Central Europe

522043 Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Ton van den Brandt

From 29 June to 1 July 2022, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro conducted her first official visit to Serbia.

During her three-day visit, the Representative met with high-level government representatives and senior officials, including the Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia Ana Brnabić, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selaković, the Minister of Culture and Information Maja Gojković and the Speaker of the National Assembly Ivica Dačić. Ribeiro also met with the Republic Public Prosecutor of the Republic of Serbia Zagorka Dolovac and her Deputy Branko Stamenković, as well with representatives from the Ministry of Interior, including the Ministry’s Media Advisor Jasna Popović-Ćosić and Chief Coordinator Bekir Dudić.

The Representative further met with the management of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM), the management of the public service broadcaster Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) and with several journalists and representatives from media associations and investigative outlets.

Ribeiro addressed with her counterparts several issues pertinent to media freedom in Serbia, including progress made, as well as gaps and challenges related to the implementation of the national Media Strategy and its Action Plan, both of which were adopted by the Serbian government in 2020, in an effort to strengthen the media landscape in the country.

Also in the focus of the discussions, were legal, physical and digital safety conditions of journalists; media pluralism and sustainability; editorial independence and functioning of the media regulatory authority and public service media. Ribeiro stressed the need for a whole-of-society approach in addressing these issues to ensure effective decision-making in the public interest, as envisioned under the national Media Strategy, specifically by ensuring inclusive and transparent legislative processes, the involvement of all relevant stakeholders, including media, civil society and academia..

Among the main concerns raised by media representatives were difficult working conditions, especially in local media, including low salaries, layoffs, disproportionate allocation of public funds and access to public information, verbal attacks and harassment by public figures and a rising number of lawsuits intended to silence and discourage critical reporting.

While the Representative commended some rapid response initiatives by the government undertaken in the area of safety of journalists (such as the establishment of the Permanent Working Group for Safety of Journalists, the Government Working Group for Safety of Journalists, the designation of contact points in the law enforcement and public prosecutor’s offices, and the launch of the 24-hour SOS phone line for reporting attacks on and harassment of journalists), she stressed that more concerted action and political commitment are needed to secure a safe, free, functional and pluralistic media landscape in Serbia. Ribeiro expressed her readiness to provide all necessary assistance and support to Serbia in strengthening the media environment in the country in line with her mandate.

The Representative used the visit also to launch her Policy Manual “Spotlight on Artificial Intelligence on Freedom of Expression (SAIFE)”, which was translated into Serbian language. The event included a panel discussion on the impact of artificial intelligence on freedom of expression, organized in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Serbia and with the support of USAID, and gathered participants from the media community and policy makers in Serbia.

522004 Communication and Media Relations Section

A meeting of OSCE Mediterranean Points of Contact Network on Border Security and Management, organized by the Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the Spanish Policía Nacional concluded today. The Spanish National Police hosted this meeting in Madrid on 4 and 5 July and brought together high-level participants from the border and customs services of Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Morocco.

“We all belong to the Mediterranean region; therefore we share many cultural links and traditions. As representatives from Law Enforcement Agencies, we also face an increasing range of transnational threats affecting the whole region. Illegal immigration, trafficking in human beings and foreign terrorist fighters pose a major threat to global security and the Mediterranean route, that we all share due to our geographical situation, is heavily affected”, said Senior Police Commissioner Alicia Malo Sánchez, Head of the International Co-operation Division of the Spanish National Police, at the event’s opening.

Participants exchanged information on current border security related challenges in the region and have identified future training and co-operation needs. The Permanent Mission of North Macedonia, as Chair of the OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation Group, presented its priorities while the Spanish National Police provided insight on its efforts to prevent and combat terrorist attacks and the cross-border travel of foreign terrorist fighters (FTF).

Participants also engaged in interactive exercises on behavioral analysis and on the identification of FTFs at the borders. International expert and former FBI Agent Bret Hood conducted this segment, which examined harmful biases and stereotyping in this context, including a gender and human rights perspective.

