Central Europe

520223 Željka Šulc

SARAJEVO, 15 June 2022 – A  Media Sector Needs Assessment, conducted by the Prism Research Agency with the support of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and Embassy of Sweden was presented today, 15 June 2022, in Sarajevo at the offices of BIRN. The purpose of the Assessment is to understand the needs of the media in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), including by gaining a picture of media consumption habits, perceptions and needs of the public, and to offer recommendations to strengthen  the  development of independent media in BiH. 

The Assessment is based on a public opinion survey of 1,000 people carried out during February 2022, interviews with media representatives as well as focus group discussions with media consumers.

“It is essential to understand the reasons behind the drop in the country’s standing in the Free Media Index of Reporters Without Borders, as well as what can be done to reverse this concerning trend,” said Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina. “It is in the interest of the public to have media that is strong, independent, and the one that follows the highest professional and ethical standards.”

Dino Đipa, from the Prism Research Agency said that the citizens are quite unhappy with the media situation in BiH. General impression is that a very bias, unobjective and unprofessional reporting, fake news and hate speech have been dominating.“The citizens are aware of the fact that, generally, the media have been exposed to political and economic pressures, and that is largely being percieved as the main reason of this negative media situation in BiH. That is why the citizens have been expressing a very low level of trust in the media and its reporting,“ stressed Đipa.

Addressing the lack of robust and comprehensive data on the nature and extent of various needs and issues the media is faced in BiH is central to developing an understanding of the scope of the problem and, therefore, to developing an effective response.

“Media freedom is a corner stone in any democracy. From the Swedish side we are happy that this study will hopefully give us all a better picture of the media freedom in the country and how it can be strengthened,” said Eva Smedberg, Counsellor Development Co-operation at the Embassy of Sweden in BiH.

The Media Sector Needs Assessment was also presented in Mostar on 9 June 2022 and in Banjaluka on 13 June 2022 and it is part of wider efforts to address the challenges related to media freedom and freedom of expression in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

VIENNA, 15 June 2022 – Participants at the 2022 OSCE Asian Conference discussed synergies and opportunities for co-operation with a particular focus on the role of women in building confidence, peace and security, on climate‑related challenges to security and on the role of civil society today. Hosted by Sweden, the 2022 OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation Group Chair, the conference was held both online and in person from Vienna.

In her opening statement, Ann Linde, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, underlined the unique opportunity the Chairpersonship gives Sweden to contribute to strengthening the partnership between the OSCE and Asia, and to safeguarding the rules-based international system.

Highlighting the complex challenges posed by Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine and last year’s negative developments in Afghanistan, the minister stated: “The only way to overcome the acute challenges we face is to work together to reconfirm our commitments while holding to account those who violate them.”  

Ambassador Adam Hałaciński, Permanent Representative of Poland to the OSCE, Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council underlined that as we monitor the changing security landscape across the OSCE area, Asia, and beyond we face challenges the character of which is not restricted to one state’s territory or even to one region.

“The Russian aggression against Ukraine is not only a tragedy for Ukraine and a fundamental challenge for the international community, but also is a game-changer for international relations globally,” Ambassador Hałaciński said.

Bujar Osmani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia, called for strengthened partnership while reaffirming North Macedonia’s support for further OSCE engagement in the region to mitigate risks and address challenges related to the crisis in Afghanistan, particularly in neighbouring participating States.

“Today’s global security challenges are common, immediate and immense. We are sharing similar problems and worries and thus we should share the burden of responsibility for active co-operation and engagement,” he added.

“The war against Ukraine remains our clear focus, and at the same time, the work we do together with our partners is vital,” said OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid. “This conference is an opportunity to share what we’ve done on a range of topics – including our work to assess and address potential security risks stemming from climate change – and to learn from our Asian partners about their experiences.”

“The world needs more multilateralism, not less,” said Sarun Charoensuwan, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand. “It is especially in these trying times that we need to explore and exhaust all possible avenues to allow for continued dialogues paving the way for win-win resolutions and further intensifying international co-operation on all fronts.”

The annual OSCE Asian Conference gives OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation an opportunity to share experiences and lessons learned in Asia.

