Central Europe

538581 Marina Živaljević

Polling station staff have a vital role in administering elections and ensuring that voters, political parties and candidates have confidence in the election process, which is why the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and the State Election Commission held a training workshop for municipal electoral commissions on how to train polling station staff for the presidential election scheduled for 19 March.

Taks and responsibilities on the election day, setting up a polling station, supporting voters and counting ballots were some of the topics discussed on 8 March with representatives of all municipal electoral commissions in Montenegro. Following today’s workshop, municipal electoral commissions will train polling station staff accross the country.

Dragan Zelić, Electoral Technical Assistance Officer at the Mission, explained that the aim of this training workshop was to prepare polling station staff for the upcoming election, as well as contribute to a greater transparency and public confidence in the electoral process. “The workshop addressed all aspects of administering an election, including the accessibility of elections for persons with disabilities,” said Zelić.

Nikola Mugoša, Chair of the State Election Commission, said that quality training sessions are a precondition to administering elections successfully at polling stations. “I hope that municipal electoral commissions will deliver training sessions to all polling station staff. The State Election Commission stands ready to provide advice and information to municipal electoral commissions, as necessary,” said Mugoša.

In support of greater transparency and public confidence in the electoral process, in July 2022 the Mission donated video equipment to enable the State Election Commission livestream its meetings. By livestreaming its sessions, expected to start this month, the Commission fulfilled one of the OSCE/ODIHR recommendations to broadcast its sessions live online and allow media to access the sessions. In doing so, the Commission will further increase its transparency and build public confidence in the work of the election administration.

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro has worked alongside the State Election Commission and municipal electoral commissions for over six years, and it will continue supporting their work in line with OSCE commitments and principles.

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

SKOPJE/VIENNA/WARSAW, 8 March 2023 – Marking International Women’s Day, OSCE leaders urged further action to explore and embrace innovation and digital technology to eliminate all forms of gender inequality.

They stressed the critical role digital tools can play in empowering women and girls and making their voices heard. These tools can be particularly powerful in the context of crisis, as in the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, and in conflict, including Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine and the worrisome deterioration of women’s rights in Afghanistan.

“Digital technology provides an important means for all women and girls to access information and share views, and contributes to promoting their inclusion, participation and rights in society.  Women and girls also need to be able to access the online space free from harassment and intimidation. As participating States of the OSCE, we need to bring together all stakeholders to facilitate safe access and empowerment,” said Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani.

“Whether we focus on the protection, prevention, or participation of women – empowerment is a key component. And digital tools make a real difference. They can provide access to life-saving information, health and other public services, and platforms for employment, training and education,” said Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid. “The digital world can either become an additional barrier for women and girls or an important tool for their empowerment. We are here to tilt the scales toward empowerment.”

While digitalisation can be a powerful tool to help fight gender inequality, more needs to be done to combat the gender digital divide and thus increase women’s access to a wide range of fundamental human rights.

“At a time where online communication and digital technologies dominate so many aspects of our lives, equal access is a precondition for women and girls to equally enjoy human rights,” said ODIHR Director Matteo Mecacci. “That is why our work to promote the design of technology that prevents discrimination and is both inclusive and gender-sensitive is so important.”

“Freedom of expression and access to information for women and girls are key for their empowerment to exercise their rights and to fully and equally participate in the private, public and political sphere. Last year’s Joint Declaration on Gender Justice and Freedom of Expression provides guidance for states, social media platforms, the media, and the general public on eliminating discrimination and prejudice, averting gender-specific restrictions and addressing gender-based violence, including in the digital realm,” the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro said.  “We need to strengthen our efforts to leverage digital technologies and innovation for gender equality across the OSCE region.”

538521 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz

At a time when the fundamental freedoms of peaceful assembly and association are under increased threats in many parts of the OSCE region, the members of ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Assembly and Association met in Warsaw on 6 and 7 March 2023 to discuss how their expertize can be instrumental in assisting OSCE countries in addressing such challenges.

“A robust and safe civic space is a cornerstone of peaceful societies,” said ODIHR Director Matteo Mecacci in his welcoming remarks. “This is why ODIHR strives to support OSCE participating States in creating an enabling environment for the exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association.”

