Central Europe

Communication and Media Relations Section

The Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department met with Albania’s Interior Minister Sander Lleshaj during a country visit on 21 and 22 February 2019 to facilitate Albania’s participation in the Public Key Directory of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO PKD) – a central repository simplifying and facilitating the fast and secure authentication of electronic passports at borders.

The OSCE representatives also met with Deputy Interior Minister Rovena Voda and General Director of the office for Regulatory and Compliance for Public Order and Security Adriatik Mema.

Dennis Cosgrove, Head of the Border Security and Management Unit outlined what benefits Albania could gain by becoming a member of the ICAO PKD and how the OSCE can support the country in this process.

Florian Foefle, an independent expert in this area, described the technical requirements for the integration of the Albanian National Public Key Infrastructure with the ICAO PKD. 

Minister Lleshaj positively received the initiative and stressed Albania’s interest in improving existing border security systems. He thanked OSCE for its long-standing co-operation with the Albanian Government.

After meeting the Minister, the OSCE delegation also met with the State Police and Civil Registry of Albania and discussed the next steps of joining the ICAO PKD.

The country visit was a follow-up activity to the first OSCE Regional Workshop for South-East Europe on ICAO PKD, which was organized in Montenegro, November last year. At the workshop Albania presented an overview of its e-passport system and together with recommendations from experts drafted a road map on how to join the ICAO PKD.

CHISINAU, 25 February 2019 – Moldova’s 24 February parliamentary elections were competitive and fundamental rights were generally respected, but the campaign took place against the backdrop of disaffection with public institutions and was tainted by allegations of pressure on public employees, strong indications of vote buying and the misuse of state resources, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today.

Control and ownership of the media by political actors limited the range of viewpoints presented to voters, the observers said. Most aspects of the elections were administered in a professional and transparent manner, and the observers assessed the voting positively, despite difficulties and confusion caused by the introduction of a new electoral system and the concurrent holding of a referendum, which caused problems in counting procedures.

“This was an active, hard-fought and polarized campaign in generally well-run elections. It is no secret that there is overall disappointment among citizens in political processes and institutions here,” said George Tsereteli, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission. “I call on my newly elected parliamentary colleagues to now deliver on promises, address the problems we identified, and meet the expectations of the people.”

These were the first elections held under the new mixed electoral system, which was adopted without inclusive public debate and consultation. Under the new system, 50 members of parliament are elected through proportional representation from national party lists and 51 in single-member constituencies.

“The changes to the electoral system and the concurrent holding of the referendum clearly led to confusion, both on the part of voters and some polling station workers,” said Rebecca Harms, Head of the European Parliament delegation. “The decision by the Central Election Commission (CEC) that only holders of valid passports could vote abroad came just six weeks before election day, and departed from practice in past elections, where holders of national ID cards could also vote. There were concerns about the motives behind this decision.”

The legal framework generally provides an adequate basis for conducting democratic elections, and recent amendments partially addressed some previous recommendations by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission. These elections demonstrated, however, that important issues remain to be addressed, including the application of provisions against the misuse of state resources, loopholes concerning the use of charities to finance campaigns, and the concentration of media ownership.

Substantial recent amendments to party and campaign finance regulations addressed some previous recommendations, but other key recommendations remain unaddressed, particularly those to enhance the supervision and enforcement of party and campaign finance rules and strengthening sanctions. According to the CEC, it lacks sufficient human resources to monitor campaign finance effectively, and it conducted inquiries only in response to complaints.

Claude Kern, Head of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) delegation, said: “Election day was generally well organized. As demonstrated by the campaign, the new electoral system regrettably confirmed the main concerns raised by the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission, in particular the lack of effective mechanisms to prevent undue influence by wealthy businesspeople, combined with a poor system of supervision of party and candidate funding, and inadequate penalties.”

The media landscape is diverse, with television as the main source of political information, followed by online media. Media monitoring showed that some national TV channels did not comply with the legal requirement to provide fair, balanced and impartial campaign coverage.

Most technical aspects of the election were managed professionally at all levels, and election commission sessions were open to observers and media. Women were well represented at all levels of the election administration. The lack of clarity over jurisdiction to hear complaints and the CEC’s view that it could not overrule district committee decisions on candidate registration resulted in the denial of the right to an effective remedy in a number of cases. 

“The prominent role that women play in running elections was on display yesterday in polling stations across the country,” said Kari Henriksen, Head of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly delegation. “Considering that women are the majority of the population, political leaders must assume their responsibility to step up and effectively translate this into equal political power and representation.”

In an inclusive process, the CEC registered all 14 parties and one bloc that submitted national lists. Of the 632 candidates on national lists, 264 are women, but only 49 were in top 10 positions. There were 325 candidates registered in single member constituencies, of whom 70 are women and 58 ran as independents.

“The elections offered voters a wide choice of political alternatives, the campaign was competitive and fundamental rights were respected, but reports of pressure on public employees, vote-buying and the misuse of state resources have to be addressed to increase public confidence in elections,” said Matyas Eörsi, Head of the ODIHR election observation mission. “We hope the authorities will follow up on the recommendations contained in our final report on these elections to address these issues.”

Citing security considerations, the CEC changed the locations of 31 of 47 polling stations opened for the first time specifically for voters residing in Transniestria. One major contesting party alleged this was a government attempt to reduce the number of votes from Transniestria. The CEC established 123 polling stations in 37 countries for out-of-country voting, an increase from previous elections. The lack of transparency in how these polling stations were allocated contributed to a perception that the decision was made for political reasons.

Candidate, citizen and international observers have broad rights, including the right to attend sessions of all election commissions and to receive results protocols, and contributed to transparency. Citizen observers conducted long-term observation, deployed short-term observers on election day and conducted a parallel vote tabulation.

For further information, contact:

Thomas Rymer, ODIHR, +373 68 012 098 or +48 609 522 266, thomas.rymer@odihr.pl

Nat Parry, OSCE PA, +373 69 042 291 or +45 60 10 81 77, nat@oscepa.dk

Chemavon Chahbazian, PACE, +373 69 189 927, chemavon.chahbazian@coe.int,

Tim Boden, EP, +373 60 370 226 or +324 98 983 324, timothy.boden@ep.europa.eu

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412349 Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Astana

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana supported a training seminar on conducting and monitoring public hearings as a tool for public participation in environmental decision making on 23 February 2019 in Pavlodar, Kazakhstan.

The event was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in partnership with Pavlodar’s Aarhus Centre for some 20 environmental NGOs, journalists and students. The training seminar covered the key principles of the Aarhus Convention, environmental rights of Kazakhstan’s citizens and procedures to participate in the public hearings.

