Central Europe

533756 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

OSCE early warning and conflict prevention instruments were discussed at a lecture course organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat to mark the forthcoming International Neutrality Day.

The Centre organized the lecture-course for 100 students and faculty from the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and International University for Humanities and Development. The four-day course aimed to promote OSCE early warning, conflict prevention and conflict resolution instruments as well as enhance the knowledge and negotiation skills of future diplomats.

Opening the lecture course, John MacGregor, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, said: “Neutral Turkmenistan remains committed to regional and international co-operation to make a positive impact in various areas.”

He also added: “You, as future diplomats, will be better able to help your country achieve further benefit from its permanent, positive neutrality and continue actively promoting peace, security, and contributing to stability and sustainable development in the region and beyond.”

The first day of the lecture course was delivered by Ambassador MacGregor who shared personal experience of work in OSCE field operations during fifteen years. In his presentation, MacGregor placed special emphasis on the OSCE capacity in early warning, conflict prevention and resolution.

Dr. Sami Faltas from the Netherlands focused on the role of neutrality status in the modern world and stressed the importance of lessons from the European history. Students also learnt about quiet diplomacy and diplomatic negotiation and exchanged views on interdependence, peace and security in an era of globalization.

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On 5 and 6 December, representatives of national institutions responsible for fire management and climate change from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Mongolia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia got together in a cross-regional workshop, Wildfire Management for Enhancing Climate Resilience and Security in Skopje, North Macedonia.

The workshop was organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) in close partnership with the Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC) and the Regional Fire Monitoring Center for South-Eastern Europe and South Caucasus (RFMC).

“Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of wildfires around the world and in the OSCE area,” said Esra Buttanri, Senior Advisor at the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities. “The OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on climate change adopted in Stockholm in 2021 and the OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on disaster risk reduction adopted in Basel in 2014 guide us in our work to facilitate co-operation among our participating States in preventing, preparing for, and jointly responding to wildfires aggravated by climate change.”

Johann Georg Goldammer, Director of the Global Fire Monitoring Center, said: “In recent years we are experiencing an increasing occurrence of long-lasting heatwaves and droughts that are conducive for the occurrence of large wildfires. In order to reduce the risk of damage to the environment and society, we need to manage our natural and cultural landscapes to become resilient and less vulnerable to climate extremes and wildfires. Fires and smoke pollution crossing borders are calling for transboundary co-operation in fire management.”

Nikola Nikolov, Head of the Regional Fire Monitoring Center for South-Eastern Europe and South Caucasus, said: “This workshop is an excellent opportunity to exchange experiences and best practices and initiate collaboration at a regional level. Regional Fire Monitoring Center will actively support this process and ensure its synergies with other ongoing projects and initiatives.”

“Climate change is increasingly acting as a risk multiplier exacerbating existing security challenges. Strong co-operation at a regional level that increases resilience and improves neighbourly relationships is an important building block to address the security implications of climate change,” said Lukas Rüttinger, Senior Advisor at adelphi.

The workshop included discussions on how to integrate climate change considerations into wildfire management work, including at the community level, and explored opportunities for co-operation within and across regions. It also featured a visit to the Crisis Management Center of North Macedonia.

The cross-regional workshop, Wildfire Management for Enhancing Climate Resilience and Security was organized within the framework of the OSCE extra-budgetary project Strengthening responses to security risks from climate change in South-Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia, which is implemented in partnership with the Berlin-based think tank adelphi and funded by Andorra, Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the United States.

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Experts and legislators from Ukraine took part in a workshop on national virtual assets legislation organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) from 5 to 7 December, in Vienna, Austria.

Participants of the workshop held constructive discussions on current international, European and Ukrainian legal frameworks, as well as on potential challenges and opportunities of virtual assets management in law enforcement and judicial activities, among other topics. The experts also discussed international experience in seizure and confiscation of virtual assets, and procedures and regulations regarding the sale of confiscated virtual assets.

