Central Europe

WARSAW/VIENNA, 28 April 2022 –OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Foreign Minister of Poland Zbigniew Rau and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid have today announced that the OSCE would take immediate steps to implement the closure of the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine.

This decision follows the lack of consensus at the OSCE Permanent Council on 31 March 2022 to extend the Mission’s mandate.

“This is not an easy decision to take. We have explored all possible options through political dialogue with participating States to achieve the renewal of the Special Monitoring Mission’s mandate, but the position of the Russian Federation left us with no choice but to take steps to close down the Mission,” said Chairman-in-Office Rau. “The Mission played a crucial role in providing objective information on the ground, facilitating ceasefires and working to ease the effects of the conflict on the civilian population. The work of the SMM’s members deserves our appreciation and gratitude”.

Minister Rau assured that the Organization will seek to continue its engagement in the country in line with existing OSCE commitments. “The Polish Chairmanship will continue to engage with participating States in order to explore alternatives on the OSCE’s future role in Ukraine,” he stressed.

Secretary General Schmid added that; “The vital role the Mission played for the past eight years by providing invaluable and objective facts on the ground, facilitating dialogue where there was none and enabling the repairs of civilian infrastructure on which millions of people depend, cannot be overestimated”.

“I am extremely proud of our mission members who have been working tirelessly to fulfil their crucial tasks, in good times and bad,” she added. “The objectivity, impartiality and professionalism they demonstrated, as well as their personal commitment to the people of Ukraine, deserves our highest recognition.”

“The OSCE will initiate immediately operational, administrative and financial steps to close the Mission as responsibly and cost-effectively as possible, with the safety and security of mission members throughout Ukraine remaining a priority,” emphasized Schmid. “We continue to do our utmost day and night to support our Ukrainian colleagues, and continue to press through all available channels for an end to the detentions, intimidation, and disinformation that are so dangerous for our national mission members.”

CHISINAU, 28 April 2022 - The Special Representative of the Polish OSCE Chairman-in-Office for the Transdniestrian Settlement Process, Ambassador Thomas Mayr-Harting, together with the Special Envoy of the Chairman-in-Office, Ambassador Artur Dmochowski, will visit the Republic of Moldova between 28 and 30 April to review the current state of affairs following recent concerning developments in the Security Zone and Transdniestria.

In Chisinau, Ambassadors Mayr-Harting and Dmochowski are scheduled to meet together with the Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova Claus Neukirch  Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Nicu Popescu, Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Oleg Serebrian, and National Security Advisor, Dorin Recean. The OSCE representatives plan to meet also resident ambassadors of the ‘5+2’ mediators and observers.

In Tiraspol they plan to meet with Transdniestrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky and Transdniestrian Chief Negotiator Vitaly Ignatiev.

For more information, please contact the Press Office of the OSCE Mission to Moldova at +373 22 887 887 (landline) or by e-mail: MtMpress@osce.org.

For further details, please visit the OSCE Mission to Moldova website: http://www.osce.org/moldova/, https://www.facebook.com/OSCEMoldova, https://twitter.com/OSCEMoldova

Strengthening Albania’s capacity to designate and impose targeted financial sanctions against individuals and entities associated with terrorist groups was the focus of a three-day training course, which concluded on 28 April 2022 in Durres, Albania. The training course was jointly organized by the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department, and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), with the support of the OSCE Presence in Albania.

Twenty-two participants from Albania’s General Directorate for the Prevention of Money Laundering, the State Intelligence Service, the Albanian State Police and the Special Prosecution Office learnt about the sanction regimes pursuant to UN Security Council Resolutions 1267 and 1988 and its derived procedures, and engaged in exercises to use them effectively through inter-agency co-operation.

The Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning ISIL (Da'esh), Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities presented their mandate and work during an online intervention.

This course was the final training course in the framework of the progressive training programme on countering the financing of terrorism, jointly implemented by the OSCE and the UNODC since 2018 in Albania. The training programme entailed five tailored training courses for Albanian officials, delivered by a selected team of local trainers. The programme supported Albania in its compliance with UN Security Council Resolutions, Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) standards, and OSCE commitments.

The course was organized with the financial support of the United States.