Pavlodar’s Aarhus Center is currently engaged in developing an analytical report on monitoring the public hearings. The document will incorporate the results of the six-month public hearings monitoring and a step-by-step checklist of procedures which must be followed prior, during and after the public hearings. The document will also have recommendations and concrete procedural steps on how to address existing challenges to comply with legislative requirements while organizing public hearings.

The event was part of the Programme Office’s multi-year activities to promote good environmental governance and to assist the host country in meeting its commitments under the Aarhus Convention.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region.
• The Mission saw fresh damage caused by shelling in a residential area of non-government-controlled Holmivskyi.
• The SMM recorded ceasefire violations inside and near the Zolote disengagement area.
• The Mission saw multiple launch rocket systems in violation of the withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region.
• Its long-range unmanned aerial vehicle spotted four military jet aircrafts flying over government-controlled Lastochkyne, near the contact line.
• The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in Luhansk region and demining activities in Donetsk region.
• Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas as well as at a checkpoint near non-government-controlled Styla.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 50 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 140 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south and south-east of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol), at south-easterly directions of Krasnohorivka (government-controlled, 21km west of Donetsk) and at westerly directions of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 80 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (15 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded near the disengagement area close to Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) (see Disengagement areas below).

Damage caused by shelling in Holmivskyi

In a residential area of Holmivskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km north-east of Donetsk), on 21 February, the SMM saw four fresh craters within a radius of 100m, assessed as caused by 82mm mortar rounds fired from a north-north-easterly direction. The first crater was next to the north-north-eastern side of an inhabited two-storey apartment building at 2 Radianskoi Armii Street. The SMM observed shrapnel damage on the east- and north-facing sides of the building and that its two first-floor windows (one facing east, the other north) were broken. The second crater was about 20m south of an inhabited two-storey apartment building at 5 Radianskoi Armii Street. The SMM saw a broken window and shrapnel damage on the building’s south-facing side. The remaining two craters were observed in the area between the two buildings (about 50m from the buildings). A male resident of the first building told the SMM that at around 23:30 on 18 February, while at home, he had heard a “loud explosion”.

Disengagement areas[2]

On the evening and night of 21-22 February, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded an undetermined explosion at an assessed range of 3-5km south (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area) and two projectiles in flight from south-west to north-east at an assessed range of 1-2km east-south-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area). In the late afternoon of 22 February, the camera recorded an explosion assessed as an impact at an assessed range of 2-3km south-south-east (assessed as inside the disengagement area).

On the morning of 22 February, positioned south-west of Molodizhne (non-government-controlled, 63km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard about 90 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire at an assessed range of 1-2km north-west (assessed as outside the Zolote disengagement area).

The same day, positioned inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk) and north of Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM observed calm situations. [3]

Withdrawal of weapons

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

In violation of withdrawal lines

Non-government-controlled areas

20 February:

Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of:

• seven multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (type undetermined) in a training area near Miusynsk (62km south-west of Luhansk) (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 31 January 2019).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

21 February

An SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted:

• eight self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Novoolenivka (48km north-west of Donetsk).

22 February

The SMM saw:

• eight stationary MLRS (type undetermined) near Krasna Poliana (73km south-west of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas

20 February:

Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of:

• three tanks (type undetermined) and 12 pieces of towed artillery (type undetermined) in a training area near Miusynsk (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 31 January 2019).

Weapons that the SMM could not verify as withdrawn[4]

At heavy weapons holding areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas of Donetsk region

22 February

The SMM noted that:

• 12 MLRS (eight BM-27 Uragan, 220mm and four BM-30 Smerch, 300mm), all observed for the first time, were present and
• ten MLRS (six BM-27 and four BM-30), six self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and nine towed mortars (2B9 Vasilek, 82mm) remained missing.

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[5]

Government-controlled areas

21 February

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• four military jet aircrafts flying over Lastochkyne (19km north-west of Donetsk), from north to south and then turn south-west at an altitude of approximately 3,000 feet.

22 February

The SMM saw:

• four armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-1) near Vesele (21km north of Donetsk) and
• two armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-1) in Krasnohorivka.

Demining activities and mine hazard signs

Near Lomakyne (government-controlled, 15km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM saw four vehicles each with the logo of an international demining organization parked on a road and about 50 persons nearby. The Mission observed some of them conducting demining activities with metal detectors in fields adjacent to the road. (See SMM Daily Report 20 February 2019.)

On the south-western edge of Raivka (non-government-controlled, 16km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM observed a mine hazard sign (red and yellow with the “Stop mines” written in Russian) for the first time 1m north of a road. In Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM noted that a previously observed tailfin of a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG-7) next to a house was no longer present (see SMM Daily Report 22 February 2019).

SMM facilitation of repair works to civilian infrastructure

The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable inspection and repairs to water wells at the Petrivske water pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk). The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk).

Border area outside government control

While at a border crossing point near Novoazovsk (40km east of Mariupol) for 20 minutes, the SMM saw four cars (one with Ukrainian and two with Russian Federation licence plates, and one with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine. The SMM also saw six cars (three with Ukrainian and three with Russian Federation licence plates) and one covered cargo truck (with Ukrainian licence plates) exiting Ukraine.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (for example, see SMM Daily Report 18 February 2019). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

• At a checkpoint in Styla (non-government-controlled, 34km south of Donetsk), three members of the armed formations (one of them visibly armed) denied the SMM passage, saying that it was not allowed to continue as there was a “compound” near the road ahead.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.
• At a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint north of the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk), a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that there had been no demining in the area.

 

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During the reporting period, the SMM camera in Svitlodarsk was not operational.

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate”.

[2]Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] Due to the presence of mines, including a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM’s access to its camera in Petrivske remains limited, and thus the SMM has not been able to access observations from the camera since 22 June 2018.

[4] The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage did not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification from the SMM to the signatories of the Package of Measures on effective monitoring and verification of the withdrawal of heavy weapons.

[5] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

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Marina Živaljević

Free and independent media are a cornerstone of every democratic society, said Head of OSCE Mission to Montenegro Maryse Daviet, opening a roundtable discussion on the country’s draft law on media on 22 February 2019 in Podgorica.

The discussion was organized by Montenegro’s Ministry of Culture, with the support of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, the Council of Europe and the European Union Delegation to Montenegro.

“Journalists must be able to work in a safe environment, protected by a legislative framework that protects their rights to report objectively, without fear of repercussions,” said Daviet.

She welcomed Montenegro’s commitment to follow best practices and harmonize its legislation with the European Union’s Acquis. “This process of harmonizing the media law has the full support of the OSCE Mission,” said Daviet.

