Central Europe

543213 Marina Živaljević

How young athletes can foster peace building and conflict resolution efforts and promote inclusive intercultural dialogues – was discussed at the fifth youth camp on “Intercultural Competence Skills in Sport”, organized by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and the Regional Youth Co-operation Office (RYCO) from 8 to 10 May in Kolašin.

Around 20 young athletes from different sport associations gathered to learn more about intercultural skill sets and exchange experiences.

Opening the event, Siv-Katrine Leirtroe, Deputy Head of Mission, emphasised the importance of giving young people opportunities to talk and learn about how they can contribute to building tolerant and peaceful societies. “Sport is a place where people of different cultures and backgrounds come together and fight stereotypes and discrimination in spite of holding different views. Education is important, but it needs a vision. It must inspire young people’s minds, stir their emotions and lend wings to their actions,” said Leirtroe.

Edin Koljenović, Head of the RYCO Local Branch Office in Montenegro said he was pleased with the opportunity to hold this event for five years in a row. “Our young athletes have achieved successes and won medals, making them role models amongst their peers, able to nurture team spirit, friendships, leadership and embracing differences. Today they demonstrated great energy, who after this camp will become ambassadors of RYCO values,” said Koljenović.

Upon the completion of the camp, participants were awarded with certificates.

542967 Marina Živaljević

Ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro partnered with representatives from media self-regulatory bodies in Montenegro to draft a Manual on effective media reporting during election campaigns with 22 concrete recommendations in line with OSCE and international standards, and the Code of Ethics for Montenegrin Journalists.

The Introduction of the Manual sets out the obligation of the media to report accurately and with due care as a fundamental preconditions for the functioning of democracy based on universal suffrage. It adds that the Manual offers a comprehensive and systematic approach to the media community to identify potential professional challenges and provides suggestions as to how to professionally respond to these challenges while covering an election campaign.

In drafting this manual, representatives of the media self-regulatory bodies reviewed recommendations from international organizations on media reporting during elections, as well as the national legal framework within which elections take place. The document also stresses the importance of professional and ethical reporting, to accurately present pluralistic and balanced views in covering an election.  In addition to reporting on the performance of incumbents, providing a platform for debates among candidates, allowing candidates to communicate their message to the electorate, and reporting on campaign developments, the media should inform voters on how to exercise their rights, monitor the electoral process, including election-day proceedings, and report the results to the public. The manual also includes suggestions for preparing the editorial office for the elections.

Members of the Technical Working Group on Self-Regulation, who prepared the Manual, are: Mr Ranko Vujović, Executive Secretary of the Media Council for Self-Regulation; Ms Aneta Spaic, Representative of the Media Council for Self-Regulation; Mr Mihailo Jovović, Programme Director of the daily Vijesti; Ms Paula Petričević, Ombudsperson of the daily Vijesti and the weekly Monitor; Mr Ilija Jovićević, Ombudsperson of the daily Dan and Ms Ljiljana Minić, Editor at the daily Dan.

In the Ministerial Council’s Decision 3/18 in Milan, OSCE participating States recognized the crucial role of journalists in covering elections, in particular in informing the public about candidates, their platforms and ongoing debates.

* This activity is part of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro’s 2023 project and is not linked to the current election observation activities conducted by ODIHR.

542952

Traditional handicraft is inseparable from Central Asia, evoking images of the Silk Road. Yet, the future of trade is digital.

This was the focus of the Regional Forum "E-commerce in handicraft as a driver of key changes in women's entrepreneurship in Central Asia", held on 5-6 May 2023 in Termez, Uzbekistan. The event provided a platform to discuss the role information technology (IT) and digital solutions play in the development of the handicraft sector, in particular for businesswomen. The Forum, organized by the International Business Women Association of Uzbekistan (IBWA) in co-operation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz), brought together around 130 women entrepreneurs from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, as well as Afghan women established in Uzbekistan.