516723 OSCE Mission in Kosovo-supported workshop with Central Election Commission on reviewing secondary legislation. Struga, 21 April 2022 Therese Abrahamsen Edita Buçaj

A four-day workshop with the Central Election Commission (CEC) on reviewing electoral rules concluded in Struga, North Macedonia, on April 21. The aim was to review and align these rules with the current Law on General Elections and other related laws in Kosovo, as recommended by international observer organizations and the OSCE Mission, based on lessons learnt from previous electoral processes.

During the workshop the CEC, supported by the Mission’s Election Team, identified issues that require legal change and prepared a set of recommendations for future reference by the Assembly of Kosovo ad-hoc Committee on improving and strengthening the electoral process and its advisory group.

The CEC looked into the most important rules related to the registration and operation of political parties, the certification of political entities and their code of conduct, the election observers, as well as the electoral rules relating to the voter list and out-of-Kosovo voting. They were also briefed on international standards and good practices on elections.

“Clear electoral procedures help both the CEC in smooth delivery of elections but also the public in increasing their confidence in the overall election processes,” said Nathania Tabone, the Mission’s Senior Election Legal Adviser. 

The changes to the electoral rules agreed upon by the CEC during the workshop will be finalized by the CEC in the coming weeks. The final draft regulations should be subject to a public consultation with other key electoral stakeholders, such as specialized civil society organizations on elections and Elections Complaints and Appeals Panel.

The Mission will continue to provide the CEC, the Election Complaints and Appeals Panel, and their Secretariats with technical advice and expertise in line with international standards and follow up on the implementation of recommendations made by international election observation missions.

516648 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

On 26 and 27 April 2022, the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized an online seminar on the tasks and functions of law enforcement and supervisory bodies in implementing the 2021-2022 Risk Management Action Plan (RMAP) on anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism (AML/CFT). The event was organized as part of the Centre’s support to the host country in preparation for the Eurasian Group’s (EAG) mutual evaluation process.

The two-day event brought together representatives from the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan, its Financial Monitoring Service, the Supreme Court, the General Prosecutor’s Office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Defense, law enforcement agencies and other state institutions involved in the EAG evaluation process.

An international expert from Lithuania focused on the prioritization of steps to implement the RMAP, both by law enforcement and supervisory bodies and presented the OSCE best practices in preparing for the EAG mutual evaluation process, expected in the summer 2022.

"Undoubtedly, the role of law enforcement and supervisory bodies in the implementation of the National Risk Management Action Plan and international commitments of the host country in the area of AML/CFT is extremely important,” said John MacGregor, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. “It is our firm belief that this event will facilitate the exchange of expert knowledge among law enforcement and supervisory bodies and will contribute to their enhanced co-operation, which is crucially valuable for an effective mutual evaluation of the EAG”.

“The preparation process is especially important given the existing regional threats and risks, but together we will have enough time to make preparation procedures more effective,” added MacGregor.

The event is organized within the framework of the project “Strengthening adherence to good governance principles”.

516606 Arben Hajredinaj, from the Media Section of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, delivering a lecture on media and information literacy and digital media literacy to students of Zenel Hajdini high school, Gjilan/Gnjilane, 15 April 2022 Therese Abrahamsen Edita Buçaj

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo concluded on 26 April 2022 a series of ten workshops on media and information literacy and digital media literacy for high school students. The workshops empowered students across Kosovo on how to use media literacy skills and critical thinking to identify fake news, disinformation and misinformation.

A total of 260 students from 12 high schools participated in the ten workshops since March 2022. This is the sixth consecutive year that the OSCE Mission has organized lectures with students on the topic of media literacy. Since the first round of workshops in 2017, the Mission has reached nearly 900 Kosovo Albanian, Kosovo Serb, Kosovo Bosniak, Kosovo Gorani, Kosovo Roma, Kosovo Ashkali, Kosovo Egyptian and Kosovo Turkish students and youth.

“With internet as the primary source of information for young people in Kosovo, it is crucial that they understand the importance of being “digital natives” and develop critical thinking skills when interacting with online content. These workshops have provided them with the vast tools of media literacy that they can utilize in today’s digital world,” said Arben Hajredinaj from the Mission’s Media Section.  

The current media landscape has increased the need for media literacy. In response, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo undertook a number of activities targeting diverse groups and audiences, including through televised educational shows, campaigns, and trainings on media and information literacy for students of public universities and for elementary and high school teachers.