The highlight was a study visit to the Spanish National Coordination Center for Border Crossing Points (CEFRONT), where participants were introduced to the European Union’s “Smart Borders” project and the work of the Center on preventing and identifying the cross-border travel of FTFs and perpetrators of cross-border crimes.

This meeting was the ninth activity of the OSCE’s initiative aimed at strengthening co-operation mechanisms between the border security and management agencies of the OSCE participating States and the Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation.

522031 Marina Živaljević

Almost half of the respondents in a survey polled perceive the national public service broadcaster – Radio Television Montenegro (RTCG) as a metaphor for the term “television”, about 27 per cent watch the RTCG on a daily basis, while RTCG channels, in comparison to other TV stations, are the second most viewed in Montenegro. A large number of citizens noticed a positive change on RTCG 1, in relation to 2020 and, statistically, the trust in RTCG information program has increased, while 16% of respondents watch RTCG more today than a year ago.

These are some of the key findings from a survey Exploring RTCG brand strength, commissioned by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and conducted by the Damar agency, and presented on 5 July 2022 in Podgorica.

The research was conducted in June on a sample of 1,015 citizens. Its goal is to measure awareness of the RTCG brand and the public’s perception of its programmes, in order to support RTCG development strategy.

“RTCG 1 is recognized as a TV station with a long tradition, with consistent quality, that is improving. Respondents thought  that the information programmes, including the morning show,  documentaries,  scientific, educational, cultural and sports programmes are  the best that RTCG can offer, although there was a concern about the lack of  entertainment, film and music programmes,” said Miloš Vukanović from Damar Agency.

Following the presentation, Dominique Waag, Head of the Mission said that Public Service Broadcasters in every democratic society play an important role in the public interest, in order to reflect the society, its culture and diversity, to inform and investigate independently, adhering to ethical standards of journalism, and to educate.  “The poll’s findings should provide information on what needs to be changed to meet the expectations of its audience, achieve the highest professional standards and be more recognizable,” said Ambassador Waag.

Boris Raonić, General Director of the RTCG said that they are encouraged and motivated by the latest research results. “Comparative data for 2020 show that trust in RTCG has increased by 6 per cent, while 41 per cent of respondents’ believe in the accuracy and impartiality of our information, an increase of 9 per cent from 2020. A further 37 per cent of respondents recognize the RTCG as a medium that promotes the true spirit of citizens, with a growth trend of nine per cent,” said Raonić, adding that it is their goal to ensure the continuity of success and growing trust that people have in the public service.

The research results will support the development and implementation of the RTCG Communications Strategy and Action Plan and map areas for improvement. After six months, a second round of public opinion polls will be conducted to see how the changes affected the public and whether they met the needs and expectations of RTCG.

LONDON, 5 July 2022 — The OSCE Secretary General, Helga Maria Schmid, has concluded her visit to the United Kingdom where she met with high-level British and OSCE officials and attended the 29th Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA).

Addressing the Opening Plenary of the OSCE PA Annual Session in Birmingham amidst Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, Schmid focused on the shared resolve of OSCE executive structures and parliamentarians to “uphold the OSCE’s principles, continue project support to Ukraine, and ensure the OSCE keeps providing practical, beneficial support assistance to participating States each and every day”.

While attending the OSCE PA Annual Session, the Secretary General met with OSCE PA President, Margareta Cederfelt, its Secretary General, Roberto Montella, and several parliamentary delegations from OSCE participating States, including Ukraine.

In London, Schmid met with Lord Tariq Ahmad, Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, as well as other senior stakeholders. Discussions focused on the continuation of OSCE project activities in Ukraine, the implications in Central Asia of instability emanating from Afghanistan, as well as efforts to promote gender equality and combat gender-based violence across the OSCE region.

521860 Farhod Nabiyulloev Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

The further support the efforts of the Government of Tajikistan in the process of police reform, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (Programme Office) handed over three minibuses to Tajikistan’s Ministry of Interior (Ministry) on 29 June in Dushanbe.

The minibuses will serve as mobile police receptions, which will create better working conditions for police officers to travel to rural areas and provide legal assistance to local citizens. The minibuses are furnished and equipped with a laptop, GPS, printer, mobile phone and internet connection.