Discussions stressed how handicraft has recently grown into a thriving industry that strengthens local cultural economies, with IT and digital solutions boosting the potential for regional cooperation.

As an example, the e-commerce market in Uzbekistan is developing rapidly, thanks to the active participation of businesswomen and the support of state policies, programmes and strategies in this area. In particular, bordering three countries the Surkhandarya province – whose capital is Termez – offers great opportunities for regional trade, connectivity and business co-operation.

"Helping women acquire the digital knowledge and skills needed to develop entrepreneurship is an integral part of OSCE programmes aimed at women's economic empowerment," said Sergei Sizov, Acting OSCE Project Co-ordinator.

For many years, the OSCE PCUz has been supporting initiatives to strengthen business capacities of women, to improve their employment opportunities, and to promote their economic participation through digital technologies. Concrete examples include the support to the start-up Coozin – a digital platform helping women to run an online cooking business, training courses on computer literacy and digital marketing for women in cooperation with IT Park, and long-term fruitful cooperation with the IBWA to develop communities of businesswomen in different regions of Uzbekistan.

Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe Farhod Nabiyulloev

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (Office) celebrated the World Press Freedom Day together with its national and international partners on 3 May 2023 in Dushanbe. This year’s theme "Shaping a Future of Rights. Freedom of Expression as a driver for all other human rights" created a platform for participants to re-engage, establish network, exchange experience, raise the awareness and discuss the current state of the media affairs in Tajikistan.

High-level representatives from Tajikistan's government, as well as international organizations, embassies, civil society and media outlets attended the conference. The Office organized the conference in cooperation with the Government of Tajikistan, Tajik Media Council, INTERNEWS, the US Embassy, the UK Embassy, the EU Delegation, German Embassy, French Embassy, the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office and UNESCO.

The event featured a series of panel discussions, keynote speeches and workshops. The participants also discussed the challenges and opportunities facing the media industry in Tajikistan. A follow-up workshops on media development, journalism education and reporting, aimed at equipping journalists with the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing media landscape, were also among the focus of the conference.

Representative of Tajikistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ms Zarrina Ismoilzoda said that in a democratic and law-abiding society, the press is one of the main means of influencing public opinion, and its role in the process of democratization and formation of public opinion is very important. She added that the activity of the mass media is based on the Constitution, legislation of the Republic of Tajikistan and other international regulatory legal documents recognized by Tajikistan.

“In the OSCE, we firmly believe that freedom of expression and freedom of the media constitutes basic human rights. Implementation of these principles further serves the stability, development and prosperity,” stated Acting Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe Tea Jaliashvili in her opening speech.

“In Tajikistan, and around the world, an independent press is a key element of building democracy. We will continue to support the professional development of journalists in Tajikistan through exchange programmes, English classes, reporting tours, and technical support for media outlets. We will also continue to urge the Government of Tajikistan to support the rights of journalists and to respect their freedom of expression. We stand ready as friends and partners to assist,” said the U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan H.E. Mr Manuel P., Micaller while delivering his speech during the World Press Freedom Day Conference in Dushanbe.

Ambassador of the French Republic to Tajikistan H.E. Mr Eric Lebédel-Delumeau stated that the EU Member States remain fully committed to engage with governments, media and civil society to strengthen press freedom in Tajikistan and globally. He added that in Dushanbe the EU Ambassadors aligned themselves with the statement.

“Freedom of expression is the right to express our opinion and our right to participate in political, social, economic, cultural life and to find and disseminate accurate and quality information, which is considered one of the basic and fundamental rights for us journalists,” said Ms Hurinisso Alizoda, Chairperson of Tajik Media Council. “Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the World Press Freedom Day by Tajik journalists means that our country respects this right as a member of the UN,” added Ms Alizoda.

542889 Marina Živaljević

In support of an ongoing transformation of the national public service broadcaster – Radio Television Montenegro (RTCG), the OSCE Mission to Montenegro supported the development of the RTCG’s Development Strategy and Digital Transformation Strategy for the period 2023-2027, presented on 5 May in Podgorica.