520196 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

An OSCE-organized regional training workshop on countering terrorism with a particular focus on protecting critical infrastructures such as hydropower systems, energy grids and transport lines started on 14 June 2022. The three-day online and in person event aimed to support building resilience against threats to the critical infrastructure and served as a platform for discussing measures of enhancing the protection of critical infrastructure.

The workshop is a good example of multi-stakeholder partnership, as it was organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat with support from the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) as well as the OSCE Secretariat’s Border Security and Management and Action against Terrorism Units.

The event brought together around fifty officials from relevant border and security agencies of the five Central Asian countries.

In his welcoming speech, John MacGregor, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat noted: “In 2007, the OSCE Ministerial Council issued a Ministerial Statement on Supporting the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy which encouraged to step up all efforts to improve the security and protection of particularly vulnerable targets, such as infrastructure and public places.”

“Over the last three decades, the Central Asian countries have developed numerous critical infrastructures, and protecting them is crucial for the region’s stability, security and prosperity,” added MacGregor. “Through awareness raising and information sharing on protecting critical infrastructures, the Centre seeks to further promote regional co-operation and provide a platform for gaining insights into best practices of other states.”

Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Central Asia, Head of the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, Ambassador of Japan to Turkmenistan and UNOCT Regional Coordination Officer also made opening speeches.

The international experts, OSCE and UNOCT experts emphasized the need for compliance of policies and measures to protect critical infrastructure in line with OSCE commitments and relevant UN Security Council resolutions on protection of critical infrastructure against terrorist acts as well as the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The experts presented cascading detrimental effects of critical infrastructure incidents, and underscored the need for putting adequate incident management mechanisms and processes in place to minimize the impact on the essential function in the event of deliberate terrorist attacks.

The participants discussed the core dimensions of critical infrastructure protection against terrorist attacks from both a national and cross-border perspective. Representatives from Central Asian countries presented their recommendations for topics of the next regional online training on protecting critical infrastructure from terrorist threats.

The workshop is organized within the framework of the Centre’s extrabudgetary multi-donor project “Strengthening State Border Service Capacities of Turkmenistan” and supported financially by the Government of Japan.

520202 Marina Živaljević

On 15 June 2022, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro supported the NGO SOS Helpline Nikšić, a shelter for women and children survivors of domestic and gender-based violence, by assisting them in extending their facility licenses, as well as donated bedroom, dining and living room furniture to improve the living conditions of survivors of violence.

Nataša Međedović, Executive Coordinator of NGO SOS Helpline Nikšić, thanked the Mission for this valuable donation, which, she said, will help the shelter meet the requirements for extending the license. “In addition to ensuring safety to the victims within the shelter, this furniture will make their accommodation more comfortable and will help them adapt to new living arrangements at difficult moments in their lives,” said Međedović.

Siv-Katrine Leirtroe, Deputy Head of the Mission, said that shelters are essential in providing specialized support and protection to survivors of domestic violence and improving their well-being. “I believe that this donation ensures that the shelter continues to provide safe refuge to women and their children from domestic and gender-based violence in line with relevant national and international standards and good practices,” said Leirtroe.

She added that violence against women and girls is not a personal problem, to be implicitly or explicitly dismissed and not reported. “The Mission will continue to closely co-operate with civil society and institutions supporting zero tolerance within the society towards violence against women and girls. This requires everyone to take immediate and decisive actions in order to prevent and eradicate this societal issue,” said Leirtroe.

VIENNA, 15 June 2022 - Addressing current challenges related to human trafficking and implementing international commitments, policies, and standards set forth by the OSCE and the Council of Europe’s Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings were the focus of the largest annual gathering of national anti-trafficking co-ordinators and rapporteurs. Representatives from 55 OSCE participating States and three of the OSCE Partners for Co-Operation participated in a discussion organized by the Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and the Council of Europe that took place in Vienna on 13 and 14 June.

The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Valiant Richey, said the discussion was timely as the global fight against trafficking is at a turning point.  

“Profits of trafficking are rising rapidly while criminals are expanding their operations, particularly online. And now, a new humanitarian crisis in Europe, stemming from the war in Ukraine, creates conditions these criminals are only too happy to exploit,” he said.

“Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has caused the largest exodus of human beings in Europe since World War II. Those of us who believe in the rule of law, who accept our society's obligation to protect the vulnerable, and who have the luxury of safety and security, must surely respond to this situation with action,” stressed Marcin Czapliński, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Polish OSCE 2022 Chairmanship. “This is a meeting of the ‘doers’ who can make a difference in the fight against human trafficking.”

The participants discussed human trafficking-related challenges, including policy initiatives to combat technology-facilitated trafficking. The working groups exchanged views on data from the OSCE and the Council of Europe on the progress of national anti-trafficking efforts and current trends. Participants also discussed the actions needed to prevent and mitigate the risks of trafficking stemming from the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Council of Europe’s Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, added: “Beyond the immediate risks of human trafficking inherent in armed conflict, the social and economic vulnerabilities of the millions of people affected by the humanitarian crisis provoked by the war in Ukraine are likely to increase as time goes. Hence, the need to put in place robust safeguards, prevention and detection mechanisms. As stressed by Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA), co-ordinated action and rapid exchange of information at national and international level are crucial to prevent trafficking and detect potential victims.”

To enhance its response efforts, the OSCE is launching a major project to support States in addressing those risks and strengthen national anti-trafficking efforts.

VIENNA, 14 June 2022 – The 2022 OSCE Asian Conference, focusing on “Strengthening security for all and by all – synergies and opportunities for co‑operation between Europe and Asia," will be held on 15 June 2022, in a hybrid format, at the Hofburg in Vienna and online. The Conference is organized by Sweden, the 2022 Chair of the OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation Group, with the support of the OSCE External Co-operation Section/OSCE Secretariat.

Representatives of the 57 OSCE participating States, OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation, international organizations, academia and the private sector will discuss options for strengthened co-operation with a particular focus on the role of women in building confidence, peace and security, climate‑related challenges to security, and the role of civil society.

The Conference will be opened by:

• H.E. Ms. Ann Linde, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden;
• H.E. Ambassador Adam Hałaciński, Permanent Representative of Poland to the OSCE, Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council, Polish 2022 OSCE Chairpersonship;
• H.E. Mr. Bujar Osmani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia;
• H.E. Ms. Helga Maria Schmid, Secretary General of the OSCE;
• H.E. Mr. Sarun Charoensuwan, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand.

The opening session on Wednesday, 15 June, from 10.00 to 11.00, will be live streamed on www.osce.org/live. No registration is required.

For questions, please contact press@osce.org.

520031 Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Ton van den Brandt

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) Teresa Ribeiro concluded her visit to Bucharest from 7 to 8 June, where she met with several high-level government representatives and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as parliamentarians, members of the National Audiovisual Council. Ribeiro also held meetings with a number of well-known media representatives to hear first-hand about the major challenges that journalists in Romania face.

Editorial independence and relevance of the Public Service Media were the focus of discussions Ribeiro held with journalists and management representatives of the Romanian Public Service Broadcaster TVR.

Ribeiro and her counterparts discussed concerns related to legislative measures by way of emergency ordinances, the issue of access to information, the safety situation of journalists and the independence of the public broadcaster. Ribeiro offered the support and expertise of her Office to strengthen media freedom in Romania. Recognizing many of the challenges, the interlocutors expressed their willingness to work together with the Representative and her Office.

520025 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe Farhod Nabiyulloev

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (Office) supported the Main Prison Department under Tajikistan’s Ministry of Justice to inaugurate a production unit and medical room in the female prison in Nurek district on 10 June 2022. The Acting Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, Ambassador Vuk Zugic, and the Head of the Main Prison Department under Tajikistan’s Justice Ministry, General Mansurjon Umarov, attended the official opening ceremony.

The Office refurbished a sewing workshop in the female prison and equipped it with 24 modern sewing machines, necessary appliances and furniture. The workshop includes a cutting room, vocational training class, kitchen, shower and changing room. Over 50 female prisoners will be engaged in income-generating production in the sewing workshop. More than 100 female prisoners will undergo certified tailoring courses, which will help them learn new skills and increase employment opportunities after their release.