Acting Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe Ambassador Vuk Zugic and Interior Minister of Tajikistan Colonel General Rahimzoda Ramazon Hamro participated in the handover ceremony of minibuses. Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Zugic said: “We are certain that the minibuses handed over today will be effectively used for providing services to the population, while implementing the community policing program and receiving applications and appeals from citizens in remote areas.”

Interior Minister of Tajikistan Colonel General Rahimzoda Ramazon Hamro thanked the OSCE for supporting his Ministry in establishing mobile police receptions and emphasized the important role and contribution of joint initiative of OSCE and the Ministry in the process of implementation of police reform.

In 2021, the Programme Office provided four minibuses to the Ministry to expand the network of mobile police receptions throughout the country. Five additional minivans will be provided, adding up to the overall 12 minibuses, which the Programme Office will donate to the Ministry by the end of the year.

VIENNA, 1 July 2022 — The OSCE Secretary General, Helga Maria Schmid, will visit the United Kingdom from 2 to 5 July for meetings with high-level officials and to attend the 29th Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

The Secretary General will address the Opening Plenary of the OSCE PA Annual Session in Birmingham and meet with national and international stakeholders, including OSCE PA President, Margareta Cederfelt, its Secretary General, Roberto Montella, and several Heads of Delegation from OSCE participating States. In London, Schmid will meet with Lord Tariq Ahmad, Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, as well as other senior stakeholders.

521788 Kunduz Rysbek

On June 27-29, a three-day regional meeting of 35 senior representatives of the border services from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan took place in Issyk-Kul province.

The main purpose of the meeting was to conduct practical exercises on the "Line of Conduct of Border Guards" with the aim to strengthen co-operation and security, as well as contribute to confidence building, good coordination and neighbourly relations in the Central Asian region.

The event served as a platform for the participants to discuss how to effectively address common threats such as international terrorism, violent extremism, illicit trafficking in weapons and drugs, transnational crime and illegal migration. In light of regional developments, including in Afghanistan, it is particularly important to ensure stability and security in the Central Asian region. Thus, one of the key messages discussed at the regional meeting was to enhance the common understanding that today's transnational threats can be tackled effectively only with proper co-ordination and co-operation.

“The Border Service of the State Committee for National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic will do everything possible to ensure that our citizens can work without having to fear for their security. We are interested in helping our neighbours feel as comfortable as our citizens as well,” said Marat Maralbaev, Chief of the Main Staff -First Deputy Director of the Border Service of the State Committee for National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic (BS SCNS).

During the meeting, the participants also discussed  in detail main requirements of the line of conduct on joint sections of the borders, determined key measures to counter transnational threats at the shared borders, and clarified the tasks of joint patrolling of undefined sections of the borders.

“The borders of the OSCE region begin in Central Asia, therefore co-operation on border security is important not only in terms of ensuring stability in the region, but also the sustainable development of the entire OSCE region, in general” said Ambassador Alexey Rogov, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek.

The event was organized jointly by the BS SCNS and the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, in coordination and with the support of the OSCE presences in Dushanbe, Nur-Sultan, and Tashkent.

WARSAW/VIENNA, 30 June – OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Foreign Minister of Poland, Zbigniew Rau, and OSCE Secretary General, Helga Maria Schmid, have announced that the OSCE has initiated steps to close the office of the Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.

This decision follows the lack of consensus by the OSCE Permanent Council to extend the Project Co-ordinator’s mandate, due to the position of the Russian Federation.

“Regrettably, despite the overwhelming support from participating States for the continuation of the important work that the Project Co-ordinator has carried out for 23 years, no consensus on its mandate extension was reached due to the position of the Russian Federation,” Chairman-in-Office Rau said.

“The Polish Chairmanship will make every effort to preserve the invaluable experience and expertise the Project Co-ordinator gained in the country and ensure that the OSCE remains present, and engaged with Ukraine. Today, when the country is facing unprecedented challenges and hardships due to the ongoing war, our support is more important than ever,” he stressed.