During the meeting, the reappointed and newly appointed Panel members, who come from across the OSCE region, provided updates on concerning trends regarding the exercise of both rights. They also discussed topical issues such as the proliferation of laws on so-called “foreign agents”, peaceful protest in times of conflict, the use of new technologies in policing assemblies and the interlinkages between freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of the media.

“The importance of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association cannot be overstated,” said Panel Member Anja Bienert. “That is why it is so important to pay attention to the worrying trend towards restricting these rights that we observe in too many countries of the OSCE region, as similar challenges also affect long-established democracies.”

Clément Voule, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association attended the meeting as an observer.

The outcomes of the discussions and of the Panel’s work will contribute to shaping recommendations based on existing human rights standards and adapting ODIHR’s work to rapidly changing circumstances and context.

The Panel was established in 2006 as an advisory and consultative body to ODIHR.  The Panel contributes to legal analyses and the development of legislative guidelines to ensure that OSCE participating States’ legislation and practice on freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association are in line with their commitments in this area.

The current Panel consists of 16 members, whose four-year mandate started on 1 January 2023. They come from a variety of backgrounds, including academia, legal professions, assembly policing and civic and human rights groups from across the OSCE region.

VIENNA, 6 March 2023 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, concluded her official visit to Moldova, which took place from 27 February to 3 March 2023.

The Representative met with several interlocutors, including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Nicu Popescu, Vice President of the Parliament Mihai Popsoi, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Culture, Education, Research, Youth, Sport and Mass Media Liliana Nicolaescu-Onofrei, Foreign Policy Advisor to the President of the Republic of Moldova Cristina Gherasimova, State Secretary at the Ministry of Justice Nadejda Burciu, and State Secretary at the Ministry of Internal Affairs Andrei Cecoltan. She also met with Director General of the National Public Broadcaster “Teleradio-Moldova” Vladimir Țurcanu, Chair of the Audiovisual Council Liliana Vitu, prominent experts in the field of media freedom and human rights, and representatives of media.

“It was encouraging to see that despite the current security risks and various threats stemming from disinformation, Moldova continues to undertake important steps towards democratic reforms and remains committed to the respect of freedom of expression and freedom of the media,” Ribeiro said. “Finding the right balance between ensuring national security and the citizens’ fundamental right to freedom of expression when countering information disorders can be a challenging task. It is important that any measures taken in this context comply with the international standards and observe the requirements of due process.”

As transparency in public affairs is among the essential conditions for the accountability and promotion of a well-informed dialogue with the population, Ribeiro discussed the ongoing reform of the access to information legislation and underlined the importance of strengthening the applicable regulation, in an inclusive manner and through continued public consultations, as well as its effective enforcement and implementation.

Ribeiro and her counterparts further discussed the audiovisual regulatory legal framework in parts related to the independence of the public service broadcaster TeleRadio-Moldova and the broadcast regulatory authority Audiovisual Council and shared the expert recommendations of the legal analysis commissioned by her Office. The Representative reiterated that the functioning of both of these institutions must be provided in such a way that the legislation protects their independence, thus allowing for a plurality of voices and reliable information, and for fostering a favourable environment for freedom of the media.

“It was important to note that the authorities share the view that the public service broadcaster and the broadcast media regulator carry out important missions in democratic societies, and consider revisiting the relevant legal framework to ensure its compliance with international human rights standards and OSCE commitments,” Ribeiro said. “My Office stands ready to engage in further consultations and provide necessary assistance to Moldova with expert support.”

Following her discussions, the Representative also noted the importance of continued assistance to the development and sustainability of the independent media sector in Moldova, as well as of support to strengthening the professional capacities of media workers.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She 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.

538431

The OSCE Presence in Albania, in close partnership with the Albanian State Police and with the support of the Central Election Commission and the General Prosecutor’s Office, started today the training of police officers who will be engaged with elections duties. The training courses, which will run until mid-April, address the role of the police in the electoral processes and come ahead of the 14 May 2023 local elections.

Opening the training course series, Head of Presence Ambassador Guido De Sanctis said: “As the new Head of the OSCE Presence, I am delighted to add to add an impetus to the continued support, which the OSCE Presence is offering to Albanian institutions to organize and administer elections in line with internationally recognized practices and reflecting the OSCE/ODIHR recommendations. This training on electoral administration is something that we offer to you each electoral year as part of our institutional capacity building support. I encourage you to make good use of it and apply in practice what you will learn and share here today”.