Minister of Culture Aleksandar Bogdanović said that the Government of Montenegro, in co-operation with the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the European Commission, began reviewing media legislation aimed at strengthening media regulation as one of the pillars of democracy.

“The Government of Montenegro and the Ministry of Culture advocates the freedom of expression and information as fundamental human rights through the free and independent media guaranteed by law,” said  Bogdanović. “It advocates the protection of journalists, the protection of pluralism and the diversity of media through the establishment of the Fund for the Protection of Pluralism.”

Support to the process of drafting the country’s media law has also been provided by the embassies of Italy, Slovakia, Albania and Romania.

VIENNA, 22 February 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today expressed serious concern over the sentence handed down to the editor of the Bastainfo.com online platform, Mustafa Hajibeyli, in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Yesterday, the Baku Court on Grave Crimes imposed a five-and-a-half-year conditional sentence on Hajibeyli, with a two-year probation period, on charges of public calls against the state, excess of authority and forgery. Reportedly, the charges relate to allegations that Bastainfo.com disseminated false and illegal information regarding a power outage and attack on the Head of the city of Ganja in 2018, an issue which the Representative raised in his earlier interventions with the authorities.

“This court decision convicting Mustafa Hajibeyli marks a worrying trend for freedom of expression and freedom of the media in Azerbaijan. I call on the authorities to carefully review the case on appeal, and allow the journalist to work unimpeded in full compliance with the OSCE’s media freedom commitments,” Désir said.

The Representative noted reports of various irregularities during the court’s proceedings, including with regard to the grounds and relevance of bringing such grave charges against the editor. 

Désir also reiterated his concern regarding the case of the editor of the online platform Criminalaz.com, Anar Mammadov, who is facing trial on similar charges.

“Any restrictions on the right to freedom of expression should be narrowly applied and in full compliance with the principles of rule of law, necessity and proportionality. Media workers should not be targeted in retaliation for their work,” the Representative concluded.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.

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VIENNA, 22 February 2019 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 18th Winter Meeting concluded today in Vienna with lively debates on migration, counter-terrorism, gender issues, and combating corruption. With nearly 300 OSCE parliamentarians in attendance, Chairs of OSCE PA ad hoc committees, Special Representatives, and leaders of recent election observation missions presented reports at today’s closing plenary session.

PA President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) and Secretary General Roberto Montella held a series of bilateral meetings while in Vienna, including with the U.S. and Russian delegations, as well as the delegations of Albania and Armenia, and the Chairman of the Kazakh Mazhilis Nurlan Nigmatulin. They also met with the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak, and Secretary General Thomas Greminger.

Chaired by Filippo Lombardi (MP, Switzerland), Artur Gerasymov (MP, Ukraine) and Margareta Kiener Nellen (MP, Switzerland), the general committees of the OSCE PA have met over the past two days for discussions on issues such as restrictions on human rights during emergencies; fighting corruption, money laundering and the financing of terrorism; and how to best leverage the tools and mechanisms of the OSCE to resolve protracted conflicts.

Rapporteurs of the general committees presented their ideas and intentions for the reports and draft resolutions they will be preparing for this summer’s Annual Session in Luxembourg. Alan Farrell (MP, Ireland), Rapporteur of the Assembly’s Committee on Political Affairs and Security, stressed the role of parliaments in promoting sustainable development, democratic institutions and security.

“Parliaments have a fundamental role in ensuring governments remain accountable to their citizens, that their actions are transparent, and that all actions which work towards building and developing sustainable peace are both inclusive and people-centered,” Farrell said.

Elona Gjebrea Hoxha (MP, Albania), Rapporteur of the Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment, focused her remarks on economic good governance, the fight against corruption and financing terrorism, connectivity, migration management, food and water security, and climate change.

“Climate change is now affecting every country on every continent,” she said. “It is disrupting national economies and affecting lives, costing people, communities, and countries dearly today and even more tomorrow.” She urged action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and curb the worst effects of global warming.

Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions Rapporteur Kyriakos Hadjiyianni (MP, Cyprus) noted that 71 years after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and 44 years after the adoption of the Helsinki Final Act, there is a need to reaffirm and update these international commitments.

He focused on growing trends of neo-Nazism and anti-Semitism, the use of states of emergencies to suspend democratic commitments, and the needs of children in areas of military conflict. “Children living in conflict zones around the world continued to suffer extreme violence and serious human rights violations in 2018,” Hadjiyianni regretted. “Schools, students and teachers often become targets. Displacement of children all too often results in separation from their parents.”

He noted that 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and on this occasion, stressed that protection of children should become a top priority.

In a report to the plenary session today, OSCE PA Ad Hoc Committee on Migration Chair Nahima Lanjri (MP, Belgium) described the committee’s work conducting field visits, promoting discussion on the topic of migration in the OSCE PA, and strengthening co-operation with the OSCE Secretariat, Institutions and relevant international actors.

She focused her remarks on migration-related challenges such as unaccompanied and separated children, access to education for children, and integration of refugees. For a successful international response to migration, she said it is essential to promote a multi-stakeholder approach that includes the engagement of public and private sectors and local governments, as well as implementing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and the Global Compact on Refugees on the international level.

Chair Makis Voridis (MP, Greece) reported on the activities of the OSCE PA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism (CCT) over the past year, noting that it has been working intensively to provide parliamentary added value to counter-terrorism efforts. He described evolving trends in terrorism and violent extremism, stressing that international terror groups like ISIL and al-Qaeda remain very active in conflict-affected zones.

In addressing the ongoing threat of terrorism, Voridis discussed a number of initiatives, including mechanisms to promote the implementation of international commitments within national parliaments. He highlighted a CCT initiative calling upon all parliaments to inquire with their governments on the status of implementation of international standards on border security and information sharing in the context of the fight against terrorism and the return of foreign terrorist fighters, noting that 16 OSCE PA member parliaments have already responded.

In the Standing Committee meeting on Thursday, heads of delegations agreed that from 1 April onwards OSCE PA election observers will have to submit a declaration on conflicts of interest that they might have regarding electoral stakeholders.

Speeches and reports from the two-day Winter Meeting are available here.

Photos are available for public use on the OSCE PA's Flickr page.

Videos are being posted at the OSCE PA's YouTube channel.

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SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region.
• Houses sustained damage caused by gunfire in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka.
• The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area and near the Zolote disengagement area. 
• The SMM saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region.
• The Mission monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to essential civilian infrastructure in Luhansk region and demining activities in Donetsk region.
• Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 140 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 475 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south and south-east of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol); south-east, south and south-west of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk); as well as in areas south, west and north of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including, however, fewer explosions (15), compared with the previous reporting period (about 135 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south and south-west of Muratove (government-controlled, 51km north-west of Luhansk) and near the disengagement area close to Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) (see Disengagement areas below).