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is mandated with human rights protection and promotion, democratization and public safety sector development. It helps safeguard freedom of media and freedom of expression and supports media development.

516594 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized an online seminar on 25 and 26 April 2022, focusing on transmission of electricity generated by solar, wind and combined stations to the central grid.  

The two-day seminar brought together the lecturers and students of the Turkmen State Energy Institute and officials from the Ministry of Energy of Turkmenistan. The purpose of the seminar was to present the best practices of the OSCE participating States in introducing feasibility studies as well as methods and calculations for connecting electric power plants based on renewable energy sources to power grids.

Opening the session, Ivana Markovic-Boskovic, Economic and Environmental Officer of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, referred to the 2013 Ministerial Council decision on improving the environmental footprint of energy-related activities. The decision called on the OSCE participating States to pursue energy diversification, through supporting further development and use of renewable energy, and sharing best practices.

“Today's discussion advances the priorities set by the Government of Turkmenistan and focuses on the promotion of energy transit, energy security, energy saving and energy efficiency through sustainable utilization of natural gas and oil products, and the increased use of alternative energy sources”, said Markovic-Boskovic.

“For a number of years, the Centre has been extensively working in transferring knowledge and delivering capacity building activities for relevant governmental officials as well as students and teaching staff of Turkmen State Energy Institute, on energy efficiency, energy saving, sustainable utilization of natural gas and oil products and alternative sources of energy”, she added.

She also mentioned that the Centre contributed to the development and implementation of several strategic documents such as the National Strategy for Development of Renewable Energy in Turkmenistan until 2030, Programme for the Development of Energy Diplomacy of Turkmenistan for 2021-2025, National Climate Change Strategy and the State Program for Energy Saving 2018-2024.

Two international experts from Belarus presented methodology for developing a scheme of connecting renewable energy-based plants to the electricity grid, and elaborated on problems and solutions for integrating variable renewable energy sources into the electricity grid.

WARSAW/VIENNA, 24 April 2022 - OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zbigniew Rau, and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid call for the release of four national members of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine detained in in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk.

“The detention of SMM national mission members in Donetsk and Luhansk is unacceptable, and we call for their immediate release,” said Rau. “They were taken for engaging in administrative activities that fall within their official functions as OSCE staff. They have been held without charge for a period of time now and the OSCE and their families have not been sufficiently informed of the situation.”

While all mandate activities ceased on 1 April, the SMM continues to carry out minimum necessary administrative tasks. 

“I condemn the deplorable acts of intimidation, harassment, and hostile public rhetoric against the SMM and mission staff in non-government controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk. All of our national mission members remain OSCE officials and should be afforded functional immunity, including during this period when the mandate has lapsed,” Schmid said. “Their work has been crucial in many areas, including maintaining contacts with relevant stakeholders and civil society, and facilitating localized ceasefires for vital infrastructure repair, directly helping to alleviate human suffering.”

Out of concern for the safety of the staff, the OSCE is not able to release any additional information about the situation at this moment. 

Background information

On 31 March 2022, during discussions at the OSCE Permanent Council, no consensus was reached on the extension of the mandate of OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, owing to the position expressed by the Russian Federation. Therefore, as of 1 April, no mandated activities have taken place and the SMM has moved to an administrative mode. This involves carrying out a limited number of essential administrative functions, including those focused on efforts to ensure the safety and security of its mission members, assets and premises, throughout Ukraine, including in areas not under the control of the Government.

While the OSCE Chairmanship continues to engage with participating States, the SMM is discharging its obligations in the management of its human, financial and material resources pending a conclusion on the future of the Mission.

Information for Google Short title:  Uzbekistan presidential election 2021: ODIHR election observation Short description:  Uzbekistan presidential election 2021: ODIHR election observation mission final report 452167 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz

Uzbekistan’s 2021 presidential election has shown that the recent reforms, which have introduced welcome improvements, have yet to result in a genuinely pluralistic environment. Remaining restrictions on fundamental freedoms and the right to stand for election continue to run counter to OSCE commitments. Multiple candidates contested the election, but there was no meaningful engagement between them or with voters, and the lack of distinction between the incumbent’s campaign and official activities blurred the line between state and party.