Virtual assets and cryptocurrencies have the potential to provide fast and cost-effective alternatives to traditional means of value transfer, but without adequate regulation they could become tools for criminals and terrorists to hide and launder the proceeds of crime. OCEEA, in partnership with the UNODC is currently implementing an extra-budgetary project  providing technical and legislative support to the governments of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine in mitigating money-laundering risks of cryptocurrencies and virtual assets.

“Efficient, precise legislation that prevents and combats money laundering through virtual assets is fundamental to preventing criminals from laundering illicit proceeds. Ukraine is one of the countries where cryptocurrencies went mainstream among the population. There is a dark side of it, too, that is why it is essential for the legislators to be ready for the challenges that lie ahead,” said Lorenzo Rilasciati, Senior Economic Officer, OCEEA.

The workshop was attended by 20 experts and legislators. The project is funded by the United States, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom.

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How can societies better challenge disinformation? How does gender equality relate to radicalization and violence in the digital space? How can individuals become better equipped to navigate the complex and dynamic online universe of information? These were some of the questions at the heart of a three-day training workshop held in North Macedonia from 5 to 7 December.

The event brought together 20 policy-makers, government officials from the local, regional and national levels, as well as civil society actors and leaders from North Macedonia that are active in the fields of preventing violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism, education, media and media regulation as well as law enforcement.

“People, youth in particular, recognize that disinformation is most prevalent on social media. At the same time, they also obtain most of their information through social media and continue to spread this information on social media platforms without fact-checking. This is important food for thought, and something we need to address” said Marina Trajkova with the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services, Human Rights and Media Literacy Unit.

During the first two days of the training, participants focused on the issues of disinformation and its impact on society, digital citizenship and media literacy. They explored how these matters should be incorporated in initiatives dedicated to Preventing Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism (P/VERLT), in a community-oriented and human rights-centered approach. The last day of the training was dedicated to identifying the connection between gender and violent extremism, and emphasizing the importance of integrating a gender perspective in their P/VERLT activities.

“There is often an assumption that women are peaceful, while on the other hand it is taken for granted that violent acts are carried out by men, without explicitly analyzing what the gendered root causes of this violence are. Thus, the importance of developing cutting-edge policy tools on the nexus of gender equality and security should be high on agenda,” said Vera Strobachova-Budway, Senior Co-ordination Adviser at the OSCE Gender Issues Programme.

This event was organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department in co-operation with the Gender Issues Programme, through its WIN project, and the OSCE Mission to Skopje. It will be followed by more training workshops on this topic in other OSCE participating States in South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia in 2023.

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 6 December 2022 - The OSCE Mission in Kosovo will hold a roundtable on access to justice for victims of domestic violence tomorrow, as part of its activities to mark the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. 

The roundtable will gather a broad range of experts from government institutions, Kosovo Police, Centres for Social Work, domestic violence shelters, the Ombudsperson Institution, and women's non-governmental organizations. 

Participants will discuss the security aspects of domestic violence, the role of relevant stakeholders in dealing with violence against women and domestic violence cases, and the importance of multi-sectoral co-operation and co-ordination, with special attention placed on safe referral and other services available to victims. 

Opening remarks will be delivered by Ambassador Michael Davenport, Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo; Mr. Blerim Sallahu, Deputy Minister of Justice; Mr. Blerim Gashani, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs; and Lt. Colonel Arbnesh Ajvazi of the Kosovo Police. 

Media are cordially invited to cover the event tomorrow, Wednesday 7 December 2022, starting at 10:00, at the Swiss Diamond Hotel.

OSCE Mission to BiH Head Aggeler concludes visit to Canton 10 and Una-Sana Canton Željka Šulc

DRVAR, 6 December 2022 - Ambassador Brian Aggeler, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH concluded today his visit to Canton 10 and Una-Sana Canton.

Ambassador Aggeler started the visit on Monday, 5 December by meeting Mayor of Drvar Dušica Runić, one of only six female mayors in BiH. Ambassador Aggeler and Mayor Runić discussed numerous issues including social and health protection and the continued co-operation between the municipality and the Mission.  