Ambassador Zugic highlighted importance of effective implementation of the comprehensive approach on rehabilitation and social reintegration of prisoners according to national legislation and international standards, with special focus on needs of vulnerable groups: women, juveniles, elderly, national minorities and people with disabilities. 

The Office also renovated medical room and equipped it with one ultrasound device and one X-ray apparatus to provide operative medical treatment and support to female prisoners. As part of this support, the Office installed relevant household appliances and technical equipment in the visiting room.

The sewing workshop and medcial room were established as part of the overall rehabilitation and reintegration efforts, income generating activities and improving conditions for inmates.

VIENNA/WARSAW, 10 June 2022 — The OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Poland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zbigniew Rau, will visit Montenegro, Albania and North Macedonia from 13 to 17 June for meetings with high-level officials.

In Montenegro, Minister Rau will meet with President Milo Đukanović, Prime Minister Dritan Abazović and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ranko Krivokapić.

During his visit to Albania, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office will talk with President Ilir Meta, Speaker of Parliament Lindita Nikolla, Prime Minister Edi Rama and President-elect Bajram Begaj. 

In North Macedonia, Rau will have discussions with President Stevo Pendarovski, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bujar Osmani. He will take part in the Prespa Forum Dialogue conference which will focus on the role and future of the Western Balkans in the contemporary security architecture of Europe and the situation in Ukraine.      

Minister Rau will also meet with the OSCE field operations in  the visited participating States.

For more information about Poland's 2022 OSCE Chairmanship, please visit the OSCE website: https://www.osce.org/chairmanship.

519975 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe Farhod Nabiyulloev

To support the vital work in maintaining the security of Tajikistan, its border troops have received protective, technical and transport equipment for use along the border with Afghanistan.  

In a ceremony on 6 June 2022 in Dushanbe, the OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid, the Commander of the Border Troops, Colonel-General Rajabali Rahmonali and Ambassador of the European Union to Tajikistan, Marilyn Josefson, presented the equipment to officers of Tajikistan’s border troops.

The donation included 380 personal protective and survival equipment kits, eight desktop computers with LCD monitors and two vehicles, which would be used for field operations by Tajik border officers serving along the 1,350 kilometer border with Afghanistan.

At the ceremony, OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid said: “The co-operation between the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe and the Border Troops is contributing to security and stability in the whole region. We stand ready to further deepen our co-operation to address the challenges for Tajikistan stemming from instability in Afghanistan.”

Colonel-General Rajabali Rahmonali, Commander of the Border Troops of Tajikistan extended his gratitude for the OSCE’s continued co-operation in the area of border security and management, and his appreciation for the EU’s donation and financial assistance in implementing the project. He added: “The EU-funded project “Stabilization of Tajikistan’s southern border region with Afghanistan”, being implemented by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, is providing the border services with skills needed in responding to security incidents and effectively protecting the border.  Since the project began in 2020, over 500 border officers have participated in practical training on operational planning and sustaining field operations.  Currently, another group of 76 officers in the Sughd region are enhancing their skills on a similar operational capacity course.”

Marilyn Josefson, Ambassador of the European Union to Tajikistan said: “The first phase of the EU-funded project, that focuses on strengthening the capacity of the border troops in field-, operational-, and planning capacities, is successfully coming to a close. And the civil equipment that has been purchased to support the border guards work such as – 2 cars, 4 boats and 380 personal training kits and 8 laptops - will immediately come to good use along the Tajik-Afghan border.  Furthermore, we stay committed to continue supporting the security along the Tajik-Afghan border by providing additional training and infrastructure over the next 18 months. Hereby extending our close trilateral partnership with the OSCE and the Tajik Border troops.”

The donation of technical equipment is part of the OSCE’s project on the “Stabilization of Tajikistan’s southern border region with Afghanistan”, funded within the framework of the EU Neighbourhood Development and International Cooperation Instrument. The project aims to increase the professional capacity of both Tajikistan’s Border Troops and Afghan Border Services to better tackle illicit activities in border areas.