Secretary General Schmid thanked in particular the mission members of the Project Co-ordinator for their work over the past 23 years.

“I would like to express my immense gratitude to the dedicated staff of the Project Co-ordinator whose professionalism and commitment I had the privilege to observe first-hand when I visited the mission last year,” she said. “I cannot stress enough how impressed and proud I am of these committed men and women.”

“Not only have they contributed to the steady transformation in the country for over two decades, but they also worked around the clock to support Ukraine and its people in these most challenging times. Even with the ongoing aggression against Ukraine, the Mission has continued its vital work – from countering trafficking in human beings, to helping build the country’s humanitarian demining capacity, and to ensuring legal support for internally displaced people and vulnerable populations,” she emphasized. “While we unfortunately have to close the mission, the duty of care for our staff will remain at the forefront of our efforts.”

Chairman Rau underlined that the Polish Chairmanship will continue consultations with the participating States regarding the OSCE’s future role and presence in Ukraine.

As of 1 July, all mandated activities stop. The Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine will retain its status as an OSCE field operation until its closure is complete, all its mission members will remain OSCE officials until they separate from the OSCE and, as such, are to be afforded the appropriate protections, including during closure proceedings. All assets will remain the property of the OSCE until their final disposal.

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine was established on 1 June 1999 following a consensus decision by all participating States.

Its mandated tasks were focused on enhancing the country’s security and developing its legislation, institutions, and practices in line with democratic standards.

Since its deployment, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator has been supporting Ukraine in its reform efforts by undertaking crucial work in many areas. These range from supporting persons affected by conflict and crisis, combating human trafficking and supporting the country in its humanitarian demining efforts to environmental protection and media freedom.

521710 Andrii Dziubenko

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine helped the National Agency of Ukraine for Civil Service to develop Methodology Recommendations on Conflict Management in State Institutions and another one elaborated for Local Self-Governance Bodies. On 20 June 2022, the two documents were approved by the Order of the Head of the Agency and are now distributed among authorities at all levels. 

The Recommendations provide step-by-step guidance and a number of practical tools on how to identify interpersonal conflicts among public servants, diagnose their types and analyze them, prepare for and carry out an intervention to tackle those conflicts. The documents also contain a set of advices on prevention of conflicts in the workplace.

Prior to this, in 2021 the Project Co-ordinator produced the Guidebook “Conflict Management for the Needs of Public Service”. It comprised a study of foreign experience in managing conflicts in state institutions, analysis of national legal documents and regulations in the considered area, results of research on the state of interpersonal conflicts conducted among public servants, theoretic background, practical tools and advices for managing conflicts in the public service. In addition, the publication provides a guidance on establishing a conflict management system in a public institution.

The Methodology Recommendations and the Guidebook will contribute to creating more harmonious and enabling environment for public servants so they can have more cohesive teams that cultivate the culture of dialogue, listening and accepting different points of view. In turn, this will facilitate more co-ordinated, efficient and quality work of state authorities and local self-government bodies.

The Guidebook “Conflict Management for the Needs of Public Service” is available here.

The Methodology Recommendations on Conflict Management in State Institutions are available here.

The Methodology Recommendations on Conflict Management in Local Self-Governance Bodies are available here.

VIENNA, 29 June 2022 – The Annual Security Review Conference (ASRC), the OSCE’s main event for enhancing dialogue on regional security challenges, took place on 28 and 29 June 2022.

“This year’s Annual Security Review Conference takes place against the backdrop of an unprecedented security crisis in the OSCE area. We face the most serious collapse of security architecture since the Helsinki Final Act was adopted,” said OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau in his introductory remarks.

“Sadly, the fracture came from within the Organization. One participating State, Russia, launched unprovoked military aggression against another participating State, Ukraine. Virtually, all the OSCE founding rules and principles have been violated,” he added.

“Russia’s ongoing military attack against Ukraine must stop,” said OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid.