Houses in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka sustained damage caused by gunfire

At 6 Dundycha Street, within a residential area in the south-eastern part of Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM saw a broken south-facing window pane on the ground floor of a two-storey house and scorch marks to the south-facing side of the same house. It also saw remnants of ammunition, assessed as a tailfin of a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG-7) 2-4m south of the house. The SMM assessed the damage as fresh and caused by the explosion of a rocket propelled grenade (RPG-7) fired from a north-north-westerly direction.

At 4 Dundycha Street, the SMM saw three holes in a north-facing window on the ground floor of a two-storey house. It assessed the damage as fresh and caused by rounds of small-arms fire.

At 4 Poshtova Street, within a residential area on the northern edge of Zolote-5/Mykhailivka, the SMM saw two broken south-eastern-facing windows on the ground floor of a two-storey house. It also saw remnants of ammunition assessed as an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1, 73mm) round about 10m south of the aforementioned windows.

Disengagement areas[2]

On the evening of 20 February, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded a burst at an assessed range of 4-5km east-south-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

On 21 February, positioned in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka, the SMM heard three undetermined explosions, as well as four shots and about 30 bursts of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 1-2km north-west (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area).

Positioned about 2km north of Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions at an assessed range of 2-4km south-south-west and south-west (assessed as inside the disengagement area).[3]

Positioned inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed a calm situation.

Withdrawal of weapons

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

Weapons in violation of withdrawal lines

Non-government-controlled areas

21 February

The SMM saw:

• two self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and four towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) near Bile (22km west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites

Non-government-controlled areas

• ten tanks (five T-72 and five T-64) and a self-propelled mortar (2S9 Nona-S, 120mm) in a training area near Ternove (57km east of Donetsk) (see SMM Daily Report 21 February 2019) and
• 20 tanks (T-72) in a training area near Manuilivka (65km east of Donetsk). 

20 February

The SMM saw:

• seven tanks (two T-72 and five T-64) in a training area near Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk).

Weapons that the SMM could not verify as withdrawn

At heavy weapons holding areas in government-controlled areas of Luhansk region[4]

21 February

The SMM noted that:

• eight howitzers (D-30) were present and
• 30 self-propelled howitzers (2S1), seven towed howitzers (D-30) and 24 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) were again missing.

Weapons permanent storage site

At permanent storage sites in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region

21 February

The SMM noted that:

• six tanks (five T-64 and one T-72) were again missing.

At a heavy weapons permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region

20 February

The SMM noted that:

• ten towed howitzers (nine D-30 and one 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm), 14 self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and five MLRS (BM-21) were again missing.

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[5]

Government-controlled areas

20 February

An SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted:

• three IFVs (BMP variants) south-east of Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk).

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• two IFVs (BMP variants) near Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk).

21 February

The SMM saw:

• an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BREM variant) and six IFVs (BMP-1) in Popasna (69km west of Luhansk) (see SMM Daily Report of 20 February 2019) and
• an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM variant) near Novotroitske (36km south-west of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas

20 February

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• five armoured recovery vehicles (three BTS-4A and two VT-55), six IFVs (three BMP-1 and three BMP-2), nine APCs (seven MT-LB and two BTR-70) and an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) in compounds in the Leninskyi district of Donetsk city and
• an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB) in Kalmiuske (formerly Komsomolske, 42km south-east of Donetsk).

21 February

The SMM saw:

• an IFV (BMP-1) in Luhansk city;
• an IFV (BMP variant) in Hryhorivka (68km south of Donetsk); and
• an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) near Pervomaisk (58km west of Luhansk).

Presence of mines and remnants of ammunition

On 20 February, an SMM long-range UAV again spotted 11 anti-tank mines (nine TM-62 and two probable TM-62) laid across road H21 about 70m east of the bridge in Shchastia and six anti-tank mines (four TM-62 and two probable TM-62) laid across the same road 50m west of the bridge (for previous observations see SMM Daily Report 9 February 2019). 

SMM facilitation of repair works to civilian infrastructure

The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable inspection and repair works to water pipelines of the Petrivske water pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk) and water pipelines in Donetskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km west of Luhansk), as well as to enable demining activities in Krasnohorivka (government-controlled, 21km west of Donetsk). The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk).

Border area outside government control

While at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk) for about 50 minutes, the SMM saw three cars (two with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates) and a bus entering Ukraine. The SMM also saw 11 covered cargo trucks (four with Ukrainian and four with Russian Federation licence plates, as well as three with “LPR” plates) exiting Ukraine. At the Chervona Mohyla railway station in Voznesenivka, the SMM saw at least 200 stationary empty cargo wagons. 

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (for example, see SMM Daily Report 18 February 2019). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.

[1] Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as a map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report. During the reporting period, the SMM camera in Svitlodarsk was not operational.

[2]Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] Due to the presence of mines, including a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM’s access to its camera in Petrivske remains limited, and thus the SMM has not been able to access observations from the camera since 22 June 2018.

[4] The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage did not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification from the SMM to the signatories of the Package of Measures on effective monitoring and verification of the withdrawal of heavy weapons. The SMM noted that two such sites continued to be abandoned.

[5] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

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SARAJEVO, 22 February 2019 – The Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Bruce G. Berton, the President of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) of BiH, Milan Tegeltija, and the Chief Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH, Gordana Tadić, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support the development of a digital archive of all evidence pertaining to war crimes cases in the possession of the BiH Prosecutor’s Office.

Emphasizing the valuable and consistent co-operation with the BiH Prosecutor’s Office and the HJPC, Berton said: “The Memorandum of Understanding, signed within the Project on Improving War Crimes Processing, will allow for the creation of an electronic database containing all evidence available within the BiH Prosecutor’s Office. This digital archive is an important step forward in processing war crimes cases at the state level, and it is one of the recommendations of the 2016 Report by Judge Joana Korner.”

“Activities within this project are crucial for processing war crimes, as every case file contains a large amount of evidence. It is very useful to have a digital evidence database that will enable a more expeditious and efficient overview of evidence, as well as easier sorting of evidence and preparation of highly complex cases. This will significantly facilitate and contribute to a more effective processing of war crimes cases, which is of benefit to all parties involved in the procedure”, emphasized Tadić.

Tegeltija added: “The High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina welcomes and supports any form of co-operation with international organizations aimed at strengthening the rule of law and establishing a functional system that will be of use not only to the judges and prosecutors in their work but also to the general public in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our common goal is for war crimes cases to be finalized within an optimum timeframe, in order to, eventually, leave the heavy burden of war behind us and dedicate ourselves to the establishment of a high-quality judicial system.”