The project also aims to strengthen the capacity of the Committee on Emergency Situations and Civil Defense to respond to natural disasters in border regions.

Željka Šulc

Sarajevo, 10 June 2022 – The OSCE Mission to BiH welcomes the publication of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Parliamentary Assembly (PA) House of Representatives (HoR) Interim Investigative Committee’s (IIC) final Report on the state of the BiH judiciary, which reaffirms the importance of parliamentary oversight and dialogue between different branches of power as essential features of a healthy democracy.

The Mission commends these domestically-driven efforts to produce meaningful recommendations to ensure the independence and accountability of the BiH judiciary. Many conclusions of the IIC echo the Mission’s own findings, developed through its monitoring of the status of rule of law in BiH. Key recommendations of the IIC Report complement those of the Mission, namely in the areas of judicial appointments and disciplinary proceedings and on combatting impunity.

Given the clear relationship between the recommendations of the IIC and those of the Mission, we look forward to supporting the implementation of these common interests. The Mission further calls on all responsible stakeholders to address the recommendations issued by the IIC that confirm those of the Mission, which would not only improve the rule of law in BiH but would also strengthen the system of checks and balances and mutual accountability shared by the three pillars of government.

519957

The OSCE Presence in Albania, in co-operation with the Ministry of Interior, launched today a three-year project, which aims to assist the national authorities to decrease the risk of weapon proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons. The project is part of a regional project co-ordinated by the OSCE’s Conflict Prevention Centre and implemented by the OSCE field operations throughout the Western Balkans, with financial support of the European Union, the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of France.

Based on the priority areas identified by the Ministry of Interior and the Albanian State Police, the project will support the adaptation of the legislative framework for the deactivation of firearms, strengthen the capacities of the Albanian Institute for Police Dog Training, and raise public awareness on the dangers of misuse and proliferation of small and light weapons. 

“The fact that we are all here today testifies to our collective awareness of the threats and challenges that lay ahead of us. We are speaking about a crosscutting threat from terrorism to transnational organized crime. A threat that undermines community trust and social cohesion by fuelling gang violence and violent crime, which is even more so deleterious for the much needed trust of young people and young generations in their institutions and in their communities”, Head of the OSCE Presence, Ambassador Vincenzo Del Monaco, said at the opening of the event.

“I strongly believe that the implementation of this project by the Ministry of Interior and the OSCE Presence in Albania will succeed in fulfilling the jointly-set objectives, and will be followed by more co-operation milestones in the area of security and beyond”, said Deputy Minister of Interior Besfort Lamallari. Addressing the event, Chair of the Parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee Mimi Kodheli said that Albania remains firmly committed to fulfil its engagement in enforcing the international standards concerning the fight against small arms, light weapons and ammunition. “We welcome the OSCE support in the implementation of this project and we are fully confident that it will help increase the capacities within the Ministry of Interior and the Albanian State police in this regard,” she added.

German Ambassador Peter Zingraf, French Ambassador Elisabeth Barsacq, European Union Delegation representative Jonas Paul, Deputy General Director of the Albanian State Police Albert Dervishaj and Project Officer Slobodan Boskovic from the OSCE’s Forum for Security Co-operation Support Unit also spoke at the event.

The project contributes to the efforts of the Western Balkans in achieving the main goals of the Roadmap on Small Arms ad Light Weapons and Ammunitions and create a sustainable solution to the illicit possession, misuse and trafficking of firearms, ammunition and explosives. 

Through this project, the OSCE Presence in Albania also contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals aiming to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, reduce illicit arms flows, and strengthen relevant national to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime. 

DUSHANBE, 8 June 2022 — OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid concluded her two-day visit to Tajikistan.

During her visit, the Secretary General met with President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Commander of the Tajik Border Troops Colonel-General Rajabali Rahmonali, Deputy Speaker of the Tajik Parliament and Head of the Alliance of Women Parliamentarians Mansuri Dilrabo as well as with civil society representatives.

The Secretary General participated in the Second International High-Level Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development” hosted jointly by the Government of Tajikistan and the United Nations, in partnership with the OSCE and other international stakeholders. She also opened the pre-conference forum “Women Water Forum: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion – Water Unites Us”.