These are some of the main conclusions after last year's presidential election, as detailed in the final report published today by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). The report offers 24 recommendations to improve the conduct of elections and increase the transparency of and public confidence in the electoral process.

Key recommendations include:

• Reviewing the legal framework on the fundamental freedoms of association, peaceful assembly and expression through a broad, inclusive and timely consultation process;
• Revising legislative and administrative requirements for the registration of political parties;
• Ensuring a clear separation between state and party and establishing effective sanctions against the misuse of administrative resources;
• Repealing criminal sanction for defamation in favour of civil remedies in line with international standards;
• Reviewing candidacy restrictions based on residency, language proficiency, disabilities and affiliation to a political party;
• Limiting additions to the voter list on election day only to those subject to judicial and administrative control, with effective safeguards against multiple voting;
• Refraining from limiting or blocking websites to cases where such limitation is in line with international standards, is based on objective and transparent criteria defined in law, and is content-specific, and making sure the public is duly informed;
• Amending legislation to allow for citizen election observation by independent non-governmental civil society organizations.

Strengthening the independence of the lower-level election commissions through specifying the selection criteria and procedures and providing standardized training for all commissioners.

The ODIHR Election Observation Mission to the 24 October 2021 presidential election in Uzbekistan commenced its work on 15 September and remained in the country until 3 November.

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

CHISINAU, 23 April 2022 – Countering the risks of human trafficking amid the humanitarian crisis caused by the attack on Ukraine was at the centre of a two-day visit to Moldova by the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Margareta Cederfelt (Sweden), and the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Valiant Richey.

Cederfelt and Richey met with Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Nicu Popescu, and with interim General Prosecutor, Dumitru Robu. Discussions focused on assessing the risks of human trafficking in the country in light of the flows of people seeking refuge from Ukraine and strengthening Moldova’s response to these challenges, including in collaboration with the OSCE Mission to Moldova.

“Risks of trafficking in this humanitarian crisis are huge. No country can handle them alone. There needs to be a comprehensive, OSCE-wide effort to prevent this crisis from becoming a human trafficking crisis. This requires meeting immediate needs, granting access to child care, education, and employment, and investing in anti-trafficking structures to monitor high-risk sectors of the economy,” emphasised Richey.

On 21 April, Cederfelt and Richey visited Palanca Border Crossing Point and Police Officers at Tudora reception centre. During this visit, Cederfelt expressed her sincere gratitude for the tremendous work accomplished to help Ukrainian refugees.

“Moldovan Border Guards are moving in the right direction to prevent and counter human trafficking. Protecting vulnerable people on the move is the responsibility of all OSCE participating States,” she stressed.

The visit also overlapped with an Anti-Trafficking and Gender Technical Co-ordination Meeting held by the OSCE Mission’s Office in Chisinau on the same day. During this event, participants discussed how the current humanitarian crisis also creates greater risks of gender-based violence, in particular, trafficking in human beings and sexual abuse.

During the course of the two-day visit, Cederfelt and Richey also met with the Head of the Human Rights Coordination Department and Social Dialogue at the State Chancellery, Diana Doros, the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Social Protection, Health and Family, Dan Perciun, the Interim Deputy General Prosecutor, Eduard Bulat and others.

Additional meetings at the Ministry of Internal Affairs also included the Director of the Centre for Combating Trafficking in Persons (CCTiP), Vasile Harea, and the Head of the Directorate for investigation of cybercrimes, Sergiu Rosca. Cederfelt also met with the Speaker of Parliament, Igor Grosu, and the pair met the Moldovan delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

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

Vienna, 21 April – Yesterday, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro and OSCE Parliamentary Assembly hosted a Joint Web Dialogue on the Safety of Female Journalists Online: The Role of Parliamentary Action.

This was the first event in a common initiative to promote the safety of female journalists online (SOFJO) across the OSCE region. The event built on a SOFJO questionnaire, which provided important first indications of the challenges many parliamentarians identify in improving the safety of journalists.

During the event, parliamentarians took stock of existing challenges to the digital safety of women journalists and elaborated on the proposed actions presented in the SOFJO Resource Guide, and parliamentarians’ role in ensuring that freedom of expression is enabled for all. In particular, the event provided a platform to discuss how national parliaments can ensure adequate, timely and effective prevention, protection and prosecution mechanisms and reinforce mobilizing action in that regard. Thereby, the joint initiative by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media and OSCE Parliamentary Assembly aims at contributing to closing the implementation gap when it comes to the online safety of women journalists.