Ambassador Aggeler then visited Drvar Primary School, where he met Assistant Director Ivana Kovačević.  The visit was organized to congratulate the school for their success in the Mission’s BiH-wide competition “Proud of Our School". Highlighting the school’s efforts towards ensuring an inclusive learning environment, Ambassador Aggeler noted:

“The students’ active engagement in decision-making is an empowering development. It is inspiring to see such a nicely designed educational and recreational space and to learn about creative student contributions in preparing the School Day celebration.”

On the second day of the visit, Ambassador Aggeler met the Prime Minister of the Una-Sana Canton, Mustafa Ružnić. Among the many issues discussed, Ambassador Aggeler underlined the Mission’s expectation that the Canton will operationalize its Anti-Corruption Office and commended their commitment to developing a Gender Action Plan.

In Bosanski Petrovac, the Ambassador met with municipal officials including Municipal Councillor Ansela Husetić. Ambassador Aggeler reflected:

“The efforts of Bosanski Petrovac towards promoting mutual goals and aspirations; trust, dignity and understanding are exemplary. Building the Monument to Peace, and celebrating the September Month of Peace and Tolerance makes the municipality a role model that I hope communities across the country will follow.”

Underlining the importance of diversity in schools, Ambassador Aggeler met with Bosanski Petrovac General and Vocational Secondary School Director Nedret Delić, Primary school “Ahmet Hromadžić” director Mujesira Kavaz and Youth Council representative Adnan Družić.

Concluding the visit, the Ambassador opened new co-ordination office of Mountaineers Without Prejudice in Sanski Most. Ambassador Aggeler noted that “the Mission is proud to support the Mountaineers Without Prejudice, comprised of associations from Drvar, Bosansko Grahovo, Bosanski Petrovac, Sanski Most, Bosanska Krupa, Cazin and Prijedor. Ambassador concluded: “Your activities bring together communities across the region to protect their collective environment and to encourage tourism in this spectacularly beautiful part of BiH.”

533672 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe Farhod Nabiyulloev

From 29 November to 2 December, the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe and the UNDOC Terrorism Prevention Branch organized a training course in Tajikistan on requesting electronic evidence from service providers based in foreign jurisdictions. The course, based on the United Nations Practical Guide on Requesting Electronic Evidence across Borders, was developed by the UNODC, INTERPOL, and OSCE, with the financial support of the European Union.

The training course brought together 19 representatives from Tajikistan’s law enforcement, judicial agencies and other relevant ministries. The modules of the course covered available instruments for requesting electronic evidence abroad, including requests for preservation, voluntary disclosure, emergency disclosure, and mutual legal assistance, as well as channels for police-to-police co-operation. The course also underlined the importance of respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms in all these procedures.

The three-day course was followed by a one-day national roundtable in which the participants and experts discussed the necessary changes for improving existing procedures for requesting electronic evidence from overseas service providers. The training concluded with a set of recommendations for establishing effective national mechanisms.

“In the context of the rapid development of the Internet and digitalization in the Republic of Tajikistan, it is very important for the law enforcement agencies to be able to effectively investigate cyber-enabled crimes through engaging with the private companies and network providers in new and innovative manners,” said Jukka Tuononen, Head of the Politico-Military Department of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe. “The OSCE continues promoting public-private partnerships between State authorities and the private sector to facilitate requesting electronic evidence across borders in full respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

The course was supported through the extra-budgetary project “Capacity Building on Combating Cybercrime in Central Asia”, which is funded by the United States of America, Germany, and the Republic of Korea.

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

Election experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) presented the final report and recommendations of the observation activity to Canada’s 20 September 2022 early federal election during a visit to Ottawa from 14 to 15 November.

The ODIHR experts met with representatives of the electoral authorities and other state institutions and stakeholders involved in electoral processes, including Elections Canada, the Office of the Commissioner for Canada Elections, the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission, and Global Affairs Canada.

The ODIHR experts reiterated that the election was well-administered and enjoyed a high level of trust from the electorate. ODIHR drew attention to its priority recommendations, including on providing stronger legal guarantees for international and citizen election observation and expanding certain regulations on political advertising.