“More than 150 rivers and lakes are shared by two or more of the OSCE participating States. Regional co-operation on sustainable water management is therefore essential. I am grateful for Tajikistan’s leadership at the international level. The OSCE is ready to further strengthen our co-operation in this field,” said Schmid at the High-Level Water Conference. “The OSCE also has a long track record of training women working in the water sector, for example with our Women Mentoring Network for Water Professionals in Central Asia and Afghanistan,” she added.

In her bilateral meetings, the Secretary General underlined the brought co-operation the OSCE and Tajikistan enjoy, especially thanks to the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe.  “We are enhancing our support to Tajikistan to help mitigate the range of challenges stemming from instability in Afghanistan. We are working together on border management, for example, including by providing training at the OSCE Border Management Staff College in Dushanbe.”

The OSCE Secretary General also met with representatives of civil society. “Our partnership with civil society organizations is a cornerstone of our work. Combatting trafficking in human beings and domestic violence – two challenges that have unfortunately increased worldwide during the Covid-19 pandemic - are among our focus areas. We are also strongly committed to youth empowerment,” she said.

Schmid met with the staff of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe and the OSCE Border Management Staff College, and commended their dedication and professionalism.

“We are very pleased to host SG and were able to present a number of our concrete activities which contribute to a fruitful cooperation between Tajikistan and the OSCE”, said Ambassador Vuk Žugić, Acting Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe.

519906 Željka Šulc

TESLIĆ, 8 June 2022 - The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission) supported the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) conferences of chief prosecutors and of court presidents, organized in Teslić on 7 and 8 June.

During these conferences, representatives of the BiH judiciary discussed the fight against corruption and organized crime, the appointment and accountability of judicial office holders, judicial efficiency, and other challenges they face.

The Mission, sharing the findings of its extensive trial monitoring programme, emphasized that the BiH judiciary has not demonstrated sufficient willingness or capability to efficiently process high-level corruption cases, resulting in de facto impunity for the perpetrators of many serious offenses. In terms of the judicial and prosecutorial appointments of the HJPC, the Mission observed inconsistent and inefficient practices, which can lead to the appointment of lesser-qualified candidates.

During her keynote remarks, Ambassador Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, stated that the Mission remains a dedicated partner to all relevant counterparts in endeavours to strengthen the integrity, transparency, and accountability of the judiciary. Ambassador Kavalec also underlined the role of the chief prosecutors in protecting society from impunity, and of court presidents as essential guardians of the independence and impartiality of judges and the judiciary more broadly.

President of the HJPC, Halil Lagumdžija, thanked the Mission for co-organizing and financially supporting this year's conferences. “This is another confirmation of the good co-operation we have achieved in previous years, working together in the implementation of numerous and very important projects for the judiciary of our country,” he underlined. “I would like to add the well-known fact that the fight against corruption and organized crime cannot be just a fight of the judicial system, but the entire system must be included in it, a society as a whole that must be strategically committed to combating all even the smallest forms of corruption.”

The Mission will continue to support efforts aimed at strengthening the BiH justice sector and its capacity to uphold judicial independence and enhance public confidence in the process.

519903 Marina Živaljević

Following the train-the-trainers programme in April and May, on 6 and 7 June 2022 a group of selected professional staff of the Parliament of Montenegro held a training course for their 16 peers on leadership and management, supported by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro.

During the interactive workshop, parliamentary trainers Dražen Malović, Mirko Mijanović i Drago Šundić presented history and concepts of leadership and management, but also discussed with participants emotional intelligence and importance of emotion management.

According to trainer Mirko Mijanović, there are numerous benefits of the train-the-trainers process, which enables knowledge on various topics to be shared within the Parliamentary Service. “By introducing leadership and management principles to participants, chances are higher that there will be potential leaders and managers within the Parliamentary Service, each in their own areas,” said Mijanović.

Experts Jadranka Vojinović and Bego Begu, who provided mentorship and guidance, agreed that parliamentary trainers demonstrated training and presentation skills, enabling participants to make a distinction between leaders and managers. “Participants gained perspective on emotional intelligence and different leadership styles, which will help them to change organizational culture in their organization, by strengthening their professional relationships,” said trainers.