The Development Strategy lays a five-year foundation for RTCG to preserve the fundamental principles of public service media, its reliability and pluralism, while looking for an increased audience. The Digital Transformation Strategy aims to increase RTCG’s internal communication efficiency and facilitate its external accountability.

Speaking at the event, attended by decision-makers, representatives of Montenegrin and international institutions, and civil society, Dominique Waag, Head of Mission, said that while supporting RTCG in drafting the two strategies, the OSCE Mission focused on RTCG’s transformation into a contemporary and attractive public service broadcaster.

“OSCE principles recognize that independent and pluralistic media are critical in enabling and sustaining democratic societies. Governments should ensure that Public Service Media are politically, editorially, and financially independent to build a well-informed and engaged citizenry, fight unverified information, and make public institutions accountable. As a national public broadcaster, RTCG has a unique and vital role as a source of information aligning with the public interest,” said Ambassador Waag. She recalled the importance of investigative journalism and added that RTCG has to be a service of diverse content in observation of high quality and ethical standards and a factor of social cohesion and integration while giving a voice to everyone.

Boris Raonić, RTCG General Director, stated that RTCG has recognized that the media scene has undergone a transformation. “The way citizens look for information has changed dramatically. The digital age, in which Montenegro is late, is on the scene, but I am happy that we are ready for the challenge. Next year we celebrate 80 years of existence. We have been a companion for the citizens of our country for so long, we are part of the routine and witnesses of the most important and historical events. We will inject energy into a public service that is ready to tackle all challenges,” said Raonić, thanking for the Mission’s support in the development of the strategies.

The Mission engaged two external consultants, Professor Mirjana Nikolić and Dragana Janinović, who, together with RTCG, worked to develop Development and Digital Transformation Strategies for Montenegro’s national public broadcaster.

In 2022, the Mission supported RTCG’s journalists through training sessions and provision of technical equipment for their work, but also commissioned two opinion polls to help RTCG strengthen its brand and programming. OSCE will continue to support RTCG’s transformation into a contemporary public service broadcaster.

PODGORICA, 5 May 2023 - The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an observation mission for the 11 June early parliamentary elections in Montenegro, following an invitation from the national authorities.

The mission is led by Nina Suomalainen and consists of a core team of 11 experts based in Podgorica. Twelve long-term observers seconded by the OSCE participating States will be deployed throughout the country from 13 May. ODIHR also plans to request 100 short-term observers, to arrive several days before election day.

The mission will assess the early parliamentary elections for their compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation.

Observers will closely monitor the work of the election administration and relevant government bodies, campaign activities, including in the media and on social networks, election-related legislation and its implementation, and the resolution of election-related disputes. They will also assess the implementation of previous ODIHR election recommendations.

To assess the pre-election activities, the ODIHR mission will hold meetings with representatives of state authorities, political parties and candidates, civil society, the media and the international community.

On election day, the ODIHR mission will join efforts with delegations from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament to observe the opening of polling stations, voting, the counting of ballots and the tabulation of results.

An interim report will be published some two weeks before the elections to update the public and media on the observation mission’s activities. The day after the elections, the mission’s preliminary findings and conclusions will be presented at a press conference. A final report assessing the entire election process and containing recommendations will be published some months after the elections.

The ODIHR Election Observation Mission and the OSCE Mission to Montenegro operate independently under separate mandates. For further information on ODIHR’s election observation activities in the country, please visit: https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/montenegro

For further information, please contact: 

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

Pietro Tesfamariam, Media Analyst for Election Observation Mission:  pietro.tesfamariam@odihr.me or +382 68 860 873

542850 Željka Šulc

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina has recently published a report analyzing 433 domestic court decisions in anti-discrimination cases rendered between mid-2018 and mid-2021. The Mission report shows an increase in lawsuits and judgments under the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination. This suggests a growing awareness of this vital legal instrument.