General Director of the Albanian State Police Muhamet Rrumbullaku said: “I thank the Ambassador for the continuous support of the OSCE Presence in Albania given to the Police in years, which is clearly materialized today through this training. I also thank the Central Election Commission and the General Prosecutor’s Office for their contribution in this training, and want to assure the citizens, political parties, as well as our international partners that the police are focused on the correct implementation of the law and the law only.” 

State Election Commissioner Ilirjan Celibashi and General Prosecutor Olsian Çela also addressed the audience highlighting the role and importance of maintaining standards in creating a secure environment for citizens to freely cast their vote.

About 125 high- and mid-level police officers, including the deputy general director, directors of departments, regional police, and border police directors, as well as chief of commissariats and deputy regional directors will undergo training from 6 to 8 March. The training will then target about 170 trainers from 13 until 20 March, who will in turn start the cascade training for about 6,000 police officers. In addition, the Presence plans to produce some information leaflets to be distributed in some border crossing points for emigrant voters who will return to vote in Albania.

The OSCE Presence has organized election-related training for the Albanian State Police before each local and general election since 2005, while ensuring an increased ownership of the training activities by the State Police.

SKOPJE, 6 March 2023 — In order to enhance anti-corruption policies and actions in North Macedonia, the OSCE Mission to Skopje and the State Commission for Prevention of Corruption (SCPC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding today.

As part of this agreement, the Mission will provide assistance to detect and address corruption risks, promote anti-corruption policies based on evidence, and strengthen North Macedonia’s integrity system.

“Through our partnership with the Commission, we want to strengthen prevention mechanisms by enhancing co-operation among institutions involved in the fight against corruption. We believe in a fair society where individual integrity and personal qualifications are the only determining factors,” said Kilian Wahl, Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje.

The agreement signed today builds on the longstanding co-operation between the Mission and the SCPC. The Mission helped introduce the new integrity system through the new Law on Prevention of Corruption, a mechanism that ensures ethical conduct by office holders, elected representatives, as well as administrative staff in the public sector.

“In recent years, the OSCE Mission to Skopje has been a significant partner for the Commission and other national bodies in the fight against corruption. I believe that together we can contribute to reducing corruption and restoring the trust of citizens in the institutions by strengthening the integrity and improving the national legislation," said Biljana Ivanovska, President of the SCPC.

VIENNA/SARAJEVO, 4 March 2023 - OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, and Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Brian Aggeler, have made the following statement following the BiH’s entity Republika Srpska (RS) Government’s decision to move forward with reinstating the criminal offence of defamation in the RS Criminal Code:

“In 2001, Bosnia and Herzegovina was the first country in the region to decriminalize defamation across its entire territory.  In this context, we see this as a step backwards in an already fragile media freedom environment in the entity of the RS where only a handful of free and independent outlets are operating today.”

“This worrying development is unfolding despite recent assurances by the RS Ministry of Justice that the Government was not aiming to work on amendments to the RS Criminal Code as first announced by RS President Milorad Dodik in late 2022.”

“Once again, we reiterate that such moves go against international standards and best practices and will further erode the overall media freedom situation in the RS.” 

“We will closely monitor this situation in accordance with our mandates.  We will also continue to remain available for constructive dialogue and guidance with all concerned stakeholders. The RS authorities have a responsibility to ensure an inclusive, constructive and transparent public debate on any amendments that may impact media freedom in the entity.”

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She 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.

Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

On 2 March 2023, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), with the support of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, concluded a training of trainers aimed at furthering the skills of beneficiary entities to conduct effective financial investigations in counter-terrorism.

During the three-day course in Vienna, a team of local trainers learned more about the terrorist funding cycle, including the financial requirements of a terrorist organisation and the opportunities these present for disruption. The inter-agency team worked to further tailor course material, including an exercise scenario, to the local context together with international expert trainers.

“Money is like oxygen for terrorists. If we cut off their money, we cut off their oxygen. Therefore, stemming the flow of terrorist funds is the backbone of OSCE counter-terrorism efforts – it prevents terrorist organizations from being able to run their operations. It ultimately contributes to preventing attacks being carried out,” highlighted Irfan Saeed, Head of Anti-Terrorism Issues at the OSCE Secretariat during his opening remarks.