The Mission will continue to support the internal knowledge transfer and mentoring programme within Parliament aimed at meliorating the working environment for parliamentary staff.

WARSAW, 8 June 2022 — The OSCE Chairman-in-Office (CiO) and Poland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Zbigniew Rau, concluded his visit to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia.

In Kazakhstan, Rau met President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the Chairmen of the two chambers of parliament, Maulen Ashimbayev and Yerlan Koshanov, and the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Akan Rakhmetullin. Minister Zbigniew Rau also talked with Human Rights Commissioner Elvira Azimova and civil society representatives.

During the talks, Minister Rau reaffirmed the OSCE’s support for the ongoing reforms in Kazakhstan, including the constitutional referendum that took place on 5 June. The head of the Polish MFA emphasized that the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan is engaged in supporting further reforms of the police and the judiciary, local governments, and strengthening the institution of the Human Rights Commissioner.

“The reform programme by the president of Kazakhstan includes at all its stages crucial improvements related to human rights, civil liberties and institutional responsibilities, in line with OSCE commitments,” said Minister Rau. He added that a concrete example of these are amendments to the constitution put forward for a nationwide referendum held last Sunday. Moreover, the head of the Polish MFA discussed the dynamic security situation in Central Asia.

In Uzbekistan, Minister Rau talked with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Norov, the Chairwoman of the Senate, Tanzila Narbayeva and the First Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Parliament Akmal Saidov.

The chief of Polish diplomacy emphasized the positive contribution of the OSCE to efforts related to the implementation of President Mirziyoyev’s reform agenda in Uzbekistan. He also presented ideas on how to strengthen the involvement in the region. He encouraged the consolidation of dialogue between government and civil society and the further promotion of human rights.

“Uzbekistan's ties with the OSCE have a long tradition. The OSCE highly values Uzbekistan as an active member of the Organization since 1992. On the 30th anniversary of the accession of Central Asian countries to the OSCE, I would like to confirm the OSCE’s continued support for Uzbekistan and declare my readiness to further strengthen this co-operation and consolidate partner relations,” emphasized Minister Rau. He also thanked his interlocutors for their promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan, building trust and good neighborly relations in the region, as well as solidarity with the most vulnerable. Support to the civilian population is one of the priorities of the Polish OSCE Chairmanship.

During his visit to Mongolia, the OSCE CiO met with Mongolia’s President Uchnaagijn Chürelsüch and Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh.

Poland’s chief diplomat emphasized that the OSCE recognizes Mongolia’s political and constitutional reform processes, which include substantial achievements in the areas of human rights, civil liberties, as well, as institutional responsibilities in line with the OSCE commitments. He encouraged the country to enhance co-operation with the Organization and to benefit from its potential of supporting the government in implementing further reforms.

While congratulating Mongolia on the tenth anniversary of its participation in the OSCE, Minister Rau noted that the current turbulence undermining the region’s stability makes it even more important for all participating States of the Organization to act together for the sake of peace and security.

CHISINAU, 07 June 2022 – OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Valiant Richey, visited the Republic of Moldova to support the implementation of the recommendations his Office issued to reduce the risks of human trafficking.

The Special Representative took part in a workshop at the OSCE Mission to Moldova based on the recommendations issued by his Office. The workshop focused on the importance of multi-agency co-ordination in combating trafficking and addressed the need to assess the risks of human trafficking in the country. These efforts are particularly relevant in light of the number of people fleeing the war in Ukraine and the need to strengthen Moldova’s response to these challenges, an area in which the OSCE is ready to assist.

“The OSCE developed guidance for countries to prevent human trafficking, and now we are helping States to implement it. Today’s discussions with national authorities and civil society organizations in the Republic of Moldova are the first step in the process to track what has been done, what has worked and what areas need more action,” emphasised Richey during the workshop.