While there have been significant institutional and legislative developments to address discrimination in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is still a long way to go. The implementation and consistent application of the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination, as well as addressing the practical issues identified in the Mission’s report, are crucial to addressing this ongoing challenge.

Practices between courts remain inconsistent, particularly in mobbing cases, and when awarding non-pecuniary damages. In addition, the inconsistent approaches to the question of the burden of proof continue.

“The analysis identifies weaknesses and inconsistencies in case law while also accounting for the totality of judicial output in these cases,” said Ambassador Brian Aggeler, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH. “We hope this analysis will help judges in BiH apply and interpret anti-discrimination legislation properly and consistently.“

NEW YORK CITY, 4 May 2023 – The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, addressed the United Nations (UN) Security Council today to reflect on 30 years of co-operation between the two organizations.

“Both the UN and the OSCE should stand together and resolutely work on ways to promote and safeguard peace because no organization can do it alone. Only through collaboration and mutual support can we create a world that is safe, secure, and prosperous for all,” said Osmani.

“As security challenges continue to evolve, the nature of OSCE co-operation with the UN must evolve as well. We must become more pragmatic and action oriented. In the 30 years that have elapsed, the UN and the OSCE have built a significant relationship and coordinated very closely in operational terms. We need to tighten those relations even more now,” he added.

“Peace is the driving force of multilateralism and is the most precious ideal of humankind.  Therefore, we must join forces around our joint pursuit for peace. After all, it’s about people,” concluded Osmani.

The OSCE will mark the 30th Anniversary of its Framework for Co-operation and Co-ordination with the UN on 26 May 2023. This 1993 Framework has been reinforced over the decades by a host of agreements between the OSCE and various UN bodies, strengthening the co-operation between the organizations from high-level political collaboration to technical co-operation on the ground.

542820 Communication and Media Relations Section

The future of security in the Black Sea region was the focus of the first Security Dialogue organized by the Bulgarian Chairpersonship of the Forum for Security Co-operation, held on 3 May. Drawing on the gravity and long-term consequences of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the meeting provided an opportunity for in-depth discussions about the state of play of security in the wider Black Sea region and its role as an integral part of European security.

During the session, two distinct approaches were highlighted: outlining the critical factors that influence the security environment and surveying the varying perceptions of the challenges, threats and possible opportunities. 

The key messages in the discussion stressed that Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine had fundamentally changed the European security environment, leading to a less co-operative and multilateral international system. With regional co-operation mechanisms, such as those established under OSCE auspices, also being affected. The war further evidenced the significant impact of the security challenges in the wider Black Sea region and beyond.

The forum was addressed by Yordan Bozhilov, Director of the Sofia Security Forum, Gheorghe Magheru, Member of the Scientific Council, New Strategy Center, Romania, Tacan Ildem, Chairman of the Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies in Türkiye and Dr. Deborah Sanders, Reader in Defence and Security Studies at King`s College London.

The OSCE Moscow Mechanism mission of experts undertaken by Professor Veronika Bílková, Dr. Cecilie Hellestveit and Dr. Elīna Šteinerte presented their findings to the OSCE Permanent Council on 4 May 2023, collected in the report entitled ‘Report on Violations and Abuses of International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law, War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity, related to the Forcible Transfer and/or Deportation of Ukrainian Children to the Russian Federation’.

The three experts were selected after 45 OSCE participating States, following consultation with Ukraine, invoked the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism on 30 March to “build upon previous findings and establish the facts and circumstances surrounding possible contraventions of relevant OSCE commitments, violations and abuses of human rights, and violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as well as possible cases of war crimes and crimes against humanity, associated with or resulting from the forcible transfer of children within parts of Ukraine’s territory temporarily controlled or occupied by Russia and/or their deportation to the Russian Federation; and to collect, consolidate, and analyze this information with a view to offer recommendations, as well as provide the information to relevant accountability mechanisms, as well as national, regional, or international courts or tribunals that have, or may in future have, jurisdiction”.