The work of the OSCE supports Ukraine and other participating States suffering the consequences of the war “through our field missions, through our institutions, and the secretariat,” she added, emphasizing “the principles on which the OSCE was founded nearly 50 years ago remain the essential foundation.”

521464 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

An OSCE-organized online seminar on international standards and national experiences in preventing violence against journalists and promoting their rights was held from 27 to 28 June 2022.

Two international experts facilitated the meeting for representatives of structures involved in the implementation of the National Human Rights Action Plan (NHRAP) for 2021-2025 provisions on freedom of the media and freedom of the journalistic profession.

The two-day event brought together representatives from the Mejlis (lower chamber) of the Milli Gengesh (parliament), the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the General Prosecutor’s Office, the Ombudsperson's Office, the Supreme Court, the Bar Association, and the Institute for State, Law and Democracy, lecturers from institutions of higher education as well as journalists from national print, broadcast and online media.

The experts covered a number of important issues related to the safety of journalists, including the creation of a safe environment for their work and protection of female journalists online. They elaborated on the rights of journalists in the 21st century and journalists’ relations with the audience.

“Journalists play a vital role in covering important political processes, and ensuring the safety of journalists helps to strengthen democratic states,” said John MacGregor, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. 

“Since 1975, the OSCE participating States have significantly enhanced the package of commitments ensuring the media freedom and we firmly believe that our event will make an efficient contribution to the practical implementation of the relevant provisions of the National Human Rights Action Plan,” added MacGregor.

Andrey Rikhter, Advisor to the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), presented the OSCE’s key commitments related to the freedom of the media  and the 2018 Ministerial Decision on the Safety of Journalists, which calls on the OSCE participating States “to fully implement all OSCE commitments and their international obligations related to freedom of expression and media freedom, including by respecting, promoting and protecting the freedom to seek, receive and impart information regardless of frontiers.”

521437 Farhod Nabiyulloev Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

To mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe supported Tajikistan’s Drug Control Agency (Agency) in organizing awareness-raising campaign from 17 to 25 June in all regions of Tajikistan. 

The campaign titled “Anti-drug Caravan 2022 – Youth against drugs” took place in Khorog, Kulob, Bokhtar, Tursunzoda, Khujand and Dushanbe cities. Over 850 participants, including representatives of local governments, law enforcement agencies, civil society and youth, participated in the campaign and raised awareness of the significant problem illicit drugs represent to society.

On the final day of the campaign held in Dushanbe, the Director of Tajikistan’s Drug Control Agency, Major-General Habibullo Vohidzoda, said that the Agency carried out uncompromising combat against drug abuse and illicit trafficking. He noted that such events promote a healthy lifestyle, prevent drug abuse and raise awareness of the problems that illicit drugs inflict on society.

“Today, on the eve of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, I am grateful for preparing a wonderful final chord for the 2022 caravan, which will be of benefit to uphold negative attitude towards drug use, including through the media, public associations, volunteer organizations,” said Ambassador Vuk Zugic, Acting Head of OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe. “We will continue to solve the problem of freeing people from drug addiction together,” added Ambassador Zugic.

High-level representatives of the Agency, OSCE, local authorities and law enforcement awarded young winners of regional sports competitions and drawing contests with certificates and memorable gifts. Each campaign showcased a theatrical performance about drug abuse and cultural and entertainment programme.

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 mission to the 17 and 31 October 2021 local elections in North Macedonia during a visit to Skopje from 20 to 23 June.

The ODIHR experts met with representatives of the State Election Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Interior, the State Audit Office, the State Commission for the Prevention of Corruption and the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services. Meetings were also held with representatives of the parliament, media, civil society and the international community.

The ODIHR experts reiterated that while the elections were generally well-administered despite challenges in implementing new technologies for the biometric identification of voters, the electoral legal framework still requires substantial review. The experts urged the government and other stakeholders to take immediate steps to renew the electoral reform process.

ODIHR drew attention to its priority recommendations, such as creating more equitable conditions for electoral campaigns and political advertising, enhancing the capacity of election management bodies and creating additional mechanisms to ensure transparency in political and campaign financing. The implementation of gender-related electoral recommendations was also discussed during a dedicated stakeholder meeting.