The SOFJO Resource Guide is available online: https://www.osce.org/fom/safety-female-journalists-online.

516285 Marina Živaljević

With the support of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and the Directorate for Sports and Youth, the Regional Youth Co-operation Office (RYCO) Local Branch Office in Montenegro organized the fourth youth camp on “Intercultural Competencies in Sports”, from 19 to 21 April 2022 in Budva for 15 young athletes from different sports disciplines.

In her welcoming address, Siv-Katrine Leirtroe, Deputy Head and Programme Co-ordinator of the Mission, emphasized the importance of providing young athletes with the opportunity to talk, share and learn about how they can foster peace-building and conflict resolution efforts.

“Sports is a place where stereotypes are overcome and persons from different backgrounds and cultures find common ground and respect for one another. We look to you to think how to build on the positive influence of sports with children and youths, look at it as a way to include vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, and as a way to foster intercultural exchange and conflict resolution,” said Leirtroe.

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants expressed hope to continue this process to exchange experiences. Miljan Lončar from the Swimming Club for people with disabilities “Mako” said that camps like this were the best way for young to develop and co-operate.  “Through this camp I learned how to recognize prejudices and stereotypes, and find ways to avoid them and correct existing ones. The most important thing is to meet new people. Each of our days have 24 hours and it’s up to us how we decide to use them,” said Lončar.

Edin Koljenović, Head of the RYCO Local Branch Office in Montenegro said that RYCO Local Branch Office in Montenegro, OSCE Mission and the Directorate for Sports and Youth were among the first ones who identified the significance of young athletes in promoting RYCO values and engaging them in intercultural activities.

Marko Begović, Director of the Directorate for Sports and Youth said that co-operation of the Directorate, the OSCE and the RYCO is about providing platforms for youth to be heard.

Upon the completion, participants were awarded with certificates and invited to take part in future RYCO activities.

516273 Nino Sukhitashvili OSCE Mission to Moldova

On 21 April, the OSCE Mission to Moldova held an Anti-Trafficking and Gender Technical Co-ordination Meeting to discuss the impacts of the increasing refugee flow and the risks of trafficking in human beings.

During the meeting, participants discussed how the current humanitarian crisis creates greater risks of gender-based violence, in particular, trafficking in human beings and sexual abuse. Women and girls comprise a vast majority of refugees and are at risk in the current context.

The meeting was attended by 47 participants, including representatives from Moldovan state agencies, civil society organizations from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River and international partners, including the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Margareta Cederfelt, the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Valiant Richey, and the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Gender, Liliana Palihovici.

“Due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there are serious humanitarian needs of Ukrainian refugees to be met in Moldova, as well as a pressing need to co-ordinate efforts to combat the serious crime of human trafficking. To bolster Moldova’s efforts, it is important that the country receives appropriate support, and that effective co-operation is established among international actors, including between the OSCE and its Parliamentary Assembly,” noted Ms. Cederfelt, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

“We need to prevent the current humanitarian crisis from turning into a human trafficking crisis. Establishing strong prevention measures and addressing vulnerabilities and needs of people seeking refuge, including access to sustainable employment, should be the priority right now,” emphasized Valiant Richey, OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, who presented to the group his Office’s recommendations on the need to enhance anti-trafficking prevention amid mass migration flows.

“The Mission firmly promotes initiatives to address the root causes of gender-based violence. This is needed now more than ever, and the Mission is enhancing its efforts in this regard,” said the Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova Dr. Claus Neukirch.

In recent years, the Mission, through its Human Rights Programme, organized a number of meetings aimed at building synergies between relevant stakeholders from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River as part of its confidence-building efforts in the framework of the Transdniestrian Settlement Process. This initiative was organized in co-operation with the Moldovan Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, and the State Chancellery.

516231 Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Ton van den Brandt

From 11 to 13 April 2022, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro conducted her first official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).

During her three-day visit, the Representative met with high-level State officials, including the Chairperson of the BiH Council of Ministers Zoran Tegeltija and the Secretary of the BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sihana Čaušević-Čekić; as well as the Speaker of the BiH House of Representatives Nebojša Radmanović and the Delegate of the BiH House of Peoples Lidija Bradara.