The Mechanism, agreed by all OSCE participating States, allows for one or more participating States to request ODIHR to “inquire of another participating State whether it would agree to invite a mission of experts to address a particular, clearly defined question on its territory relating to the human dimension”.

The Permanent Council is one of the OSCE’s main decision-making bodies, and convenes each week in Vienna to discuss developments in the OSCE area and make decisions on future activities.

The observations of the mission of experts are available here.

Podgorica, 3 May 2023 – Observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will hold a press conference on the opening of the observation mission to the forthcoming early parliamentary elections in Montenegro on Friday, 5 May.

What: 

• An introduction to the role of the ODIHR election observation mission and its planned activities

Who: 

• Nina Suomalainen, Head of the ODIHR observation mission

When: 

• 14:00 local time (GMT +2) on 5 May 2023

Where:

• PR Center, Boulevard Josipa Broza Tita 23A, Podgorica

Registration:

• No registration is necessary but only questions from journalists will be taken.

For further information on ODIHR’s election observation activities in Montenegro, please visit:  https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/montenegro 

Media Contact:          

Pietro Tesfamariam, Media Analyst: pietro.tesfamariam@odihr.me, or +382 68 860 873

542709 Marina Živaljević

In celebration of 30th anniversary of the World Press Freedom Day, Dominique Waag, Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, met with Mihailo Jovović, President of the Commission for Monitoring the Actions of Competent Authorities in Investigations of Cases of Threats and Violence against Journalists, Murders of Journalists and Attacks on Media Property.

During today’s meeting, they discussed the work of the Commission and challenges it faces, its co-operation with state authorities, as well as Mission’s support to the Commission.

“The ability of independent and pluralistic media to investigate, and to publish the results of their investigations without fear of reprisal or fear of a culture of impunity, plays an important role in democracies, in order to foster public debate and to hold public institutions accountable. It is also journalists’ role to report on criminal schemes. This is part of freedom of information. Therefore all those responsible for crimes, attacks or harassment against journalists, including online, should be brought to justice and sentenced,” said Ambassador Waag.

The OSCE recommends that governments take effective measures to ensure safety of journalists and prevent future attacks (Ministerial Council decision, Milan, 2018).

President of the Commission Jovović said that media freedom also includes the freedom of journalists to be able to fulfill their assignments responsibly without any pressure, let alone insults, threats and violence in the physical and virtual worlds. “I am glad Montenegro has seen less insults, threats and violence in recent months, but I am concerned about the fact that almost nothing materialized to find and punish those responsible for the most serious attacks on journalists in recent years,” said Jovović.

He added that at the end of last year, the Commission made a series of recommendations for further action regarding investigation into the murder of the late editor-in-chief and founder of Dan, Duško Jovanović. “It is not clear to me why the police and the prosecution did not act at least according to specific recommendations for individual cases, including into the investigation of the murder of Duško Jovanović,” he added.

Jovović thanked the Mission for supporting the development of an electronic database for the Commission, which will further facilitate its work and enable a more comprehensive analysis and reporting of attacks on journalists.

Celebrated every 3 May, this year marks the 30th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day, acts as a reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom. It is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics.

Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

On 27 April, a three-day course aimed at strengthening the skills of local entities in conducting effective financial investigations in counter-terrorism concluded in Pejë/Peć. The course was organized by the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department, with the support of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Following a training-of-trainers course held earlier this year in Vienna, a team of local trainers, supported by international experts, presented topics related to the financial requirements of terrorist organizations and the integral role of financial investigations in counter-terrorism operations, both reactive and proactive. Multi-agency teams engaged in exercises, which emphasized the importance of interagency co-operation in conducting effective financial investigations in counter-terrorist financing.