The course forms part of a comprehensive training programme on countering terrorist financing with the objective to further build the operational framework to prevent terrorists from moving, using and raising funds for terrorist purposes. After this course, the trainers taking part in the initiative, jointly with the lead experts, will go on to deliver this course to their peers involved in countering terrorist financing.

538338

The integration of the issue of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) into the monitoring of places of detention was the focus of a three-day training course organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) from 1 to 3 March in Tashkent.

OSCE participating States committed to the absolute prohibition of all forms of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, as well as to respect the safeguards concerning the liberty, security and dignity of the person. Integrating a gender perspective in detention not only helps prevent violence, but is also indispensable to protecting the human rights of detainees from admission to release.

The training – designed for the staff of the Office of the Authorized Person of the Oliy Majlis (National Parliament) of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights (Ombudsperson) and the Expert Group on the National Preventive Mechanism against Torture – aimed to integrate the issue of SGBV into detention monitoring, identify risk situations, and advise how to follow up on cases of SGBV in places of deprivation of liberty. Thirty participants took part in the event.

“The Government of Uzbekistan is carrying out reforms in order to provide protection of rights and legal interests of women and girls, to support social protection for women in need and to ensure gender equality in the society. In addition, necessary steps are being taken to combat domestic and gender-based violence.” said the Ombudsperson of Uzbekistan, Feruza Eshmatova.

Hans-Ullrich Ihm, Acting OSCE Project Co-ordinator, assured that the PCUz will continue to assist the host country in its efforts to prevent and combat torture in line with the OSCE principles and commitments.

SKOPJE, 3 March 2023 — In order to boost independent journalism in North Macedonia, the OSCE Mission to Skopje has signed a Memorandum of Understanding agreement with the Media Information Agency (MIA), a state-owned public enterprise and country’s biggest news agency.

“Free and independent media is vital for a functioning and healthy democracy,” said Kilian Wahl, Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje. “Journalists are indispensable in providing neutral and unbiased reporting that is topical, fact-checked, timely and accurate. We need this more than ever in a world that is increasingly dominated by fake news and disinformation.”

The Mission’s support is aimed at strengthening MIA’s capacities by improving its functional independence and ensuring that it is sufficiently resourced, so that the citizens of North Macedonia continue to receive news in a neutral and unbiased way. This will in turn improve the Agency’s long-term viability.

“MIA is recognized for its reliability and as a pillar of verified and accurate information. The OSCE Mission has already helped us with develop multimedia reporting, which has brought us closer to our service users,” said Dragan Antonovski, director of MIA. “We value the Mission’s support with helping us stay on that path. To do that, we need financial independence, predictability and professional sustainability.”

WARSAW, 3 March 2023 – Following today’s conviction of four Belarusian human rights defenders, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) voices deep concern over the targeting of human rights defenders and the criminalizing of their work.

Ales Bialiatski, Valiantsin Stefanovich, and Uladzimir Labkovich, all members of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, one of the oldest and most respected Belarusian human rights organizations, were sentenced by Minsk’s Leninsky District Court to 10, 9, and 7 years in prison respectively. All three have spent the last 18 months in pretrial detention. Zmitser Salauyou, who has already fled Belarus, was handed down an 8-year prison sentence in absentia. 

Today’s verdict is the latest in a series of cases brought against “Viasna”, whose founder Bialiatski has received numerous international awards for his human rights work, including the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. Over the last two years, numerous human rights organizations have been shut down following court orders or have decided to close, as it has become extremely difficult to operate safely in Belarus.

The proceedings and today’s sentences demonstrate a lack of respect for the right to a fair trial, including the right to an independent court and to an effective defence. This is at odds with commitments by Belarus and all other OSCE countries to uphold the rule of law.

ODIHR has repeatedly called on the Belarusian authorities not to criminalize the work of human rights defenders and offered its assistance in monitoring trials to assess compliance with fair trial rights and other commitments it has made to ensure its legislation is in line with international human rights standards.

In November 2021, ODIHR voiced its disquiet about the conviction and sentencing handed down to Marfa Rabkova and Andrei Chapiuk from "Viasna". Human rights defenders in Belarus continue to experience physical violence, groundless administrative detention, and fines, as well as police raids, with others reportedly being detained in poor conditions, or labelled as “extremists” and stripped of many of their rights.