Ribeiro also met with several officials from the two entities of BiH, including the Deputy Prime Minister of the Federation of BiH (FBiH) Vesko Drljača, Secretary of the FBiH Ministry of Transport and Communications Esad Osmanbegović, as well as the two Deputy Speakers of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska (RS) Denis Šulić and Milan Petković, RS Minister of Transport and Communications Nedeljko Ćorić, and the RS Minister of Interior Dragan Lukač.

The Representative further met with the management of the Communications Regulatory Agency, the management of the two public service broadcasters BHRT and RTRS and several journalists and civil society representatives from across the country. She also had meetings with the Chief Cantonal Prosecutor of the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor’s Office Sabina Sarajlija and the BiH Ombudsperson Jasminka Džumhur.

In addition, Ribeiro met with the High Representative of BiH Christian Schmidt, and the US, UK, Polish and Swedish ambassadors to BiH and representatives of the European Union, the Council of Europe and the United Nations.

Ribeiro addressed, among other issues, the financial sustainability, independence and functioning of the public service broadcasting system in the country and the media regulatory authority; safety conditions of journalists, with a particular focus on online safety of female journalists, and the use of lawsuits to silence media; access to public information; delayed digital switchover and transparency of media ownership. Among the main concerns raised by media workers in Sarajevo and Banja Luka were difficult working conditions including low salaries, verbal attacks and harassment by public figures and rising number of lawsuits to silence critical reporting.

The Representative and her counterparts also discussed positive initiatives – particularly those undertaken at the local level regarding the protection of journalists – as well as legislative developments, including pending revision and adoption of laws aimed at addressing pertinent media freedom related issues in the country. In this regard, Ribeiro stressed that any legislative processes need to be conducted in an inclusive manner, involving all relevant stakeholders, including media, civil society and academia, in order to ensure effective decision-making in the public interest.

To secure a safe, free, functional and democratic media landscape in BiH, the Representative underlined that full implementation of the respective laws is of paramount importance – which requires strong political will and mutual commitment by all relevant authorities at all levels of government in the country.

In concluding her visit, Ribeiro expressed her readiness to provide all necessary assistance and support to the authorities in BiH in strengthening the media environment in the country in line with her mandate, relevant international standards and OSCE commitments on media freedom and freedom of expression.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom

516213 OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov has expressed his support for Georgia’s efforts to increase opportunities for all, including national minorities, during his visit to the country between 11 and 16 April 2022.

Abdrakhmanov commended Georgia’s new State Strategy for Civic Equality and Integration (2021-2030). In his meeting with State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Integration Tea Akhvlediani, the High Commissioner reaffirmed the readiness of his office to continue supporting the implementation of the State Strategy to increase socio-economic and political participation opportunities for national minorities, and offered to share his institution’s expertise on diversity governance, including through programmatic and thematic work.

He also was briefed on the review of the “1+4 programme”, which provides State language learning opportunities for national minorities to be able to study at university level.

The High Commissioner took the opportunity to congratulate Georgia on Mother Language Day on 14 April. He praised the authorities’ commitment to maintaining a balance between promoting state language proficiency while preserving mother-tongue education, and said this approach is central to the programmatic work of his institution in the OSCE region.

He also noted the Government’s engagement with youth and women, and welcomed efforts to increase the participation of national minorities in political and public life.

“In these especially challenging times in the OSCE region, I have confidence in Georgia’s ability to demonstrate leadership and commitment to upholding the values and principles of the OSCE, especially concerning my mandate,” said Abdrakhmanov.  

The High Commissioner also visited the Kvemo Kartli region, which has a significant ethnic Azeri population. He met key interlocutors in the city of Marneuli and visited a public school in Nakhiduri, Bolnisi. At the school, he had the opportunity to talk with the principal and teachers about the importance of balancing state language proficiency and mother-tongue education, which can be best achieved through multilingual and multicultural education. He also visited the administrative boundary line in Odzisi.

In Tbilisi, Abdrakhmanov met President Salome Zourabichvili, Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili, Minister of Education and Science Mikheil Chkhenkeli, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Lasha Darsalia, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, Head of the State Agency for Religious Issues Zaza Vashakmadze, and Head of the State Language Department Giorgi Alibagashvili. He also met the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Archil Talakvadze, Chairs of the Parliamentary Committees on Human Rights and Civil Integration, and on Education and Science, and other key members of parliament, as well as representatives of the Council of National Minorities and civil society organizations involved in promoting national minority interests.