The authorities presented their ongoing projects and initiatives and shared their additional recommendations for potential legal reforms. The meetings also highlighted opportunities for ODIHR’s potential engagement to assist the authorities in implementing the electoral recommendations. This may include providing a formal review of the electoral legal framework and participating in the working group on electoral reforms, supporting efforts to implement electronic tools for the financial reporting of political parties and assisting in the development of strategies for regulating and ensuring adequate transparency of online political campaigns and expenditures.

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

VIENNA, 28 June 2022 – Integrating women and youth to be part of solutions to challenges in times of crisis was at the centre of the OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation Group meeting that took place in Vienna today.

Chaired by North Macedonia, the meeting focused on empowering women and youth to be part of the solutions to the repercussions from the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the ensuing economic challenges.

“The importance of equal and meaningful participation, inclusion, representation and equal rights for all cannot be underestimated and efforts need to be increased in this regard,” said Igor Djundev, Ambassador of North Macedonia to the OSCE. “We will build on this and work on further empowerment of women and youth providing high priority during our Chairmanship in 2023.”

“From the Covid-19 pandemic to conflicts, including the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis across Ukraine, women and youth are bearing the brunt of today’s insecurity. As such, no crisis can be solved without including women and youth as part of the solution,” emphasized OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid. “This applies not only to the OSCE area, but also to the Mediterranean regions, and our partnership provides a unique and useful platform for co-operation.”

“Inclusivity builds trust and makes our societies stronger, particularly in times of crisis,” said Matteo Mecacci, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. “We will continue to work towards the full and meaningful participation of women and youth in political and public life across the OSCE region, which means ensuring that women have a real opportunity to influence the work of democratic institutions and that young people’s voices are heard and acted on.”

The OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation bring together the OSCE’s 57 participating States as well as Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia.

521296 Željka Šulc

SARAJEVO, 28 June 2022 – The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) today presented, in Sarajevo, the report A Race Against Time: Successes and Challenges in the Implementation of the National War Crimes Processing Strategy of BiH.

The report highlights the main achievements and obstacles relating to war crimes processing in BiH and provides recommendations for different relevant stakeholders in order to more efficiently and fairly process the remaining backlog of cases.

“The OSCE Mission to BiH calls on all stakeholders, national and international, to act swiftly and take every possible step within their powers to ensure that the remaining war crimes cases are processed efficiently and fairly.  Justice has become a race against time. Nearly 500 cases, involving over 4,000 known suspects, remain uncompleted by prosecutors. The victims and their families have had to wait far to long for the justice that is due them. More can be done and more must be done,” said Ambassador Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH.

“Over the past decade, the European Union has deployed great efforts to assist the country to effectively tackle the backlog of war crimes cases within the country’s judiciary. Thanks to EU financial assistance starting in 2013, the backlog has been reduced by almost 60%. War crimes processing in BiH has overall been efficient and effective, and the EU/ OSCE collaboration on helping the processing of cases is regarded as an example of successful assistance to domestic stakeholders. We will continue to do so. At the same, the OSCE report presented today comes at a crucial time, when we know that time is running out. The OSCE’s recommendations must be turned into concrete actions. Therefore, I urge all stakeholders, from the judicial and the prosecutorial services, from the authorities and the HJPC, to double their efforts so that all victims can finally get the justice they deserve,” said Johann Sattler, Head of EU Delegation to BiH and EU Special Representative in BiH.

“The report has been published at a very important moment for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Many aspects of implementation of transitional justice have yet to be systemically sensitised in Bosnia and Herzegovina even after 25 years. The OSCE Mission recognised the importance of this issue long ago, both from the standpoint of the victims and from the standpoint of the right of the accused to a fair trial within a reasonable period of time, and ultimately from the standpoint of citizens themselves, who have the right to truth and reconciliation. This report represents a comprehensive analysis to guide the work of all the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the implementation of the National War Crimes Strategy. This document presents a detailed picture of the current state of affairs in this field. Consequently, the report provides very detailed and very serious recommendations. We will agree with many of those recommendations, and we may disagree with some others, but undoubtedly, they will serve to correct our actions and provide a good basis for enhanced and more efficient work of law enforcement, legislative, executive and judicial authorities,” said Minka Kreho, a judge of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The analysis and recommendations presented in this report on the processing of war crimes cases are based on the findings of the OSCE Mission to BiH’s Trial Monitoring Programme.