The Project on Improving War Crimes Processing, implemented by the OSCE Mission to BiH, is funded by the Government of the United Kingdom (UK).

British Ambassador to BiH Matthew Field said: “The UK Government is strongly committed to promoting the rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The prosecution of individuals responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide is important for securing justice and ensuring a lasting peace. This project is a follow-up to our previous joint work with the OSCE in addressing the challenges that hinder processing of war crimes cases at the state level. That work resulted in a set of recommendations by Judge Korner, and this database is one of them.”

Ambassador Field further pointed out: “The recommendations are still highly significant, in particular the reestablishment of a geographical team structure and the introduction of a mentoring system for new prosecutors. We welcome the Chief Prosecutor’s commitment to implementing these recommendations which will ensure the more efficient prosecution of war crimes and further enhance the capabilities of the Prosecutor’s Office to focus on more complex cases involving high-level perpetrators.”

The OSCE Mission to BiH and the British Embassy in Sarajevo reiterated their commitment to providing continued support judicial institutions in BiH, in order to ensure efficient war crimes processing, thus contributing to the building of a strong, independent and effective judiciary.

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Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Astana

A training seminar for media representatives on the fundamentals of anti-corruption practices was held by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in partnership with the Agency for Civil Service Affairs and Anti-corruption on 21 February 2019 in Astana.

Some 25 representatives of the media were familiarized with ongoing reforms in the country and plans to address challenges to combat corruption. The presentations were complemented by the OSCE-supported instructors from the civil sector who highlighted best international practices to combat corruption and provided an overview of Kazakhstan’s implementation of anti-corruption recommendations under its Istanbul Anti-Corruption Action Plan.

The Istanbul Anti-Corruption Action Plan is a sub-regional peer review programme that was launched in 2003 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Under the programme, members of the network are reviewed and monitored on a continuous basis for the implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption. For Kazakhstan, the next assessment  is due next month.

The training seminar was part of the Programme Office’s multi-year efforts to promote good governance by focusing on anti-corruption activities in Kazakhstan.

SKOPJE, 22 February 2019 – The Prime Minister, the Ministers of the Interior and Justice and the New President of the State Commission for Prevention of Corruption addressed a conference on the role of law enforcement agencies in the struggle against corruption, which was organized by the OSCE Mission in Skopje and the Italian Embassy today.

Clemens Koja, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, said: “Law enforcement agencies are crucial to the effective fight against corruption. So is the integrity of law enforcement agencies for the credibility of that struggle. We at the OSCE stand ready to support the ongoing reforms and the emerging anti-corruption architecture in the country.”

Zoran Zaev, the Prime Minister of North Macedonia said: “Corruption, conflict of interests and nepotism at all levels, are among the most dangerous threats to society and all its citizens. Society, individuals and institutions, especially those that are entitled to combat this phenomenon, should be able to recognize, prevent and punish all forms of corruption.”

The discussion explored how to strengthen the North Macedonia’s fight against corruption and drew on international experiences, which was presented by Raffaele Cantone, the President of the Italian National Anti-Corruption Authority (ANAC).

Carlo Romeo, Ambassador of Italy to North Macedonia said that the participation of Cantone confirms Italy’s strong commitment to supporting the Western Balkan countries in their efforts to prevent and combat corruption.

“Anti-corruption related efforts were the focus of special attention throughout Italy’s Chairmanship of the ‘Berlin Process’ in 2017 and specifically its Western Balkan Summit aiming to assist the countries in their efforts towards prospective European integration. This approach was also taken during our OSCE Chairmanship last year by appointing a Special Representative for Anti-Corruption,’ said Romeo.

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CHISINAU, 22 February 2019 – The international observers for the parliamentary elections in Moldova will present their preliminary post-election statement at a news conference on Monday, 25 February, in Chisinau.

The mission is a joint undertaking of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the European Parliament (EP).

The statement will be delivered by George Tsereteli, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission, followed by Claude Kern, Head of the PACE delegation,

Kari Henriksen, Head of the OSCE PA delegation, Rebecca Harms, Head of the EP delegation, and Matyas Eörsi, Head of the ODIHR election observation mission.

The international election observation mission comprises some 340 observers from 38 countries, including 259 long-term and short-term observers deployed by ODIHR, 42 parliamentarians and staff from the OSCE PA, 25 from PACE and 11 from the EP.

Journalists are invited to attend the press conference on Monday, 25 February, at 14:30 in the Raut Ballroom of the Radisson Blu Leogrand Hotel, str. Mitropolit Varlaam 77, Chisinau.

The press conference will be live streamed at: www.osce.org/odihr/elections/moldova/389342 and www.oscepa.org

For further information, contact:

Thomas Rymer, ODIHR, +373 68 012 098 or +48 609 522 266, thomas.rymer@odihr.pl

Nat Parry, OSCE PA, +373 69 042 291 or +45 60 10 81 77, nat@oscepa.dk

Chemavon Chahbazian, PACE, +373 69 189 927, chemavon.chahbazian@coe.int,

Tim Boden, EP, +373 60 370 226 or +324 98 983 324, timothy.boden@ep.europa.eu

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VIENNA, 21 February 2019 – At today’s opening of the 18th Winter Meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Chairperson-in-Office and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Miroslav Lajčák acknowledged the crucial role of parliamentarians in ensuring that the OSCE’s work stays focused on people.

Briefing close to 300 parliamentarians from 54 out of 57 participating States and four out of 11 Partners for Co-operation on the Slovak Chair’s priorities for 2019, he underlined the priority attached to stronger multilateral co-operation. “We need allies; we need complementarity.”

Speaking on the urgent need to address the challenges of today, Minister Lajčák added that “difficult times require creativity and innovative responses. We need new approaches. And the Parliamentary Assembly has proven to be an excellent source of inspiration.”

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli said that “Multilateralism is a crucially important tool in assisting us meet our commitments and enable the next generations to inherit a better world.” He continued that the high-level of participation is “a testament not only to the importance we all give to the OSCE, but also to our collective desire to work together on issues that affect us all.”

Underscoring the need to develop new methods to address ongoing security challenges, the President of the Austrian National Council, Wolfgang Sobotka stressed that “the OSCE is irreplaceable”.

OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger said: “The unique potential of the OSCE is made stronger thanks to close co-operation with the Parliamentary Assembly. Just think of the excellent co-operation the Parliamentary Assembly has with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, particularly on election observation missions.”

The 323-member Parliamentary Assembly is a platform for discussion among parliamentarians and OSCE delegations on challenges and opportunities related to the OSCE’s approach to comprehensive security. This Winter Meeting of the Assembly has taken place annually since 2002 and allows participants to engage in preparatory discussions ahead of the Annual Session, which is held in the summer.

