Central Europe

COPENHAGEN/WARSAW/VIENNA, 20 September 2022 – The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau, OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Margareta Cederfelt and Matteo Mecacci, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, condemned the plans to hold “referenda” on Ukraine’s occupied territories.

Any elections or referenda on the territory of Ukraine can only be announced and conducted by legitimate authorities in compliance with national legislation and international standards. Therefore the planned “referenda” will be illegal.

As the war following the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine continues, any so-called “referenda” planned by or with the support of the forces illegally exercising de facto control in the occupied territories of Ukraine would be in contravention of international standards and obligations under international humanitarian law, and their outcome will therefore have no legal force.

526387 Jeff Bieley Edita Buçaj

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo supported the Office of Good Governance in presenting on 19 September 2022 the new Strategy for Advancing the Rights of the Roma and Ashkali Communities.

The Strategy 2022-2026 focuses on five priority areas: education, employment and social welfare, health, housing and discrimination. It provides a new opportunity to safeguard the rights of Roma and Ashkali communities in Kosovo and ensure equal treatment without discrimination.

“This Strategy and its accompanying Action Plan for 2022-2024 show the government’s firm commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable communities in Kosovo society,” said Ambassador Michael Davenport at the launch event . 

“The Strategy is a guiding document which will help not only government, but also municipalities, civil society organisations and the media to play their part in advancing community rights, combating discrimination and creating opportunities, especially for women and youth. Everyone can play their part in ensuring effective implementation.”

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo has also provided its expertise in the drafting process, focusing on the local level component of the Strategy. The Mission organized 25 meetings with 30 municipal-level interlocutors from 20 municipalities, 10 regional workshops with 22 municipalities with 114 persons participating in the consultative process, with participation of representatives from municipal level institutions, community leaders and civil society.

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is mandated with the protection and promotion of human and community rights, as well as with democratization and public safety sector development. 

Enhancing Intelligence-Led Policing (ILP) to Combat Serious Security Threats and Crimes in BiH Project launched today, Sarajevo, 20 September 2022 Enhancing Intelligence-Led Policing (ILP) to Combat Serious Security Threats and Crimes in BiH Project launched today. Sarajevo, 20 September 2022 Željka Šulc

SARAJEVO, 20 September 2022 - Today in Sarajevo, the OSCE Mission to BiH held a high-level launch of a much-anticipated five-year project on Enhancing Intelligence-Led Policing (ILP) to Combat Serious Security Threats and Crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). OSCE representatives introduced the key project aims and activities focused on advancing the ILP model through close collaboration and partnership among BiH law enforcement agencies. The participants also established a co-ordination group on ILP and stressed the importance of the project for modernizing policing.

“The project that we are launching today will help to address the longstanding needs and priorities of BiH law enforcement agencies. This undertaking comes at a time when BiH is faced with growing organized threats to its security - including those of a hybrid nature,” said Dr Susan Penksa, Acting Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH. “We will be working closely with the 16 law enforcement agencies to help them reach sufficient capacity and standards for dealing effectively with these complex security threats and risks,” she added.

"We are witnessing that the world is increasingly facing serious and sophisticated security threats, with highly organized criminal groups that use sophisticated methods to commit and conceal serious crimes. Therefore, police agencies must also be continuously trained, equipped and modernized in order to be ready to respond to new security threats and challenges. That is why we expect that members of the police and intelligence structures from all levels of government in BiH in the next five years will gain the best experiences and the necessary knowledge, which they will be able to apply in their daily work, and thus improve the fight against organized crime in BiH, but also contribute to fight against serious international crime. It is extremely important that this project was created together with law enforcement agencies in BiH and that it reflects the real needs of police agencies for modernization and capacity building” said dr. Selmo Cikotić, Minister of Security of BiH.  

“Norway strongly supports the advancement and strengthening of institutions and law enforcement agencies in this country. We consider this project to be a strategic priority for BiH as it will serve as an operational baseline for setting up a coherent and sustainable intelligence-led policing model in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Olav Reinertsen, Norwegian Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The generous contributions of Norway, Germany, Turkey, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Luxembourg have enabled the start of this high-impact project.

NEW YORK CITY/VIENNA, 19 September 2022 – OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid will be in New York City from 19 to 23 September 2022 on the occasion of the high-level meeting and the general debate of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Her participation is an opportunity to build on co-operation with and among participating States as well as with the United Nations and other regional organizations. This year’s theme for the general debate is “A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges”.

Secretary General Schmid will echo this theme in meeting with Foreign Ministers from across the OSCE region to discuss how best to tackle a broad range of challenges to security, including the war against Ukraine, border disputes, climate change and environmental degradation, human trafficking, sexual violence, and more. While in New York she will also meet with key UN officials including Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism Vladimir Voronkov and Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women.

Schmid will also participate in a number of side events, including on human trafficking, sexual violence in conflict, and avoiding humanitarian crises through mediation. 

Prishtinë/Priština, 19 September 2022 – The prosecution of terrorism offences has proved challenging around the world, and Kosovo is no exception. Nonetheless, judicial institutions have to make sure they adjudicate these cases fairly, effectively and in full respect of human rights standards, concludes the latest thematic report published by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo today.