“We are encouraged by the consideration of ODIHR's recommendations thus far, and look forward to formal steps to further refine and enhance Canada’s robust electoral process. ODIHR remains committed to actively supporting such efforts,” said Ulvi Akhundlu, Deputy Head of the ODIHR Election Department.

The authorities presented their ongoing projects and initiatives and shared their additional recommendations for potential legal reforms. The meetings highlighted opportunities for ODIHR’s potential engagement to assist the authorities in implementing the electoral recommendations, such as through a formal review of draft legislation and comparative studies related to the regulation of electoral communication and security.

All OSCE participating States have committed to promptly follow up on ODIHR electoral assessments and recommendations.

533567 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz

The April 2022 parliamentary elections in Slovenia were competitive and pluralistic. Contestants campaigned freely, and voters had a wide variety of choices across the political spectrum. During the election campaign, the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association were respected. However, interference in the work of public broadcasters and the continuous targeting of journalists by politicians negatively affected freedom of expression. Most of ODIHR’s conversation partners expressed full confidence in the integrity of election administration.

These are some of the main conclusions from the final report on Slovenia’s 2022 parliamentary elections, published today by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). The report offers 12 recommendations to bring elections in Slovenia closer in line with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections.

Key recommendations include:

• Introducing adequate safeguards in the legislation and practice to protect the public media from political pressure and guarantee editorial independence, financial sustainability and the appointment of a professional, non-politicized management and oversight bodies of public broadcasters.

• Swiftly investigating threats, including online, against journalists, and refraining from the use of derogatory or inflammatory rhetoric against the media.

• Repealing criminal provisions for defamation, slander and insult in favour of proportional civil remedies, and putting measures in place to protect media from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs).

• Enhancing the transparency and integrity of campaign finance by requiring disclosure of campaign contributions received and campaign expenditures incurred by contestants and third parties prior to official campaign period.

ODIHR deployed an Election Assessment Mission on 12 April 2022 to observe the parliamentary elections.

All 57 participating States across the OSCE region have formally committed to following up promptly on ODIHR’s election assessments and recommendations.

Marina Živaljević

On 2 December, Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro Dominique Waag met with the Minister of Justice Marko Kovač.

Ambassador Waag introduced Minister Kovač with Mission’s support in the area of rule of law, mainly through the OSCE regional trial monitoring project, financed by the EU.

“We currently monitor 47 cases of high-level organised crime and corruption. Our purpose is to draw evidence-based conclusions on systemic difficulties that Montenegro faces, share them with you and provide with recommendations, that could eventually lead to amending laws and procedures, in order to help Montenegro to make further improvements in the field of rule of law,” said Ambassador Waag. She asked Minister Kovač about the resources that would be allocated to the judicial sector according to the law on budget.

Ambassador Waag and Minister Kovač also discussed other activities of the Mission in the judicial sector, such as combatting domestic violence, small arms and light weapons trafficking, invitation made to prosecutors to join police officers and forensic centre in trainings and regional conferences organized by the Mission, including on combatting online sexual child exploitation, as well as support to Prosecutor’s Office in relation to communication towards the public.

ŁÓDŹ, 2 December 2022 — The OSCE Ministerial Council concluded in Łódź today. Taking place against the backdrop of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the meeting brought together Foreign Ministers and senior officials from across the OSCE participating States.

The discussions held yesterday and today focused on the ramifications and regional security challenges created by Russia’s continued war against Ukraine, from the increased risks of human trafficking to emerging energy security challenges. 

The Ministerial Council was also the final high-level event of the OSCE’s 2022 Polish Chairmanship. Reflecting back on a most challenging year, Polish Foreign Minister Rau said: "The preservation of peace and security, dialogue and co-operation, and the human dimension of the OSCE are the cornerstones of the Organization. They are non-negotiable pillars fundamental to our better future, which, as I firmly believe, is coming. I consider sticking to this path the legacy of Poland’s Chairmanship-in-Office and of this Organization.” 