During the opening remarks, Koen De Smedt, Project Officer at the Action against Terrorism Unit of the Transnational Threats Department, emphasized that the OSCE considers stemming the flow of terrorist funds as the backbone of counter-terrorism efforts. It prevents terrorist organizations from being able to run their operations and, ultimately, contributes to the prevention of attacks. 

The course forms part of a comprehensive training programme on countering terrorist financing funded by the United States. The objective of the programme is to further build the operational framework of local bodies to prevent terrorists from moving, using and raising funds for terrorist purposes, in line with international commitments and standards, in particular UN Security Council Resolution 2462 (2019), Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and international human rights standards.

BANJUL/GENEVA/VIENNA/WASHINGTON D.C./NEW YORK CITY, 2 May 2023 — Commemorating the 30th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day and the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, freedom of expression mandate holders* from the United Nations (UN), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the African Commission of Human Rights (ACHPR), and the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights (IACHR) issued a Joint Declaration on Media Freedom and Democracy.

“We are alarmed that in many countries around the world laws to protect media freedom are being eroded, physical and online attacks against journalists persist with impunity and the use of courts and the legal system to harass journalists and media outlets is on the rise.

Deeply disturbing trends of authoritarianism, co-optation of public power, erosion of judicial independence, and backsliding on human rights in many established and emerging democracies creates an urgency and imperative for States to reaffirm and renew their commitment to protect and promote independent, free and pluralist media as a vital pillar of democracy and an enabler of sustainable development.

Independent, free and pluralistic media play a critical role in providing reliable news and information, enabling robust public debate, and contributing to building well-informed and active citizenry. As watchdogs, the media critically scrutinise those in power, investigate and report on matters of public interest, and by doing so, contribute to strengthening democratic processes and institutions,” stressed the freedom of expression rapporteurs.

The 2023 Joint Declaration on Media Freedom and Democracy highlights the conditions that independent, pluralistic, and quality media need to thrive. It outlines the role of the media in enabling and sustaining democratic societies and identifies the elements for an enabling environment for media freedom and sets out clear, succinct recommendations to States, online platforms, and the media sector.

“Both States and private companies have obligations and responsibilities to address the growing threats to media freedom and the safety of journalists, and to urgently reverse the decline in public trust in democratic institutions,” emphasised the freedom of expression rapporteurs.

The 2023 Joint Declaration on Media Freedom and Democracy can be found here: https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/542676 

*The freedom of expression mandate holders: Irene Khan, UN Special Rapporteur on the Protection and Promotion of Freedom of Opinion and Expression; Teresa Ribeiro, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media; Ourveena Geereesha Topsy-Sonoo, ACHPR Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information;  Pedro Vaca Villarreal, OAS Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression.

542622 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

From 24 to 28 April 2023, gender-responsive policing of violence against women and girls (VAWG) was the focus of a national specialized training course organized by the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) in co-ordination with the OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina in  Sarajevo.

A total of 30 police officers and prosecutors (13 women and 17 men) from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska and Brcko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina learned how to effectively respond to cases of VAWG, while maintaining a victim-/survivor-centred approach. The five-day course covered topics such as causes and cycles of violence, violence prevention, harmful biases, attitudes and stereotypes, risk assessment, victim/survivor protection protocols, referral mechanisms, and inter-agency co-operation.

The training course was delivered by national experts, who benefited from the Regional Train-the-Trainers Course on Gender-responsive Policing of VAWG, organized by TNTD in Warsaw, Poland, in July 2022.

Martha Stickings, Deputy Head of TNTD’s Strategic Police Matters Unit, highlighted that “violence against women and girls is a scourge on our societies, with profound consequences on both individuals and the wider community. This training is an important milestone in embedding a victim-centred approach to investigating and prosecuting GBV offences in Bosnia and Herzegovina”.

Bjorn Tore Saltvik, manager of the project, underlined that “law enforcement institutions play a critical role in preventing and addressing violence against women and girls. It is therefore essential that they are fully aware of the barriers that women and girls face when reporting their experiences of gender-based violence to the police, so that they can support women to come forward and enable the successful investigation and prosecution of these crimes”.

