broader US posture in Europe, which he said was designed to “enhance deterrence, reassure Allies, and improve US strategic and operational flexibility,” and the US’s perspectives on the importance of military transparency, including through the Vienna Document modernization. 

Turning to the presence on the ground, Colonel Guillaume Trohel from the French Ministry of Defense, presented France’s role in the eFP battlegroup in Estonia, which comprises Estonian forces and troops contributed by France, along with Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, and the United Kingdom. He outlined the battlegroup’s mission and how it functions, including its operating environment, as well as its approach to cooperation, co-ordination and training. He also emphasized open communication, which supports NATOs transparency.

Offering a host country viewpoint, Anna Tyszkiewicz, Deputy Director of the Security Policy Department in Poland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs, shared Poland’s experience hosting an eFP battlegroup and the country’s views on eFP more broadly. She said that Poland places importance on military transparency, and spoke about international verification activities related to eFP.

Lithuania’s perspective as an eFP battlegroup host country was also provided by Karolis Aleksa, Director for International Relations and Operations in Lithuania’s Ministry of Defense. He emphasized the battlegroup’s multinational composition and how Lithuanian forces work closely with the troops contributed by Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Iceland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Norway. He also noted how the defense, public support and transparency aspects of eFP relate to security throughout Europe.

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.

In her remarks, Secretary General Schmid welcomed the OSCE Call for Action issued by the PA on the margins of the Ministerial Council in December last year. She praised the Parliamentary Assembly as a valuable source of new ideas and proposals, noting she had been in Istanbul for the 1999 summit where OSCE heads of state and government commended the increasing role of the PA in promoting democratic development.

“The PA is indispensable to ensure that the OSCE is receptive to the needs of our citizens, particularly at a time that many have lost trust in multilateral institutions,” Schmid said. “Parliamentarians can help build the OSCE’s public profile, including by connecting the Organization with decisionmakers and civil society in countries across the OSCE area.”

As OSCE Secretary General, she wants to strengthen the cross-dimensional approach to security, Schmid said, noting that the PA has an important role to play in this regard.

President Bowness underlined the Parliamentary Assembly’s support for the work of the Organization as a whole, welcomed the addition of all Bureau members as signatories to the OSCE Call for Action, and mentioned the possibility of holding regular online dialogues with leaders of the OSCE’s executive structures.

“The PA values very much the strong relationship that has been built between OSCE institutions and stands ready to support the work of the Secretary General and Chairperson-in-Office in advancing OSCE values,” the President said. “In working together to build the Organization’s potential, co-ordination is essential and therefore I hope that we can continue to build upon communication tools to ensure the highest level of teamwork.”

Montella reported to the Bureau that the International Secretariat is coping effectively with the COVID-related restrictions and that most PA staff are still telecommuting. He informed members that next month’s Winter Meeting, which is usually held in Vienna, will be fully online, while expressing hope that the annual Bureau meeting in April can be held in person. Montella also reported on two recent election observation missions, to Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, conducted earlier this month with 10 staff members deployed altogether, pointing out that no COVID infections have been reported.

Secretary General Montella and OSCE PA High-Level Expert Lamberto Zannier discussed the PA’s Helsinki +50 initiative, which is working on identifying the key issues to focus on and developing ideas for raising the OSCE’s profile ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act in 2025. One of the biggest challenges, it was stressed, is to increase the high-level attention from governments to the Organization. Ambassador Zannier also previewed the OSCE PA Online Roundtable being held on Wednesday, “Toward Helsinki +50: Reaffirming a Common Purpose,” expressing his hope that the meeting will be a genuine debate and will provide a concrete work plan for the rest of the year.

In the discussion, members noted that the past year has been a challenging one that has put to the test principles of multilateralism and democracy. Parliamentarians discussed the need to discuss the level of knowledge of what OSCE institutions do – both in terms of the PA understanding what other parts of the OSCE do, as well as improving the OSCE’s understanding of what the PA does. Members raised issues that must remain in focus in the Organization’s work, including the situation in Belarus, the crisis in and around Ukraine, developments in the Russian Federation, and climate change.

Bureau members also discussed Assembly activities and priorities for 2021, including reforming the PA’s Rules of Procedure and working practices, as well as upcoming meetings and projects.

476551 Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Ton van den Brandt

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. 

Referring to the recent legislative developments with a potentially high impact on media freedom and freedom of information in France, Ribeiro underlined the need for enabling journalists to freely document and report on all matters of public interest, including law-enforcement operations during rallies and demonstrations. She urged to take into consideration the legitimate concerns and recommendations of journalists and international media and human rights organizations and offered her support in bringing the newly proposed legal initiatives, including the draft law “On Reinforcing Republican Principles”, in conformity with OSCE standards. Recalling the 2018 OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on the Safety of Journalists, Ribeiro stressed the importance of ensuring favorable conditions for the media, allowing them to successfully carry out their fundamental role in society.

Ribeiro welcomed the assurances of the French authorities that undue limitations on media freedom in the draft law “On Comprehensive Security” have been lifted and that the draft law will be resubmitted to the Senate.

Ribeiro and Fages also discussed the impact of artificial intelligence and other automated systems on the freedom of expression, the disturbing trend of online violence against female journalists, the need to face  challenges  related to disinformation, as well as issues related to the safety of journalists in the OSCE region. They expressed  their readiness for open dialogue and collaboration in protecting and promoting media freedom and freedom of expression, including through enhanced cooperation with civil society.

476557 Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Ton van den Brandt

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.

Ribeiro and Bräutigam discussed issues like the safety of media workers, including harassment of female journalists online, the growing power of social media platforms, the challenges posed by disinformation and the necessity to co-operate with other institutions. They agreed that the ever-greater impact of Artificial Intelligence within the region is of particular importance to the OSCE as a security organization.

Ribeiro mentioned the economic difficulties that all media, but especially local media, are experiencing in the current times, including in Germany. Next, she noted the concerns that civil society actors have expressed about a new draft of Germany's Federal Intelligence Service Act that would fall short of the necessary safeguards for an effective protection of the basic right to privacy and press freedom. Ribeiro and Bräutigam agreed they would follow-up with an exchange of letters addressing these concerns.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

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 continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and spotted people in the latter two areas during daytime.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to enable repairs and operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at four entry-exit checkpoints and three corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a checkpoint of the armed formations in Staromykhailivka, Donetsk region, and at border crossing points outside government control near Voznesenivka and Dovzhanske, Luhansk region.*