“North Macedonia stands ready to assume its share of the responsibility, being entrusted to serve as a Chair of this Organization. Idleness is not an option. We need to find ways to empower the OSCE, allowing its mechanisms the required space to continue making a difference. We are all aware of the good things this Organization has done. Thus, if we are united around its existence and relevance, it is our duty to keep it capacitated,” said the incoming OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani.

“As we look back at this year, we see the devastation the war has brought – and we also see how to OSCE has delivered – to alleviate challenges posed by the war and to support those actors and institutions that provide stability and security not only on Ukraine but on Moldova, Central Asia, South-eastern Europe, and well beyond,” said OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid.

“Throughout our meetings over the last two days, Ministers agreed that the OSCE – the multilateral platform with all relevant stakeholders at the table for European and Eurasian security – is unique and remains vitally important – including for the challenges ahead,” she added.

The OSCE brings together 57 participating States from across the northern hemisphere. In addition to its Secretariat in Vienna, it includes 12 field operations in South-Eastern Europe, Moldova and Central Asia, as well as three independent institutions: the High Commissioner on National Minorities, the Representative on Freedom of the Media, and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.

Meerim Abdykadyrova Aikhan Nurzhan

Did you know that a child's speech disorders must be corrected before s/he starts school? This is important so a child can study on an equal footing with classmates and maintain good academic performance.

Meerim Abdykadyrova from the city of Cholpon-Ata, Issyk-Kul province, has four children and one of them has a speech disorder. This prompted the woman to study speech therapy. “In 2017, after analysing the area, I realized that there was not a single speech therapist in the entire Issyk-Kul district,” says Meerim.

Issyk-Kul district is one of the longest districts in the country - 192 km. “We need inclusive centres because the nearest ones are located hundreds of kilometers away, and it is very expensive for parents to travel and undergo a therapy with their children,” says Meerim. Usually, mothers have to quit their jobs and leave the rest of the family behind in order to take their child to an accessible speech therapy centre. Rarely parents have enough resources and time to do so, because speech disorders cannot be corrected in one day; it is a long and meticulous process that takes at least 3 months and up to 1-2 years. It’s imperative to work with each child individually.

The local speech therapy centre operates on the basis of the private elementary school "Birinchi Mugalim", where Meerim has been the director since 2014. “Our family often moved from town to town for my husband’s work,” says Meerim, “and since 2014 we have been settled in Cholpon-Ata.” Of course, it is not easy for a mother of four, of whom the youngest one is 10 months old, to be an entrepreneur and take care of house chores, routine motherhood and the school’s development. Notably, Meerim currently is on maternity leave, yet she is still working almost full-time.

The woman entrepreneur is always looking for ways to improve her business. Thus, in 2021, she learned via social networks about the programme “Economic Empowerment of Women in the Issyk-Kul Province” coordinated by the local Entrepreneurship Support Center (ESC), which was launched and works with the support of the OSCE. After an intense competition Meerim was selected for the programme, and with the ESC consultants’ support she developed and implemented her business plan. Based on the business plan, the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek purchased the requested equipment for the “Birinchi Mugalim” school for a total sum of 2,700 euros.

“Thanks to the support of the OSCE and the new equipment, the life of the school has become much easier,” Meerim said happily. To date, students of the school demonstrate great results. Studying mental arithmetic, language lessons and science has become significantly more exciting, generating more interest among students, and better facilitating the work of teachers. Meerim continues to work closely with ESC consultants, and regularly receives legal and business advice.

Since 2017  the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek has been supporting the development of SMEs across Kyrgyzstan. Notably, to date, the Programme Office helped establish and continues to support the operation of Entrepreneurship Support Centres in Batken, Osh, Djalal-Abad, Talas and Issyk-Kul provinces. In 2020-2021 on the basis of the two ESCs in Batken and Issyk-Kul provinces, the Programme Office has developed a women’s entrepreneurship support project, which has won the 2022 OSCE Gender Champion Award in the Best Initiative category. The Programme Office’s team remains committed to supporting the sustainable development of women's and men’s SMEs in the provinces of the host state.