521137 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

An OSCE-organized online seminar on best practices in preventing and countering bribery and corruption took place in Ashgabat from 23 to 24 June 2022. The purpose of the event was to present best practices of the OSCE participating States in developing measures to prevent and combat corruption through respect for transparency, good governance principles and high ethical and professional requirements.

The event brought together representatives from the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of National Security, the Central Bank, the Prosecutor-General’s Office, the State Customs Service and the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and other state agencies, banks and non-governmental structures.

International experts from Latvia and Ukraine briefed participants on the areas, objectives and documents of the OSCE anti-corruption activities. The experts presented best practices in developing organizations' internal anti-corruption systems, and implementing innovative digital tools to prevent and combat corruption. The seminar also addressed the specifics of asset and conflict of interest declaration systems, protection of whistleblowers reporting about corruption, and implemention of tools to prevent and combat bribery and corruption in local governments.

“We are all aware that corruption is one of the biggest threats to security and stability and a big barrier t the implementation of good governance principles,” said Ivana Markovic-Boskovic, Economic and Environmental Officer of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. “On the opposite, good public and corporate governance and strong institutions are essential foundations for a sound economy, which can attract investments, and thereby enable States to allocate scarce resources in an efficient manner, reduce poverty and inequality, increase social integration and opportunities for all as well as protect the environment.”

“Therefore, measures that help prevent and counter corruption in both the public and private sectors should be vigorously encouraged by all of us,” added Markovic-Boskovic.

The OSCE and its field operations support concrete anti-corruption programmes and activities through capacity-building and awareness-raising events, scoping and advisory missions, as well as activities aimed at strengthening institutional and legislative frameworks.

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

The November 2021 presidential and early parliamentary elections in Bulgaria were administered efficiently, but took place in an atmosphere of disillusionment towards the political establishment and voter fatigue from two previous parliamentary elections held within the same year. The roll-out of electronic voting machines was successful despite logistical and technical challenges. While some parties commended country-wide efforts by law enforcement as effective in curbing vote-buying, others claimed that these actions aimed to intimidate their supporters.

These are some of the main conclusions from the final report on the November 2021 elections published today by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

Key recommendations include:

• Revising the legal framework well in advance of the next election in an inclusive and transparent consultation process, to ensure a coherent and stable electoral framework;
• Providing clear rules and deadlines to carry out a count of control slips produced by the voting machines, to ensure the accountability of electronic voting;
• Implementing a strategy to reduce the number of citizens without a permanent address and conducting a nationwide campaign to issue identification documents to voters belonging to vulnerable groups;
• Removing undue restrictions on Bulgarian citizens with dual citizenship to stand for office;
• Increasing the transparency of police actions to prevent vote-buying by publicizing the criteria, the methodology and the grounds on which warning protocols are issued to potential perpetrators.
• Encouraging broadcasters to abandon the practice of directly engaging journalists in preparing paid campaign material;
• Reviewing the framework for electoral dispute resolution to allow for direct challenging of election results by the contestants and broadening legal standing for voters whose rights are violated to lodge a complaint.

ODIHR deployed an Election Assessment Mission on 25 October 2021 to observe the presidential and early parliamentary elections on 14 November and the second round of the presidential election on 21 November.

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

521119

Improving national capacities of government institutions on open data and digitalization was the focus of a series of training seminars organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) in co-operation with the Anti-Corruption Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan (ACA) from 22 to 24 June 2022.   

The training was organized in line with the presidential decree ‘On measures to increase the level of openness of the activities of state bodies and organizations and the introduction of an assessment system’ adopted on 14 June 2022. The Decree sets important milestones and concrete indicators based on which the performance of opening the government data by state institutions will be evaluated by the ACA and published in the annual Openness Index of government bodies.