As part of their continued support of criminal justice practitioners from South-Eastern Europe in their fight against VAWG, TNTD will deliver similar training courses to law enforcement practitioners in Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia throughout 2023. These activities will contribute to the full implementation of the Council of Europe’s Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) in the countries covered by this project.

This training course was conducted as part of the project Enhancing Criminal Justice Capacities for Combating Gender-based Violence in South-Eastern Europe.

TASHKENT, 1 May 2023 – Uzbekistan’s constitutional referendum was technically well prepared and widely promoted as a move to enhance various rights and freedoms, but it took place in an environment that fell short of genuine political pluralism and competition, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a statement today.

The referendum was tabled as a continuation of broader reforms and the consultation process was comprehensive overall, but it lacked open debate on some contentious issues. There was no organized opposition to the amendments, and altogether, the referendum process highlighted the need to further encourage alternative political views, respect fundamental freedoms, and provide opportunities for an independent civil society to develop. 

“Recent reforms have brought welcome changes that improve some areas, but they have not yet resulted in genuine political pluralism where different views are always taken into account,” said Ambassador Albert Jónsson, head of the ODIHR observation mission. “There is still a way to go before fundamental rights such as freedom of speech, assembly or association are fully respected.”

Almost 20 million people were registered to vote in yesterday’s referendum. While some technical improvements to the legal framework were introduced in keeping with previous ODIHR recommendations, additional efforts are needed to bring it in line with international norms to adequately regulate key aspects of the process, the observers said. These include the rules covering campaigning, campaign finance, impartial information for voters, the involvement by public authorities in the campaign, and the need for balanced media coverage. 

The national election administration managed technical preparations for the referendum efficiently, but the neutrality and independence of lower-level commissions was of concern. Although the proposed amendments affect as much as two thirds of the constitution, they were voted on as a single package, which meant that voters did not have the opportunity to make a choice on each separate issue. Observers did not observe referendum day proceedings systematically or comprehensively. The voting process was calm. However, key safeguards were ignored and cases of ballot box stuffing were observed, which undermined the integrity of the proceedings as a whole.

While several of the changes being voted on were considered an improvement leading to greater gender equality and increased social assistance to citizens, observers also noted concerns over the lack of debate about a number of contentious issues. The “yes” campaign of public officials and parliamentary parties was in accord with the government promotion of the amendments, blurring the distinction between party and state. As well as cases of pressure on the public to participate in promotional events, observers noted widespread misuse of administrative resources.  

The news coverage of the state promotion of the referendum across the country was positive, with no alternative opinions presented. While the tone of the online media was less promotional, critical reporting remained absent there too and overall voters were not provided with impartial and balanced information by the media. The online space has opened up slightly in recent years, allowing for some critical coverage of local government and social issues, yet self-censorship remains pervasive.

ODIHR’s limited referendum observation mission took up its work on 27 March and will end on 9 May. The mission included a core team of experts based in the capital as well as 14 long-term observers spread out across the country. 

For more information, please contact:

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

542403 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

The OSCE and the Italian Guardia di Finanza delivered a training course on asset recovery for criminal justice practitioners from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia from 26 to 28 April. The three-day training course aimed to enhance the knowledge and skills of participants related to financial investigations and asset recovery, with a focus on regional and international co-operation in joint investigations.

Counselor Paolo Palminteri, the Head of the OSCE Division at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, praised the OSCE’s co-operation with the Guardia di Finanza and noted that training events such as this one contribute to both capacity building efforts and networking among participants, which can be conducive toward future operational co-operation among participating States.

The training combined theoretical knowledge, case studies and a field visit to the Guardia di Finanza’s General Headquarters in Rome, where participants had the opportunity to learn first-hand about the work of Italy’s economic and financial police. The training event also introduced Guardia di Finanza’s mechanisms for co-operation among police, customs, and fiscal authorities of different countries: its international co-operation structure, co-ordination and joint investigations with foreign counterparts and cross-border asset recovery.