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A strong and joint commitment to strengthening efforts to prevent and eradicate trafficking in human beings, amid the worst humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War II was at the centre of a side event held on the margins of the 29th OSCE Ministerial Council in Łódź, Poland, today.

In 2022, the security situation in the OSCE region grew markedly worse and the most vulnerable segments of population have been disproportionally hit. Trafficking risks are on the rise, driven by a growing demand for sexual access to vulnerable populations in destination countries and by compounding vulnerabilities of women and children fleeing Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Addressing participants, OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid, emphasised the context of this humanitarian crisis: “Recent years have been the worst on record for human exploitation: there has been a 25% increase overall in modern slavery in the last five years, with 50 million victims in the world. Commercial sexual exploitation alone increased by 31%.”

The side-event featured a Ministerial panel that included Bujar Osmani, Minister for Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia; Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland; Nicu Popescu, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova; and Anniken Huitfeldt, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Norway.

Ministers highlighted the urgent need to commit political will to prioritize and invest in anti-trafficking efforts, with more ambitious policy action to address trafficking of human beings, especially of women and children who too often bear the brunt of crises. Many argued that there is a joint obligation to prevent a human trafficking crisis in the OSCE region.

Ministers also highlighted the increasing role of the OSCE in supporting countries strengthen their anti-trafficking capacity, from more effective and ambitious policies to more impactful practices on the ground.

The OSCE Special Representative for Combating Trafficking Val Richey concluded the event by thanking participants for their commitment. “The number one ingredient for success in this effort is high-level political engagement. It is the driving force that carries strong ideas into action. It is more important than ever that we work on topics of common interest and strengthen our cooperation in the spirit of this Organization. Now, more than ever, we need champions on this topic,” he added.  

The event saw also representatives from the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Switzerland take the floor and voice support to this call for action and for the OSCE’s work in this field.

ŁÓDŹ, 1 December 2022 – Foreign Ministers and senior officials from across the OSCE region meet in Łódź today and tomorrow for the 29th Ministerial Council at the invitation of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau.

Chairman-in-Office Rau addressed the assembled foreign ministers, state secretaries and high-level officials from the OSCE’s 57 participating States, 11 Partners for Co-operation, and several senior officials from other international organizations.

“Faced with an unprecedented crisis posed by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, I and my Chairmanship team have shouldered the responsibility of defending the OSCE’s principles and protecting its assets, namely its institutions, activities, projects, and – not least – its achievements,” he said. “I could not have chosen any other course. We were and are guided by the spirit of the Helsinki Accords.”

Following the Chairman-in-Office, the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Margareta Cederfelt said: “We cannot tolerate impunity. This OSCE Ministerial Council should take steps to establish a high-level body to examine the damages inflicted by the Russian Federation on Ukraine, and to assess the reparations that Russia should be accountable for. Russia started this war, and it must pay for it.”

In her report to the Ministerial Council, OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid said: “Russia’s war has a devastating impact on Ukraine and its people. On its neighbours. And in the face of this devastation, the OSCE’s support for Ukraine continues, including through the new fully donor-funded Support Programme Ukraine, as does its support to others including Moldova, Central Asia, and Southeastern Europe. The OSCE has unique expertise and unique access – and I believe we owe it to the 1.3 billion people who call our region home to continue this vital work.”

533420 Communication and Media Relations Section

Tackling the effects of armed conflict on children was the focus of a side-event held by the Belgian Chair of the Forum for Security Co-operation, in co-operation with Italy, Norway and Poland on 1 December 2022.

Held on the margins of the 2022 Ministerial Council, the event was dedicated to the impact Russia’s war has had on the children of Ukraine.

Addressing the participants, Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib highlighted the disastrous and long-lasting effect Russia’s war against Ukraine has on children.