The report, titled Handling of Terrorism Cases by the Kosovo Criminal Justice System, analyses terrorism cases over a three-year period between 2018 and 2020. It further identifies trends in prosecution practice and provides an overview of progress in prosecuting terrorism cases, as well as highlighting areas for improvement. 

Acknowledging the recent progress and high commitment of Kosovo institutions and legal practitioners to prevent and prosecute terrorism, the report notes positive trends in case management and prosecution. However, some concerns were identified regarding the prosecution of the financing of terrorism, the quality of indictments and verdicts, and the use of pre-trial detention. The report concludes with recommendations to key institutions in Kosovo dealing with terrorism related cases to bring current legislation in line with EU and international legal standards, and to strengthen the capacity of all justice system and law enforcement actors in responding to these cases.

“Terrorism is an ever-evolving threat to security that demands robust investigation, prosecution and adjudication.  We must be vigilant in response to these challenges, but our response must also respect human rights and the rule of law,” said Ambassador Michael Davenport, Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

“I hope that this report will inform the work of judges, prosecutors and lawyers who work on these cases and enable them to continue to develop their capacities to manage these cases to the highest possible standards. […] The report is a starting point and I look forward to furthering opportunities to discuss the findings.  I will conclude by reiterating that the Mission is ready to support the Kosovo institutions in implementing the recommendations of the Report.” 

The full report is available here: https://www.osce.org/mission-in-kosovo/526212

WARSAW/VIENNA, 19 September 2022 – OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid unequivocally condemn the sentencing of OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) mission members Maxim Petrov and Dmytro Shabanov to 13 years in prison as a result of so-called “legal proceedings” and call for the immediate release of all three OSCE mission members in detention.

“Our colleagues remain OSCE staff members and had been performing official duties as mandated by all 57 participating States,” Schmid said. “I call for their immediate and unconditional release, along with our other colleague who is also being detained.”

“Our Mission members have been held unjustifiably for more than five months in unknown conditions for nothing but pure political theatre. It is inhumane and repugnant,” said Chairman Rau. 

The OSCE remains in close contact with relevant stakeholders, including other international organizations, to facilitate the release of detained SMM staff. The OSCE’s duty of care towards all of its employees continues during and after the closure of the SMM. The OSCE has and will continue to take steps to pursue all available channels to secure the privileges and immunities of current and former OSCE officials.

526194 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

An OSCE-organized training course on open source intelligence in criminal investigations took place in Ashgabat from 13 to 16 September 2022. The aim of the course was to share experiences in combating drug trafficking using modern open source tools, including social media and other internet resources

The course brought together officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), Institute of the MIA and its training centre, State Border Service, State Customs Service and its training centre and the General Prosecutor’s Office.

Two international instructors from the Turkish International Academy against Drugs and Organized Crime facilitated the course, held in a blended format. The programme of the course covered introduction to crime intelligence analysis, information security and evaluation of information sources, as well as introduction to social media and search engines, and social media research practices. During the course, participants also exchanged views on alternative research methods for identifying suspicious criminal activity.

“Unquestionably, illicit drugs and new psychoactive substances are considered one of the most serious problems for communities, as well as a severe threat to health and safety of people and their social wellbeing,” said William Leaf, Political Officer of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. “They disrupt public order, fuel violent crime and destabilize national economies.”

“Moreover, profits made from the illicit drug trafficking are widely used to finance international terrorist networks and transnational crime, destroying peace, stability and security in the world,” added Leaf.

WARSAW/VIENNA, 16 September 2022 – OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid welcomed the ceasefire reached between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, following reports of armed clashes and casualties on the border between the two countries.

“The recent clashes at the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are deeply troubling,” said Rau. “We express our deepest sympathies to the victims and their families. We appeal to both sides to refrain from using force, commit to exclusively peaceful means to resolve pending issues, and prevent any further escalations.”

“I welcome the immediate efforts towards constructive dialogue between the two sides, encourage them to respect the ceasefire agreed on 16 September, and continue the negotiations on border delimitation and demarcation,” said Schmid. “The OSCE stands ready to assist, if requested, and I will remain in close contact with both sides.”

WARSAW, 16 September 2022 – Media representatives are invited to the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference organized by the Polish OSCE Chairmanship with the support of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). The conference will provide a platform for international organizations, governments and civil society to meet and discuss human rights challenges within their own countries and across the 57 states that make up the OSCE region.

The keynote speaker will be Toomas Hendrik Ilves, former president of Estonia from 2006 until 2016, Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Hoover Institution/Stanford University and Member of Munich Security Conference Advisory Board.

What:

• Over 1.000 representatives of OSCE participating State governments and civil society from across the OSCE region will spend two weeks debating the most pressing human rights challenges.

When:

• 26 September to 7 October 2022;
• The opening session will begin at 2:00 p.m. on 26 September 2022.

Where:

• Sofitel Victoria Warsaw Królewska St. 11, 00-065, Warsaw;
• If you cannot attend in person, the livestream will be available in English and Russian on the event website.