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SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM saw fresh damage caused by shelling in Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district.
• The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area.
• The SMM saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable inspection and repair works to essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas, as well as at a checkpoint near non-government-controlled Kovske, Donetsk region.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 475 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (225 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, including the majority of explosions, were recorded at westerly and north-westerly directions of Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk) and at south-easterly and south-westerly directions of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk).

On 20 February, positioned about 2km north of Staropetrivske (non-government-controlled, 35km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw seven tanks (types undetermined) and heard and saw 55 outgoing explosions of tank rounds about 1-1.5km west-north-west of its position. The Mission assessed the explosions as live-fire training inside the security zone, in violation of the decision of the Trilateral Contact Group of 3 March 2016 that prohibits the conduct of live-fire training (exercises) in the security zone (see the withdrawal of weapons section below).

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including, however, fewer explosions (about 135), compared with the previous reporting period (about 170 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, including the majority of explosions, were recorded in areas north-west and north-east of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk) and inside and near the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) (see the disengagement areas section below).

Damage caused by shelling in Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district

On 19 February, at 12/1 Bezlisna Street in the Trudivski area of Donetsk city’s Petrovskyi district (non-government-controlled, 15km south-west of Donetsk city centre), the SMM saw a 15cm hole in the roof of a house. The Mission saw that the wooden frame of an attic window on the building’s south-western side was partially ripped out of the wall. The Mission assessed the damage to the roof and the frame as fresh and caused by infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) cannon (73mm) round(s) fired from a south-westerly direction. About 10m south-west of the house, the SMM saw a fresh crater assessed as caused by a projectile (type of weapon undetermined) fired from a south-westerly direction. A woman (in her sixties) who introduced herself as the resident of the building told the Mission that the damage had been caused by shelling on the afternoon of 17 February.

At 2 Bezlisna Street, the Mission saw that a section of a gas pipeline was covered with grey tape. A man who introduced himself as a member of the team of workers conducting repairs to the pipeline told the SMM that it had been damaged during shelling on the morning of 19 February.

At 13/3 Bokiia Street, the SMM saw debris hanging from the ceiling of a storage shed and a hole in the shed’s south-west-facing wall. It also saw that some panels on the roof were different in colour and that there were repair materials on the ground. The Mission assessed the damage as fresh and caused by a projectile fired from a south-westerly direction, but it was unable to determine the calibre. A man (in his forties) who introduced himself as the owner of the property told the SMM that the damage had been caused by shelling on the afternoon of 17 February. He added that he had repaired the roof after it had been damaged.

At 13/2 Bokiia Street, the Mission saw that large sections of six bricks forming the south-western corner of a chimney about 2m from the ground were chipped off. The SMM also saw that there was shrapnel damage on the south-west-facing wall of a shed adjacent to the chimney. It assessed the damage as fresh and caused by a projectile fired from a south-westerly direction, but it was unable to determine the calibre. A woman (in her thirties) who introduced herself as a neighbour told the SMM that the damage had been caused by shelling on the afternoon of 17 February.

Disengagement areas[2]

During the day on 20 February, positioned on the western edge of Kalynove-Borshchuvate (non-government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 40 undetermined explosions and nine bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all at an assessed range of 3-4km north-north-east (all assessed as inside the disengagement area near Zolote). Positioned about 1.5km south-east of Molodizhne (non-government-controlled, 63km north-west of Luhansk), the Mission heard five undetermined explosions at an assessed range of 2-3km north (assessed as inside the disengagement area near Zolote) and an undetermined explosion 1-2km west-north-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area). Positioned on the western edge of Zolote-2/Karbonit (government-controlled, 62km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two impact explosions at an assessed range of 3-5km south (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

Positioned inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed a calm situation.[3]

Withdrawal of weapons

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

Weapons in violation of withdrawal lines:

Government-controlled areas

19 February

An SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted:

• a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) near Voitove (33km north-west of Luhansk).

20 February

The SMM saw:

• a surface-to-air missile system (9K35) heading east near Krasnohorivka (24km north of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas

20 February

The SMM saw:

• seven tanks (type undetermined) near Staropetrivske.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

18 February

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• a surface-to-air missile system (9K35) in Nyrkove (77km west of Luhansk).

Non-government-controlled areas

17 February

Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of:

• 17 tanks (type undetermined), nine pieces of self-propelled and 18 pieces of towed artillery or mortars in a training area near Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk) and
• 27 tanks (type undetermined) in a training area near Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk).

18 February

Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of:

• 17 tanks (type undetermined) in a training area near Buhaivka (37km south-west of Luhansk);
• six tanks (type undetermined) in a training area near Shymshynivka (27km south-west of Luhansk); and
• 21 tanks (type undetermined) in a training area near Ternove (15km south-east of Luhansk).

Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed on 18 February the presence of eight pieces of self-propelled and 23 pieces of towed artillery in a training area near Buhaivka.[4]

Weapons that the SMM could not verify as withdrawn[5]

At heavy weapons holding areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas of Donetsk region

20 February

The SMM noted that:

• nine self-propelled mortars (2S9 Nona, 120mm) and four anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) were present and
• 113 towed howitzers (56 2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm; 45 D-20, 152mm; and 12 2A65 MSTA-B, 152 mm), 18 mortars (2B11 Sani, 120mm) and 12 anti-tank guns (D48, 85mm) remained missing.

At heavy weapons holding areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas of Luhansk region

20 February

The SMM noted that:

• nine self-propelled mortars (2S9 Nona, 120mm) were present and
• 40 self-propelled howitzers (22 2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm and 18 2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) remained missing.

Weapons permanent storage sites

A permanent storage site beyond the respective withdrawal lines in a government-controlled area of Donetsk region

20 February

The SMM noted that:

• 14 mortars (2B11) continued to be missing.

Indications of military presence in the security zone[6]

Government-controlled areas

19 February

The SMM saw:

• four IFVs (BMP-1) and an armoured medical evacuation vehicle (MT-LB S) near Popasna (see SMM Daily Report of 19 February 2019);
• an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB) and an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) in Troitske (69km west of Luhansk); and
• a self-propelled anti-aircraft system (ZSU-23-4 Shilka, 23mm) in Novozvanivka (70km west of Luhansk).

20 February

The SMM saw:

• an APC (BTR-70) near Berezove (31km south-west of Donetsk) and
• an IFV (BMP-2) near Kamianka (20km north of Donetsk).

UAVs seen flying in the security zone

Positioned near Lebedynske (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM saw three UAVs flying from west to east at altitudes of 100-200m about 500m north of its position.