ODHIR calls on the Belarusian authorities to release Bialiatski, Stefanovich and Labkovich and to allow all human rights defenders to work freely in the country. During a recent court hearing, Bialiatski called for the release of all political prisoners, a broad amnesty, and an end to repression, leading to a broad public dialogue aimed at national reconciliation.

All OSCE countries have recognized the right to exercise and defend human rights, individually or together with others. They have also acknowledged the vital role of human rights defenders in ensuring respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

538314 Željka Šulc

SREBRENICA, 3 March 2023 - Ambassador Brian Aggeler, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, visited Srebrenica area today where he met key local counterparts.

At Potočari Memorial Centre, Ambassador Aggeler paid tribute to the genocide victims and laid flowers.  During the meeting with the Potočari Memorial Center Assistant Director, Amra Begić Fazlić, the Ambassador affirmed the Mission’s commitment that the victims of the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica should never be forgotten.

“It was important to learn more about the plans of the Centre and its expanding scope of activities including networking with similar associations around the world,” said Aggeler, expressing hope for collaboration opportunities in the coming period. “What the Centre does has great value for all generations in BiH and beyond,” added Ambassador Aggeler.

With the Srebrenica Mayor, Mladen Grujičić, and Deputy Mayor, Hamdija Fejzić, Ambassador Aggeler discussed the critical importance of continued efforts to strengthen community cohesion and overcome any security challenges faced by the municipality and its citizens. 

Ambassador Aggeler also met leaders of Bratunac-based Serb and Bosniak associations of detention camp survivors with whom he talked about paving a path for a legacy of reconciliation and trust-building beyond the Srebrenica area.

“Your co-operation and joint activities have demonstrated incredible strength and determination to play a constructive role in the municipality and wider community,” concluded Aggeler.

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina will continue to co-operate with and assist various municipalities and cities across BiH in furthering the country’s progress in relevant sectors of significance for all of its citizens. 

538242

Twenty law enforcement and government representatives strengthened their skills in identifying and investigating the illegal use of cryptocurrencies and other virtual assets through a training course held from 27 February to 2 March 2023 in Tbilisi, Georgia. The course was organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) with the support of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

“The rapidly expanding digital economy attracts both lawful businesses and criminals,” said Kurban Babayev, Associate Anti-Corruption Officer at OCEEA. “This course will contribute to the participants’ capacity to identify and investigate the illegal use of cryptocurrencies and other virtual assets.”

The course covered key concepts and practical tools, such as profiling and tracing, for investigating criminal transactions that use virtual assets and cryptocurrencies. Topics also included how to identify cryptocurrency-specific criminal and fraud schemes, such as fake initial coin offerings and fraudulent access to Web3-wallets. 

The training course is part of an OSCE-led extra-budgetary project on innovative policy solutions to mitigate money-laundering risks of virtual assets. The project is designed to support the governments of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine in building national authorities’ capacities to mitigate criminal risks related to virtual assets and cryptocurrencies. The project is funded by the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Poland.

ERGNETI, 2 March 2023 - The 111th Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) was held today in Ergneti, under the co-facilitation of the Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), Dimitrios Karabalis, and Viorel Moşanu, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus. 

The EUMM and OSCE co-facilitators commended the commitment of the participants to the IPRM format. In this regard, at the start of the IPRM, the newly appointed EUMM Head of Mission Dimitrios Karabalis stated:

“It is a great honour to co-facilitate this extremely important format for the first time, together with my OSCE colleague, Ambassador Moşanu. The IPRM meetings are one of the most crucial tools for maintaining stability on the ground through practical and constructive dialogue. I encourage participants to always strive for practical solutions, especially when it comes to making the life of women and men affected by conflict easier, on both sides of the administrative boundary line (ABL).”

During the meeting, the EUMM and OSCE advocated for the lifting of freedom of movement restrictions during the upcoming Easter holiday season, while reiterating their calls for the full re-opening of crossing points for regular cross-ABL traffic. The co-facilitators took note of the recent release of two detainees and urged a humanitarian approach towards the resolution of existing detention cases. They encouraged all participants to find solutions to decrease the challenges faced by the conflict-affected population and emphasized the value of dialogue and pragmatism.