The workshop included representatives from the State Chancellery, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the General Prosecutor’s Office, the National Labour Inspectorate and the National Agency for Employment and Chisinau shelters. Participants also included representatives of Civil Society Organizations and international organizations, including the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Richey also participated in a parliamentary hearing organized by the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Social Protection, Health and Family, Dan Perciun. The hearing highlighted opportunities for the Moldovan legislative body to strengthen the country’s effectiveness in combating trafficking, both in relation to the immediate concerns around the humanitarian crisis and also more broadly.

Richey also met with the Minister of Internal Affairs, Ana Revenco, and representatives of the Centre for Combating Trafficking in Persons (CCTiP) and Labour Inspectorate at the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

519840 Marina Živaljević

From April to June 2022, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro provided support in drafting the Law on Production of Weapons and Military Equipment, the first law of its kind in Montenegro since its independence.

On 14 and 15 April, and on 2 and 3 June 2022, the OSCE-engaged expert Wolf-Christian Paes supported the working group made up of representatives of the Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Interior in drafting a law compliant with international standards and best practices.

The Law was designed to ensure weapons production in Montenegro is regulated to increase safety, environmental protection and transparency in the production process, and to decrease the possibility of diversion into illicit flows.

In the following period, the draft Law on Production of Weapons and Military Equipment will be sent to relevant ministries for further consideration. The law will go through a process of public discussions before being considered for adoption by the Government and the Parliament.

Information for Google Short description:  Ukraine appoints three experts to be part of a mission under the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz

On 2 June 2022 and following consultation with Ukraine, 45 OSCE participating States invoked the Moscow Mechanism in order to “consider, follow up and build upon the findings of the Moscow Mechanism report received by OSCE participating States on 12 April” addressing “the human rights and humanitarian impacts of the Russian Federation’s invasion and acts of war, supported by Belarus, on the people of Ukraine, within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders and territorial waters”.

In accordance with the Moscow Document, Ukraine selected three people from the list of experts to be part of the mission.

The Moscow Mechanism was last invoked in March 2022 to “address the human rights and humanitarian impacts of the Russian Federation’s invasion and acts of war, supported by Belarus, on the people of Ukraine, within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders and territorial waters”. It provides the opportunity for participating States to send missions of experts to assist in the resolution of a particular question or problem relating to the human dimension. Further information is available here.

Any information relevant to the work of the Moscow Mechanism can be sent to the following email address no later than 28 June 2022: moscowmechanism2022@odihr.pl. This will be forwarded to the expert mission.

The 45 countries that have invoked the Moscow Mechanism on this occasion are: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Republic of Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

ERGNETI, 7 June 2022 - The 107th Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) was held today in Ergneti, under the co-facilitation of Ambassador Marek Szczygieł, Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) and Ambassador Viorel Moşanu, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus.

The EUMM and OSCE representatives commended the commitment of the participants to the IPRM and stressed the importance of continuing the effective use of the EUMM-managed Hotline. Ambassador Szczygieł praised the humanitarian approach shown during the Easter period by opening the crossing points at the administrative boundary line (ABL) and allowing the local population to visit religious sites and graveyards. Ambassador Moşanu encouraged all participants to find additional solutions to reduce the problems of the conflict-affected population and emphasised the value of dialogue and pragmatism.

During the meeting, participants discussed issues which impact the daily lives of local communities, like the negative impact that the prolonged closure of crossing points at the ABL continues to have on conflict-affected communities. In this regard, the co-facilitators reiterated their call for a re-opening and proposed concrete ways of reaching that objective. The co-facilitators welcomed the recent release of a detainee, but voiced their concern about the high number of active detention cases and urged a humanitarian approach towards their resolution.

Discussions in the IPRM also focused on current security developments at the ABL, including instances of ‘borderisation’, as well as the issue of Chorchana-Tsnelisi. The co-facilitators encouraged all participants to commit to a constructive behaviour, for the benefit of the population on both sides of the ABL. All participants agreed that the agricultural season necessitates increased dialogue in the IPRM format and over the EUMM-managed Hotline. The participants also praised the holding of a technical meeting on irrigation issues at the end of April, where they agreed to use the EUMM-managed Hotline to coordinate the delivery of sufficient volume of water for irrigation.

The participants agreed to convene the next regular meeting on 23 September but remain ready to reconvene earlier if necessary.