The High Commissioner also met representatives of the international community in Georgia, including the UN Resident Coordinator Sabine Machl and members of the UN country team, Head of the Council of Europe office in Georgia Natalia Voutova, Head of the EU Delegation to Georgia Carl Hartzell, and Ambassadors of OSCE participating States. They discussed the need to strengthen their mutual co-operation and co-ordination to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and maintain peace and security in the country and the wider South Caucasus region.

516201

The effective investigation of money laundering crimes was at the center of a technical workshop held by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) with the support of the Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia (ACC).

This event, held in Yerevan on 20 April, was attended by 15 investigators from the ACC. The investigators acquired new tools and skills in criminal investigation, intelligence collection, and the analysis of corruption and money laundering crimes. Participants also discussed money laundering typologies and the application of financial investigative techniques in combating corruption and money laundering. 

“The Armenian Anti-Corruption Committee as a newly established agency combating corruption attaches great importance to studying the advanced international experience in the subject field and adopting its best elements for ensuring tangible results. We appreciate the support of the OSCE and remain confident that this workshop will contribute to the development of professional skills of investigators”, said Mushegh Babayan, Acting Deputy Chairman of the ACC.

Participants applied crime simulation techniques and money laundering investigations methods during practical exercises. In addition, investigators actively discussed and identified the interconnection between corruption, money laundering, and fraud.

“We are excited to be a part of this practical workshop, especially since the OSCE has been instrumental in the establishment of ACC before it became a fully operational governmental agency in Armenia in the fall of 2021. We are pleased to develop the capacity building and technical advice in the most effective methods to investigate money laundering to the ACC as it has already launched activities to combat corruption in Armenia”, said Lorenzo Rilasciati, Acting Deputy Co-ordinator at OCEEA.

This workshop is the final exercise in the online training programme that started in March 2022 and aims to assist Armenia in the institutionalization of the anti-corruption reform in the country.

The event was supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Embassy of Switzerland in Armenia and organized in the framework of the OSCE Project on strengthening anti-corruption reform in Armenia, financed by Switzerland, Italy, and Germany.

Communication and Media Relations Section Bartosz Kempinski

On 11 and 12 April 2022, the Personal Representatives of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office for tolerance issues held meetings with representatives of the Council of Europe, the Commissioner for Human Rights, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, and the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly.

The meetings took place in Strasbourg and were attended by Rabbi Andrew Baker, Personal Representative on Combating Anti-Semitism, and Professor Regina Polak, Personal Representative on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, also focusing on Discrimination against Christians and Members of Other Religions. Ambassador Mehmet Pacaci, Personal Representative on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims, participated by video link. Sabrina Saoudi, ODIHR Adviser on Intolerance against Muslims, accompanied the Personal Representatives on their visit.

The meetings provided an opportunity to share approaches and experiences in addressing common problems with the goal of increasing collaboration between the various European institutions. They also included a discussion with the Ambassadors of Germany, Hungary, Poland, and the United Kingdom, hosted by Daniel Holtgen, the Council of Europe Special Representative on Antisemitic, anti-Muslim and other forms of religious intolerance and hate crimes.

At the conclusion of their visit, the OSCE Personal Representatives and the Council of Europe Special Representative issued a joint statement, “Russia must stop aggression and destruction of religious sites and places of worship,” which can be found here.

516147 Andrii Dziubenko

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine has published a collection of leaflets and publications on chemical security risks to help civilians take care of their safety in the conditions of ongoing hostilities.

“Military campaigns in such an industrialized country as Ukraine bear serious risks of incidents with the release of toxic chemicals, endangering people and the environment. Interruptions in work of enterprises, targeted or accidental hits of industrial facilities in the course of combat or as a result of air and rocket strikes – these factors increase chemical security risks immensely,” said Ambassador Henrik Villadsen, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.

An assessment produced by Ukrainian State Emergency Service in 2018, mentioned that 655 facilities across the country stored more than 216,000 tons of dangerous chemicals. Research on the environmental impact of hostilities in Donbas, performed with the support of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator, highlighted severe chemical security concerns, as more than 500 major interruptions of work for enterprises in the eastern part of Ukraine were recorded between 2014 and 2017.