Discussions in the IPRM also focused on the most recent security developments at the ABL, including instances of ‘borderisation’. All participants agreed that the upcoming agricultural season necessitates increased dialogue in the IPRM format and over the EUMM-operated Hotline. In this regard, the participants commended the work of the Hotline, underlining it is an essential instrument to exchange information and manage incidents.

The participants agreed to convene the next regular IPRM meeting on 25 April 2023. 

538185 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

The third national workshop on the social re-use of confiscated assets in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) was held on 28 February in Sarajevo. The workshop was organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, the Office of the OSCE Co-ordinator for Economic and Environmental Activities, and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The workshop focused on the ways forward in re-using confiscated criminal assets and the fight against organized crime and corruption. This was also an opportunity to present the Guidelines on Re-use of Proceeds of Crime in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This document provides an overview of the legal framework on social re-use in the country, institutional capacities of the asset management agencies, international standards and good practices, types of confiscated assets and other.

“Organized crime and corruption are not just a problem for criminal justice practitioners but are challenges that require a whole-of-society response. We are therefore proud that the project also strengthened the role of civil society organizations in the re-use phase of the asset recovery process” said Ambassador Brian Aggeler, Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The workshop brought together representatives from the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Hezegovina, the Ministries of Justice of BiH, the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska, the Ministry of Finance of the Federation of BiH, the agency for Management of Seized Property of Republika Srpska, the Federal Agency for the Management of Seized Property, civil society groups and external experts.

This event was part of the regional project “Strengthening the fight against transnational organized crime in South-Eastern Europe through improved regional co-operation in asset seizure, confiscation, management and re-use”. The project is supported financially by Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz

Key challenges and opportunities for civil society in the follow-up on election observation recommendations were the focus of a conference that took place in Warsaw on 21 and 22 February 2023, as a part of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) “Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans” project.

The event brought together more than 60 participants (25 women and 37 men) representing citizen elections observation groups and civil society, election management bodies, and donors and international organizations active in the Western Balkans region.

“Citizen observer groups and civil society organizations in general have proved to play a key role in supporting electoral reform and effective follow-up. Their work is not only positively impacting electoral integrity, but is also promoting public engagement around elections in the long-term,” said Matteo Mecacci, ODIHR Director. “The inclusion of civil society should therefore be a key component in the implementation of election observation recommendations by authorities.”

Key topics discussed included new and recurrent challenges and lessons learned from civil society engagement in the electoral follow-up; ensuring cohesion and complementarity among citizen observers, international observers and electoral assistance providers; follow-up and participation of under-represented groups; and follow-up to recommendations on election administration and the legal framework.

The discussions confirmed the need to continue tackling challenges pressing civil society organizations working on electoral reform, including the lack of long-term, sustainable funding of activities throughout the complete electoral cycle, and their dependence on political parties and agendas.

“To influence the change of electoral practices and to protect the electoral integrity in the Western Balkans, both international and citizen election observers must enhance their efforts to push for inclusive and transparent implementation of electoral recommendations,” said Emilija Orestijević, project manager at the Centre for Free Elections and Democracy (CeSID) in Serbia.

The 2021 – 2023 ODIHR project “Support to Electoral Reforms in the Western Balkans” is funded by the European Union and the Austrian Development Agency.

538164 Marina Živaljević

Use of gender indicators to monitor the quality of new national strategic documents and their implementation was the focus of the workshop the OSCE Mission to Montenegro organized for the General Secretariat of the Government on 28 February.

Eight staff members from the General Secretariat’s Sector for Strategic Planning and Coordination of Government Policies, were introduced to the updated “Methodology of Policy Development, Drafting and Monitoring of Strategic Documents” and the accompanying annexes with instruments to monitor gender mainstreaming. This methodology is a mandatory tool in developing national policies, ensuring all public administration units drafting new policies, programmes and projects provide equality between women and men. This working session provided practical guidance to staff on utilizing integrated gender indicators in monitoring the implementation of strategic documents in all sectors.

Tamara Srzentić, head of the Sector, explained that this new methodology with annexes have enhanced the capacity to assess strategic documents from the aspect of gender integration. “The OSCE’s support remains an important instrument for strengthening the capacity of the state administration of Montenegro for strategic planning of gender transformative policies,” said Srzentić.