The trainings organized on 22 and 23 June provided participants with insights from international and national trainers on how to improve transparency and accountability through open datasets. A one-day special session for national trainers on training methodologies and techniques on provision of open data training followed the two-day workshop. The participants, selected among ACA personnel, will use this knowledge to train 600 staff members of local municipalities across the country during 2022.

"Open data and digital technologies are a powerful tool to ensure transparency of government institutions and their accountability to the public by increasing the efficiency of public oversight over government activities. Open data also brings additional benefits to the economy and the business climate by helping business to develop others digital products,” said Project manager, Eni Gjergji

She reassured that the OCEEA will continue supporting the country in enhancing national authorities’ capacities on the use of open data and digital technologies. 

The training seminars mark the start of the implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding between OCEEA and the ACA of the Republic of Uzbekistan, which was signed in November 2021.  They were organized in the framework of the extra-budgetary project "Promoting good governance and a positive business climate in the OSCE region through digitalization and the use of open data" funded by the United States and Poland. 

521095

The fourth Annual General Meeting of the Balkan Asset Management Interagency Network (BAMIN) was held with the support of the OSCE between 22 and 24 June 2022 in Budva, Montenegro. The Annual General Meeting brought together 50 participants from 21 jurisdictions, as well as a representative from the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol), to discuss the responsibilities, tasks and powers that constitute an effective asset management agency.

This year’s meeting built upon recommendations from the third Annual General Meeting, where BAMIN members and observers highlighted the need to clarify and document the mandate of an effective asset management office or department. Existing international standards suggest that jurisdictions should establish specialized offices or equivalent mechanisms to ensure the adequate management of sequestrated assets. However, the legal and procedural functions of asset management offices have yet to be recorded.   

The event gathered the views of practitioners from the region on what the mandate of an effective asset management office should be. These insights will be then used to develop a guidelines document, which will be disseminated among the BAMIN network.

A Europol representative presented an overview of the draft Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on asset recovery and confiscation, and a representative from the Belgian Central Office for Seizure and Confiscation outlined the key elements of an effective asset management system.

The OSCE supports BAMIN through its extra-budgetary 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, a cross-dimensional initiative implemented by the Office of the Co-ordinator of Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) and the Transnational Threats Department (TNTD). This regional project is financially supported by the United States Department of State, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom.

WARSAW, 24 June 2022 – Ensuring accountability is the most effective means of ending the use of torture and ill-treatment committed during armed conflicts, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said ahead of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on 26 June.

“The importance of holding perpetrators of torture to account is crucial if we are to prevent it taking place in the future,” said ODIHR Director Matteo Mecacci. “This also makes accountability an important factor in any peacebuilding efforts. And where impunity is tolerated, efforts to prevent torture cannot succeed.”

While torture and other ill-treatment are prohibited by international law, they remain widespread during armed conflict. The fact that prisoners of war are associated with enemy forces means that they are particularly at risk, even though torture or inhuman treatment of POWs are considered grave breaches of the Geneva Convention.

Women and girls are disproportionately vulnerable to sexual violence during armed conflict, which often amounts to torture and may be considered a war crime or crime against humanity under international humanitarian law. However, many victims are unwilling to report these crimes, often due to a sense of stigma and shame. Beyond the long-term consequences for survivors, sexual violence has an impact on the entire community, and failing to prosecute perpetrators can contribute to normalizing sexual violence and increase gender inequalities even after conflicts have ended.

At the same time, ensuring accountability for allegations of torture and other ill-treatment during armed conflict presents major challenges. These range from access to victims, through the ability to document allegations and preserve evidence, to the capacity and political will of states to adequately investigate these violations.

Torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment are prohibited worldwide, and ODIHR works closely with its partners to move towards eradicating them entirely. All OSCE participating States have emphasized that no circumstance whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency can justify torture. In 2020, all the 57 states of the OSCE recognized that a special focus should be made on preventing torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment during armed conflicts.