“Children have been among the most affected and are subjected to far-reaching and possibly long-lasting physical and emotional distress. The situation is dire.  According to OHCHR the war has left 1170 children killed or injured. This will likely have severe consequences for the long-term security and stability in our region,” she said. She emphasized that the recommendations made under the Belgian FSC security dialogue must become action.

“Every child that has lost its life, every child that has been forced to flee, every child that faces more risks because of this war, is one too many. This could have and should have been avoided. It is the Russian Federation that bears the responsibility for this situation.” Civil society participants also shared their testimonies on the impact of the war and challenges in documenting violations and possible war crimes.

Belgium, Italy, Norway and Poland concluded the side-event with the creation of a Group of Friends on this topic, dedicated to leveraging the OSCE to mitigate the effects of armed conflict on children.

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Head of the OSCE Mission (Mission) to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Ambassador Brian Aggeler, visited Brčko District today.

Ambassador Aggeler met key local counterparts, including Brčko District Mayor Esed Kadrić, and Deputy Mayor, Anto Domić. The Ambassador discussed political developments in Brčko, anti-corruption efforts, support to the establishment of the memorial for Civilian Victims of War, and social developments. During this meeting, he noted:

“I am pleased to be in Brčko today and acknowledge the District’s support to the establishment of the Conflict of Interest Commission and the Brčko District Anti-corruption Office. I look forward to seeing further institutional support to crucial anti-corruption reforms.”

Ambassador Aggeler underlined the Mission’s commitment to work with the Assembly on the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding during his meeting with Brčko District Assembly Speaker, Siniša Milić.

“The Assembly’s efforts towards establishing the National Minority Council are a great step towards promoting mutual understanding, trust and respect,” noted Aggeler.

The significance of a thriving civil society and its engagement supporting young people, on trust building, and in the prevention of and fight against gender-based violence were elaborated as the Ambassador met with representatives of Youth Centre “Vermont”, “PRONI” Centre for Youth Development and Association of Active Women “GENDER”.

Concluding the visit, Ambassador met with Goran Pisić, Brčko District Chief of Police to discuss key anti-corruption efforts, and the Brcko District Law on Peaceful Assembly.

“The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina appreciates the positive co-operation with Brčko District authorities. We will continue to support our partners in the district in the interest of all citizens,” stated Aggeler.

Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

Strengthening Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capacity to counter the financing of terrorism was the topic of a four-day course, which concluded on 01 December in Sarajevo. The course was organized by the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department, with the support of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The aim of the course was to highlight various instruments and techniques to assess and disrupt terrorist activity. Eight local trainers, supported by international experts, delivered sessions and exercises on financial disruption. Inter-agency teams examined the ‘business model’ of terrorist networks and learned how to apply techniques, including auditing and vulnerabilities analysis, to disrupt the financing of terrorism.

Twenty-four participants, including representatives of the Ministry of Security of BiH, the BiH Prosecutor’s Office, the State Investigation and Protection Agency, Intelligence Security Agency of BiH, the Ministry of Interior of the Federation of BiH, the Ministry of Interior of Republika Srpska and Brčko District Police took part in the course.

The course, organized with the financial support of the United States, is part of a comprehensive multi-annual training programme on countering the financing of terrorism, jointly implemented by the OSCE and the UNODC since 2020.

The training programme is designed to support Bosnia and Herzegovina to comply with international standards, in particular UN Security Council Resolutions, such as UN Security Council Resolution 2462 (2019), Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) standards, and OSCE commitments.

533324 Željka Šulc

TUZLA, 30 November 2022 - Ambassador Brian Aggeler, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH visited Tuzla today where he met with a broad range of local counterparts.

The HoM also met with Mayor Jasmin Imamović.  Together they discussed the latest political developments and ongoing initiatives in the city. Ambassador Aggeler thanked Mayor Imamović for the outstanding co-operation with the Mission and his efforts in improving the living standards of Tuzla citizens.

The visit was particularly focused on Majevica, a successful story of communities coming together for the benefit of all of their citizens.  This includes the municipalities of Čelić, Lopare, Sapna, Teočak and Ugljevik.