In its support to equality between men and women and in particular promotion of equal opportunities, the Mission strongly supports the inclusion of gender perspective into public policies as a mandatory part of the strategic planning, implementation and monitoring of strategic documents.

Women professionals in Central Asia and South-Eastern Europe now have two new regional networks for generating new ideas, learning from each other and amplifying their work on preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (P/CVERLT). The networks were launched by the OSCE on 22 and 28 February 2023 with the aim to connect women professionals from civil society organizations, state agencies, academia, media and OSCE field operations for more effective, human-centered, and gender-sensitive P/CVERLT policies.

“Good communication and collaboration between practitioners across sectors is required for creating more effective and inclusive prevention and response mechanisms for addressing violent extremism and radicalization that leads to terrorism,” said Lara Scarpitta, OSCE Senior Advisor on Gender Issues. “Our assessment showed that networks of women are an effective way to build connections across sectors to enhance coordination and exchange expertise.”

The networks comprise 50 women professionals that have extensive experience with P/CVERLT. During the first online launch meetings of the two networks, the members shared their motivations, expectations and priorities for the network. Their discussions and collaboration will continue through monthly online meetings.   

“We are confident that establishing regional networks for Central Asia and South-Eastern Europe will provide a space for exchange and connection across sectors and borders that can give you new perspectives and will generate ideas and initiatives that you can make use of in your everyday work,” said Irfan Saeed, Head of the OSCE’s Action against Terrorism Unit, during the opening remarks of the launch meeting.

The networks were established by the WIN project through the OSCE Gender Issues Programme in co-operation with the OSCE Action against Terrorism Unit. 

538137 Jeff Bieley Edita Buçaj

The OSCE Mission handed over today its Kosovo Funding Portal – a source of funding and training opportunities for civil society organizations (CSOs) – to the CSOs network ‘Platforma CiviKos’, in a move aimed at increasing local ownership and long-term sustainability of digital tools to support civil engagement and public participation.

The portal is a one-stop shop, the first of its kind in Kosovo, that allows CSOs - regardless of their size and location - to access information about various funding and professional development opportunities offered by local and international donors. Developed jointly by the OSCE Mission, CSOs and the software development company ‘Appdec’, the platform also aims to increase the involvement of CSOs in public life and support the establishment of synergies among them.

Since its launch in November 2017, the Kosovo Funding Portal advertised a wide variety of funding opportunities, and remains highly relevant and aligned to the needs of donors and CSOs Kosovo-wide.

“Our Mission is a strong ally of civil society organizations, including organizations that represent non-majority communities, work with vulnerable groups and provide social services. Stronger collaboration and coordination between civil society, public institutions, international community and private sector is very much needed, while digital solutions, such as the Kosovo Funding Portal, can help facilitate this,” said Ambassador Michael Davenport, the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

“Now the time has come to place a new emphasis on local ownership while ensuring the long-term sustainability of this initiative, which is why today we handed it over to ‘Platforma CiviKos’, a trusted civil society partner. I have full confidence in their ability to maximize the full potential of this tool,” Ambassador Davenport added.

Donika Emini, Executive Director of Platforma CiviKos, said, “The Kosovo Funding Portal, which CiviKos will proudly take ownership of, is an important resource for civil society organizations in Kosovo. It will significantly improve their access to information about available funding and network opportunities. By providing a centralized platform for information related to funding, CiviKos will expand the information service beyond its member organizations. Furthermore, it will be elevated and designed to fit the needs on the ground aiming to bring local CSOs closer and promote their work.”

The Kosovo Funding Portal allows CSOs and donors to register in less than two minutes, and can be accessed here:  https://kosovofunding.org/

SOFIA, 1 March 2023 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an election observation mission (EOM) for the 2 April early parliamentary elections in Bulgaria, following an invitation from the country’s authorities.

The mission is led by Tana de Zulueta and consists of a core team of 11 experts based in Sofia and 14 long-term observers, who will be deployed throughout the country from 8 March.

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

ODIHR also plans to request 200 short-term observers from OSCE participating States to follow events on election day.

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

The day after the elections, a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions will be issued at a press conference, and ODIHR will publish a final report summing up the observation and making recommendations for improvements some months after the end of the election process.

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

You can also contact Giuseppe Milazzo, Media Analyst: +359 87 698 3559, or giuseppe.milazzo@odihr.bg

or

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