Recent impact craters

On 14 February, in Zholobok (non-government-controlled, 47km west of Luhansk), an SMM mid-range UAV spotted about 75 recent craters assessed as impacts of mortar (120mm) rounds in a field south of houses occupied by the armed formations (not visible in imagery from 16 January 2019).

Presence of mines

On 19 February, an SMM mini-UAV spotted at least 24 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid out in four rows across the road between Bohdanivka (government-controlled, 41km south-west of Donetsk) and Viktorivka (non-government-controlled, 42km south-west of Donetsk), about 170m north of the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk). About 140m from the above-mentioned mines, the same UAV spotted 11 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid out in two rows across the same road and ten anti-tank mines (TM-62) in an adjacent field. (For previous observations, see SMM Daily Report of 7 February 2019 and SMM Daily Report of 29 November 2018.)

On 20 February, the SMM spotted eight anti-tank mines (TM-62) on road 1315, about 50m north-west of a destroyed bridge in Trokhizbenka (government-controlled, 32km north-west of Luhansk), as well as a mine (assessed as a MON-90 anti-personnel fragmentation mine) and a grenade (assessed as a VOG-17 type) spotted for the first time on the western abutment of the bridge.

SMM facilitation of repair works to civilian infrastructure

The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable inspection and repair works to water pipelines of the Petrivske water pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk) and to power transmission lines near Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk). The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk).

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (for example, see SMM Daily Report 18 February 2019). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

• At a checkpoint near Kovske (non-government-controlled, 91km south of Donetsk), four members of the armed formations denied the SMM passage, citing “ongoing training in the area”.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.

[1] Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as a map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report. During the reporting period, the SMM camera in Svitlodarsk was not operational.

[2]Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] Due to the presence of mines, including a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM’s access to its camera in Petrivske remains limited, and thus the SMM has not been able to access observations from the camera since 22 June 2018.

[4] Imagery resolution precluded the identification of the types of weapons, therefore the SMM could not determine if these weapons were in violation of the withdrawal lines or beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites.

[5] The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage did not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification from the SMM to the signatories of the Package of Measures on effective monitoring and verification of the withdrawal of heavy weapons. The SMM noted that eight such sites continued to be abandoned.

[6] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

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VIENNA, 21 February 2019 – Speakers at the opening plenary session of the 18th Winter Meeting in Vienna stressed today the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s unique ability to promote a multilateral approach to addressing challenges, including by conveying OSCE values to constituencies across the OSCE area.

With nearly 300 parliamentarians from some 60 countries in attendance, President of the Austrian National Council Wolfgang Sobotka noted in his opening address that 30 years since the fall of the Iron Curtain, the OSCE is still working to create conditions to successfully overcome divides between East and West. He stressed that the Parliamentary Assembly complements the work of governments in the OSCE.

“The annual Winter Meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Vienna provides a unique platform for dialogue and building trust. It is our responsibility as parliamentarians to make use of it,” he said.

OSCE PA President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) said that the opportunity provided by the Winter Meeting for direct interaction between parliamentarians and the governmental side of the OSCE is a demonstration of transparency and a strength of the Organization.

He spoke about conflicts in eastern Ukraine and the South Caucasus, as well as street protests that have been taking place recently in France, Serbia, Hungary and Albania. Stressing the need to be prepared for dealing with a range of possible problems that could emerge from situations related to Brexit, climate change, and the collapse of the INF treaty, Tsereteli emphasized the importance of responding proactively and in the spirit of multilateral co-operation.

“The scope of these joint challenges demonstrates the need for greater transatlantic and pan-European co-operation,” Tsereteli said. “Multilateralism is a crucially important tool in assisting us to meet our commitments and enable the next generations to inherit a better world.”

The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak, said that as representatives elected from across the OSCE area, parliamentarians are uniquely equipped to bring the voices of the people to the work of the OSCE and to express the OSCE’s messages to diverse communities.

“You are the body best suited to ensuring that the OSCE is responsive to the aspirations of its citizens,” Minister Lajcak said. “You can bring their voices to this room and ensure that the OSCE focus stays on people. But the Organization also needs you to work the other way around. Not only to bring people closer to the OSCE, but also to bring the OSCE closer to its people – to convey our message and work, to explain why it matters.”

OSCE Secretary General Greminger spoke about challenges facing the OSCE region but also highlighted positive developments that have been seen recently, including the successful diplomatic process between Skopje and Athens, which he said has opened new possibilities for increased regional co-operation in South East Europe. He also highlighted progress on the Transdniestrian settlement process, which he hoped would encourage the sides in other conflicts to take steps towards peaceful settlement of disputes.

During the question and answer session, OSCE parliamentarians asked the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Secretary General about topics including the crisis in and around Ukraine, gender issues, youth and security initiatives, election observation, anti-Semitism and intolerance, and civil society inclusion in OSCE work.

Earlier, the OSCE PA’s Standing Committee of heads of delegations met to hear reports from President Tsereteli, Secretary General Roberto Montella and Treasurer Doris Barnett, and to discuss current international issues. There was a full and frank exchange over the recent collapse of the INF treaty, including by the heads of the Russian and U.S. delegations.

Chaired by Nahima Lanjri (MP, Belgium) the OSCE PA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration also met today and discussed good practices in migrant integration and the role that parliamentarians can play in the implementation of the global compacts on migration and refugees.

The Winter Meeting continues today with meetings of the general committees on human rights and economic and environmental affairs.

The full speeches from today's opening plenary session are available here.

Photos are available for public use on the OSCE PA's Flickr page.

Videos are being posted at the OSCE PA's YouTube channel.

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412028 Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Astana

Three one-day training seminars and a public discussion on the legislative mechanisms regulating the police’s work in combating domestic violence concluded on 21 February 2019 in the Almaty region, Kazakhstan.

The events were organized by the crisis centre ‘Podrugi’ and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of the Republic of Kazakhstan with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana. Together with two national experts, 209 community police officers discussed best practices in preventing and addressing domestic violence. The events, along with other upcoming training seminars in the Akmola, Aktobe and Zhambyl regions, aim at building the capacity of police inspectors who respond to calls on possible domestic violence cases.

“Domestic violence is one of the main issues internal affairs bodies of the Republic of Kazhakstan are tackling. During the past three years, together with the OSCE, the MIA has been conducting training seminars for community police officers. Through these training seminars, specific amendments have been introduced into the legislation,” said Alexey Milyuk, Head of the Department of Prevention of the Committee of the Administrative Police of the MIA of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Nadezhda Gladyr, head of the Podrugi crisis centre, said: “During the seminar, issues of access of victims of domestic violence to special social services as well as criteria for assessing the presence of ill-treatment leading to social maladjustment and deprivation were discussed.”