Ambassador Aggeler supported and praised the work, saying that: “Being a leader of, and a role model for, effective cross-entity co-operation at a time when political crises and negative narratives threaten to overshadow positive stories is more important than ever. We hope such positive initiatives will be replicated across the country, for the benefit of everyone, irrespective of their background or nationality.”  He underscored  his admiration for the work achieved, noting that “in this context, I would like to thank the German Government for allocating nine million Euros for demining the entire mountain range, an important step toward reviving Majevica as a beautiful and desirable tourist destination.”

Ambassador Aggeler also met with representatives of the Citizens’ Forum of Tuzla where he discussed the results of the 2022 General Elections as well as post-election challenges. The Ambassador thanked the Citizens’ Forum for their activism in supporting democratization processes and their long-lasting co-operation with Mission’s Field Office Tuzla.

Ambassador Aggeler concluded his visit to Tuzla by presenting the first place award for the Mission’s inclusive school competition titled “Proud of Our School.” The award was presented to “Miladije” Primary School for their school practice encouraging Roma inclusion.

“I am inspired by the efforts of the school teachers; the students and parents who created quality materials that help improve reading and writing skills for beginners. I believe the school’s work will serve as an inspiration to others as they continue to improve inclusivity and provide equal opportunities for all.” Ambassador Aggeler said.

ŁÓDŹ, 30 November 2022 – Today, civil society representatives from across the OSCE area presented their recommendations that focused on stopping the war in Ukraine and overhauling the international security architecture at the annual OSCE Parallel Civil Society Conference held in Łódź.

The Łódź Declaration was adopted during the Civil Society Conference, which brought together human rights and peacebuilding NGOs from across the OSCE region, as well as representatives of the participating States. The Declaration was submitted to the OSCE’s political structures and institutions, as well as to the organization’s 57 participating States on the eve of the 29th OSCE Ministerial Council.

OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau emphasised that: “This year has been tragically marked by the brutal, unprovoked and unjustified Russian aggression. It led to an immense humanitarian and human rights crisis in Ukraine. Severe restrictions of fundamental freedoms in Belarus and Russia had further devastating effect.”

Minister Rau summed up the activity of the Polish OSCE Chairmanship within the Human Dimension: “Last year in this forum we declared to closely cooperate with the civil society and to maintain Human Dimension matters high on our agenda. With three Supplementary Human Dimension Meetings focusing on consequences of the Russian aggression as well as the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference we provided the civil society with relevant fora for joint discussion and work. ”

“This gathering is truly emblematic of what the OSCE stands for. It is clear that civil society plays a vital role and that sustainable peace and security demand our co-operation,” said OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid.

The event was also attended by Matteo Mecacci, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Kairat Abdrakhmanov, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) and Teresa Ribeiro, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM).

The Parallel Civil Society Conference, organised by Civic Solidarity Platform, is held annually on the margins of the OSCE Ministerial Council meetings since 2010, with the support of the respective OSCE Chairpersonship.

Marina Živaljević

On 29 November, Dominique Waag, Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, had a working meeting met with Nikola Mugoša, Chair of the State Election Commission.

They discussed joint activites planned for 2023 to support the Commission as it prepares for the upcoming electoral cycle, including how to support the Commission to strengthen the capacities of Municipal Election Commissions to train pollworkers, to prepare guidance to police and voter education campaigns, and to address abuse or intimidation towards the electors or candidates, especially women and people with disabilities. The Mission will work with the Commission and the Municipal Election Commissions to ensure that elections are accessible to all, and will conduct a new public opinion research to measure public confidence in electoral processes.

Ambassador Waag said: “The Mission is committed to working with the State Election Commission in administering free and fair elections and promoting the democractic process in line with OSCE commitments and principles,” adding that respect for the rule of law should be paramount to all actors involved in elections.

She stressed that strong partnership developed with the State Election Commission, adding that Nikola Mugoša, as Chair of the Commission, enjoys the support of the Mission.

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro highlights the importance to address all outstanding ODIHR recommendations, especially in regard to electoral administration and protection of voters’ rights.