The awareness-raising materials include a leaflet, “Chemical Incidents. Leaflet on Risks and Safety Measures” that provides generalized guidance on safety measures related to accidents with toxic substances. Four other leaflets contain specific guidance for occasions of release or spills of most widespread chemicals – ammonia, mercury, chlorine and nitric acid. They also contain practical advice on administering medical assistance in such cases. In addition, the Co-ordinator is organizing a webinar for journalists to help them better understand the risks in this context.

The collection also contains publications, created specifically for the training of emergency response personnel, which will also be the basis for further production of awareness-raising materials and as a useful source of information for local authorities and other civilian services in planning measures in response to possible emergencies.

These materials, updated according to the recent developments, were developed by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator with the financial support of the European Union, United States of America, and Germany as one of the project’s activities aimed at enhancing chemical safety and security in Ukraine.

516102 Kunduz Rysbek

Terrorist financing encompasses the means and methods used by terrorist groups to finance their activities that poses serious threats to national, regional and international stability and economic growth.

To support Kyrgyzstan in its efforts to counter the financing of terrorism (CFT) the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in partnership with the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek conducted a three-day basic investigation training course on CFT for over 15 officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Financial Intelligence Service under the Ministry of Finance, Prosecutor General’s Office, and the State Committee for National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic from 6-8 April, 2022 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

The participants had a chance to identify existing gaps in detection, investigation and prevention of terrorism and its financing as well as gain practical knowledge and skills on efficient practices of conducting investigations of financial crimes. The course will enable them to advance their work in the effective fight against money laundering and terrorist financing and intensify coordinated cross-agency co-operation.

Notably, the course is part of the joint UNODC and OSCE multi-year programme on CFT which aims to strengthen capacities of competent authorities and improve the effectiveness of inter-agency work. It also aims to strengthen domestic CFT framework in line with the recommendations of the Eurasian group on combating money laundering and financing of terrorism (EAG) mutual assessment for compliance with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards.

516012 Marina Živaljević

Providing public with accurate, timely, verified and objective information, from any place in the country, is of utmost importance, which is why Montenegrin journalists should be adequately equipped and technically supported in their professional reporting, said Dominique Waag, Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro in handing over the mobile journalism equipment for two Montenegrin media outlets.

On 12 April 2022, Ambassador Waag handed over nine sets of mobile journalism equipment to the journalists of daily newspaper Dan, while on 15 April, three sets of mobile journalism equipment, three laptops, two printers and a drone were delivered to the NGO Context and its investigative portal Libertas Press.

The equipment includes smartphones with stands, mobile interview kits with microphones, tripod kits and complementary technical add-ons for the efficient use of the equipment. This equipment will enable journalists to conduct interviews, produce videos and edit material on one device, producing news reports promptly while preserving production quality.

Ambassador Waag said that the Mission is aware of the challenges that Montenegrin media face nowadays, in particular with regards to the overall functioning and sustainability.  “Professional journalists that work with technologically adapted equipment contribute to timely and accurate information of the public and to the media pluralism. In a small market such as Montenegrin, it is important to help the media organizations to survive and find their way on the increasingly demanding media stage,” said Ambassador Waag, praising the role played by investigative media in Montenegro.

Mladen Milutinović, Executive Director and Editor of Dan, said that the equipment provides reporters with opportunity to accomplish their primary goal - timely and reliable information to the public - in an easier and more appropriate way. “Following and recognizing trends in the media, Dan has recently modernized its portal, so this equipment comes at the right time and supports our plan to facilitate the work of each individual, in accordance with the latest standards of the profession,” said Milutinović.

Olivera Lakić, Executive Director of NGO “Context” and Director and Editor-in-Chief of the Libertas Press, said that this donation was very important to their small and new editorial office. “We are very grateful to the OSCE and we want this to be the beginning of a long, mutually beneficial co-operation. The doors of our editorial office are open to all those who want to improve Montenegrin journalism with us and for whom freedom of the media and independent journalism is as important as it is for us,” said Lakić.

In 2019, the Mission organized a training course on mobile journalism for seven media outlets and it will continue supporting Montenegrin media houses and journalists in line with OSCE commitments and principles of freedom of the media.