An analytical paper to monitor the effectiveness of police work in this area will be drafted by the experts, and will be presented to the MIA at the conclusion of the project.

The seminars are part of the Programme Office’s multi-year efforts to assist the host country and civil society representatives in preventing and combating domestic violence and in offering professional social services to victims.

Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Astana

A one-day OSCE-supported training seminar on good legislative and judicial practices to combat trafficking in persons concluded on 21 February 2019 in Astana.

The seminar brought together some 25 judges dealing with criminal cases from 14 regions of Kazakhstan. It was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, in co-operation with the Justice Academy, the Supreme Court and the United States Embassy in Kazakhstan.

National experts presented the best ways to apply current national legislation and international legal tools to enhance the judicial protection of human trafficking victims.

Participants addressed challenges in proving crimes related to trafficking in court, trends and practices used by courts to identify trafficking victims and international good practices regarding compensation mechanisms for victims of trafficking.

The event is 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.

VIENNA, 20 February 2019 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák and the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today marked the shocking murder of Slovak investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová one year ago.

Ján Kuciak was a journalist known for his investigative reporting into cases of suspected fraud in Slovakia, as well as for his work with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and its outlet, Aktuality.sk. He was also a partner of the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, and was involved in a number of the OSCE’s events. Before his murder, Kuciak filed two complaints with the Prosecutor’s office after receiving several threats. He was the first journalist murdered in relation to his work in Slovakia. Important progress in the investigation of this heinous crime was achieved. Four people were arrested and charged for the murders of Kuciak and his fiancée in September 2018. However, one year later, full justice still has not been brought.

Reiterating the Slovak Chairmanship’s commitment on working towards ensuring the better protection of journalists, Chairperson-in-Office Lajčák stressed that “freedom of expression and freedom of the media are fundamental commitments of OSCE participating States and their value to democracy should not be questioned. Journalists should not have to fear for their lives when fulfilling their work. Therefore, governments must ensure a safe and enabling environment for journalists and media representatives at all times.”

Désir said: “The free media are a cornerstone of democracy. It is unacceptable that journalists can be threatened or killed for doing their work. There must be no impunity for killing journalists. I welcome the first result of the investigation, but I call on the authorities to deploy all necessary means with the greatest determination, in order to bring to justice all those responsible for this horrendous crime, including the mastermind.”

The Chairperson-in-Office and the Representative recalled the OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on Safety of Journalists, adopted last December in Milan, which calls on participating States to “take effective measures to end impunity for crimes committed against journalists, by ensuring accountability as a key element in preventing future attacks.”

“On the first anniversary of Kuciak’s death, my heart goes out to his family and colleagues, and to those of his partner. I send them my deepest  sympathy,” said Désir.

Lajčák added: “To honour their memory, safety of journalists should be our number one concern, not just in Slovakia, but in the whole OSCE area.”

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.

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VIENNA, 20 February 2019 - Bertie Ahern, former Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland, reflected on his experience in achieving peace in Northern Ireland through “inclusive dialogue” and highlight the conditions that made progress in the peace process possible during a joint meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation and the Permanent Council in Vienna today on “Lessons learned from conflict resolution”.

Ahern began with a short history of the conflict through to the almost 30 years of “the Troubles” from 1969. He said that the British and Irish Governments started to work more closely together in the 1980s.

“Thanks to tireless work by successive Governments and officials on both sides, and political leaders, some of the core principles which were to underlie the eventual settlement had been hammered out,” he said. “That was the situation I essentially obtained when I became Taoiseach in the summer of 1997.”

He said it was fortunate that Tony Blair became Prime Minister of Britain at the same time.

“We met early on and hit it off immediately. We both agreed that addressing the Northern Ireland situation was a top priority for both of us. We were both conscious how difficult the task was going to be… But neither Tony Blair nor I gave up hope,” said Ahern.

“A broad acceptance by the parties involved in the conflict that the status quo is untenable and that some form of agreement is better in terms of everybody’s interests,” is his first lesson learnt from conflict resolution, the former Taoiseach said.

Ahern cautioned that “no two conflict situations are the same and each has its own unique character and features.”

He said that he and Blair opted for an inclusive approach that had the majority of the parties, including those associated with non-active paramilitary groups, around the negotiating table.

“It was complex, it was difficult, but in our context and situation, it proved the right decision,” he said. “I feel it is a key decision but one that can only be taken by those closely involved in terms of each negotiation situation.”

Another requirement for conflict resolution, “a personal one,” he added, is to put oneself in the shoes of the other person in the negotiations.

“In other words, it is important that participants in negotiations treat each other as human beings. That may sound simplistic but it is profoundly important. That is how some degree of trust is built and without a modicum, at least, of trust, success is impossible,” he said.

Recalling the efforts of former United States President Bill Clinton and the talks’ chairperson Senator George Mitchell in the peace process, the former Taoiseach noted that external players can bring a positive dynamic to the negotiations.

“I can see that the outside players broke up the energy of those directly involved – brought a slightly distanced perspective – and, of course, could say things to all sides that we could not say to each other.”

Other key lessons elaborated by Ahern were the need for comprehensiveness in terms of issues incorporated in the negotiations; the ability of the parties involved to rise beyond historical issues and grievances in a sensitive manner; and securing the validation of the people for the outcome negotiated.

Ahern concluded by remembering the victims of the violence.

“My deepest hope is that it will be a consolation to all of them that hopefully no family will have to go through in the future what they endured in the past.”

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412001 Communication and Media Relations Section

Some 70 representatives of national institutions of Ukraine and eight other OSCE participating States - the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden and Turkey – completed a two-day workshop in Kyiv on 20 February 2019 focusing on holistic approaches to countering trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labour exploitation.

The workshop was organized by the Strategic Police Matters Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and Ukraine’s Ministry of Social Policy, with the support of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine and INTERPOL.

Representatives of Ukraine’s Ministry of Social Policy, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Labour Inspectorate, the National Police, the State Border Guard Service and the State Migration Service shared and exchanged information and good practices with their counterparts from the other countries with the aim of improving international co-operation and facilitating joint investigations.

Deputy Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine, Natalia Fedorovich, said human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation is an acute challenge for the country. She said it should be countered not only through enhanced co-ordination among national institutions but also through improving the professional level of experts and raising awareness about the international tools available to successfully address such cases.

The Deputy Interior Minister of Ukraine, Tetyana Kovalchuk, recognized the role of the OSCE in addressing the problem, which is mostly transnational in nature.

Representatives of civil society organizations and relevant international organizations also took part in discussions.

The workshop is part of a larger OSCE project to build local capacities to counter trafficking in human beings and the smuggling of migrants in Ukraine. The project is supported by Austria, France, Norway and Switzerland.