The training course was organized as part of the extra-budgetary project “Strengthening Asset Recovery Efforts in the OSCE Region” implemented by the Transnational Threats Department and the Office of the OSCE Co-ordinator for Economic and Environmental Affairs, with the financial support of Italy, Germany and the United States. 

OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

The Espoo Convention on the Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context and experiences of its implementation were in focus of a two-day OSCE-organized online seminar, which took place on 27 and 28 April 2023. 

The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized the two-day event to raise awareness of government officials about procedures and protocols applied within the framework ofthe Espoo Convention.

International experts presented best practices of the OSCE participating States in resolving transboundary cases between Parties in the framework of the Espoo Convention and briefed participants on regulatory mechanisms for facilitating transboundary dialogue.

“The principles of the Espoo Convention, embodied in the OSCE Maastricht Strategy for the Economic and Environmental Dimension and the OSCE Madrid Declaration on Environment and Security, serve as an important tool in achieving good environmental governance and environmental democracy, at the national and regional level,” said John MacGregor, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

The experts elaborated on the environmental impact assessment projects and their transboundary application, highlighting opportunities, threats and risks. They stressed the importance of co-operation between Parties within the Espoo Convention referring to the examples of energy and renewable energy projects.

The seminar brought together representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, the Mejlis (Parliament) and the Ministry of Justice as well as research and educational institutions and civil society.

Tashkent, 27 April 2023 – Observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will hold a press conference to present their preliminary findings following the constitutional referendum in Uzbekistan on Monday, 1 May.

What:

• A press conference of the observation mission sent by ODIHR to the constitutional referendum in Uzbekistan
• The press conference can be attended in person
• You can also follow the livestream here

Who:

• Ambassador Albert Jónsson, Head of the ODIHR observation mission
• Lusine Badalyan, Deputy Head of the ODIHR observation mission

When:

• 15:00 local time (GMT +5) on 1 May 2023

Where:

• La Viera Room, Le Grande Plaza Hotel, 2 Uzbekistan Ovozi, Tashkent

For more information, please contact:

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

Elma Sehalic, Media Analyst: Elma.Sehalic@odihr.uz

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President Decaux and Vice-President Kourula of the OSCE Court of Conciliation and Arbitration, presented the Court and its features at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s (PA) International Secretariat in Copenhagen on 25 April.

Attendees included President of the OSCE PA, Margareta Cederfelt, Vice-Chair of the OSCE PA Committee on Political Affairs and Security, Costel Neculai Dunava, as well as OSCE PA Secretary General, Roberto Montella, OSCE PA Deputy Secretary General, Gustavo Pallares, and several other PA staff.

President Decaux underscored that the OSCE Court is a treaty-based institution created within the OSCE, offering conciliation and arbitration as a flexible and efficient means of peaceful dispute settlement between States. To date, 34 of 57 OSCE participating States have ratified the Convention on Conciliation and Arbitration. While participating States have the possibility to open, upon agreement, conciliation and arbitration procedures, the current Bureau has made efforts to encourage further accessions to the Convention which would give a positive signal towards the peaceful settlement of disputes to which participating States have committed.

Questions raised during the presentation included the Court’s competence. Vice-President Kourula explained that it was limited to inter-state disputes and did not include private or civil society actors, unlike some other jurisdictions. Nevertheless, the Court can deal with a large array of subject-matters across a variety of disputes, including topics like territorial integrity.

The Vice-President gave further examples of cases where the Court could have been involved and explained the Court’s value in providing advisory opinions on an ad hoc basis to the OSCE and its institutions. This includes the Court’s wide pool of state-appointed experts in international law and diplomats among its members.

The meeting concluded with proposals on how to further enhance co-operation between the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the OSCE Court of Conciliation and Arbitration.