How:

• Advance accreditation is obligatory to access the conference venue;
• Press accreditation forms will be accepted until midnight, Friday 23 September 2022;
• Please register for your press accreditation here;
• Please bring valid press credentials for registration onsite.

More information:

• The full agenda can be found on the Conference website here, follow #WarsawHDC;
• Photography and filming will be allowed during the opening session. Photography and filming will also be permitted during side events throughout the conference, subject to the prior consent of the Organizers;
• You can contact Bartosz Kempiński bartosz.kempinski@msz.gov.pl from the Polish OSCE Chairmanship for more information.

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 16 September 2022 – The OSCE Mission will present on Monday in Prishtinë/Priština a report on the way the Kosovo justice system treats terrorism cases.

The report Handling of Terrorism Cases by the Kosovo Criminal Justice System provides an analysis of terrorism cases from 2018 to 2020, and is based on the Mission’s trial monitoring data, information from the courts and in-depth interviews with stakeholders.

The aim is to support legal practitioners to maintain the highest standards of professionalism in this challenging area of law and policy. To this end, the report identifies good practices, as well as areas of concern in legislation, procedure and practice and concludes with a series of recommendations.

During the event, participants will have an opportunity to hear presentations from one of the report’s authors, Kirsty Brimelow King’s Counsel (England and Wales), and reflections from panelists. This will be followed by a discussion and question and answer session regarding the report’s findings.

Justice Minister Albulena Haxhiu, Internal Affairs Minister Xhelal Svecla, Kosovo Judicial Council Chairperson Albert Zogaj, and Special Prosecutor Afrim Shefkiu will deliver opening remarks, along with Ambassador Michael Davenport, Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

Media representatives are cordially invited to attend the event on Monday, 19 September 2022, at the Swiss Diamond Hotel in Prishtinë/Priština, starting at 14:00. 

526044 Marina Živaljević

From 9 to 12 September, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro facilitated a visit of the Chairperson of State Election Commission, Nikola Mugoša, to Sweden where he observed the 2022 Swedish parliamentary, regional and municipal elections. The Chairperson also visited the Swedish Parliament, the Election Authority, Stockholm City Hall and polling stations.

Mr. Mugoša met with representatives of election management bodies from Sweden and Norway, as well as a representative of International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance as part of the Swedish Election Authority’s International Visitors’ Programme.

“This visit was an important opportunity to observe the Swedish electoral system that has deeply in-rooted democratic values and enjoys a high level of public confidence.  It was an invaluable experience,” said the Chairperson of the Election Commission Mugoša.

He thanked the OSCE Mission for its support in strengthening the Commission’s capacities and providing opportunities to acquire new skills and exchange experiences with election administrations from other countries and institutions.

The visit was part of the Mission’s s work with the State Election Commission to enhance its capacity to administer elections in line with OSCE commitments and principles.

VIENNA, 15 September 2022 — The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, today denounced the lengthy prison sentence handed down to investigative journalist Denis Ivashin in Belarus.

According to reports, on 14 September, in a closed-door trial, the Grodno Regional Court sentenced investigative journalist Denis Ivashin to 13 years and 1 month in a high security penal colony on charges of ‘state treason’ and ‘interference in the activities of staff of the internal affairs bodies’. The journalist was also levied with a considerable fine.

“I am appalled by the court’s shocking verdict against Denis Ivashin – yet another blow to the country’s OSCE commitments on free expression and media freedom,” Ribeiro said. “The authorities should drop the charges, release the journalist, and stop prosecuting media workers as a deliberate way of sowing fear and silencing free voices.”

Ivashin, a contributor to Novy Chas newspaper, has been detained since March 2021, reportedly for his investigative articles on law enforcement officials.

On several occasions Ribeiro has called on the Belarusian authorities to release all imprisoned, arrested or detained media workers.

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

VIENNA/WARSAW, 15 September 2022 - OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid today unequivocally condemned the so-called “legal proceedings” launched against two national mission members of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) and the continuing detention of one other national mission member. The three national mission members have been detained for almost five months.

“Our dedicated Mission members are being held for performing their official duties as OSCE staff – as mandated by all 57 participating States. For over four months now, they have been held in unknown conditions, heightening concerns about their wellbeing and leaving their loved ones in distress and pain,” Secretary General Schmid said.

“The continued detention of our Mission members and the so-called “legal proceedings” against them are completely unacceptable. They are held unjustifiably on fabricated charges,” Chairman Rau said. 

Chairman Rau and Secretary General Schmid reiterated their call for the unconditional and immediate release of OSCE staff and called on the OSCE participating States to increase pressure on all responsible for those detentions to immediately release the Mission members.

The OSCE remains in close contact with relevant stakeholders, including other international organizations, to facilitate the release of detained SMM staff. The OSCE’s duty of care towards all of its employees continues during and after the closure of the SMM. The OSCE has and will continue to take steps to pursue all available channels to secure the privileges and immunities of current and former OSCE officials.

526011

The International High-Level Conference on “International and Regional Border Security and Management Cooperation to Counter Terrorism and Prevent the Movement of Terrorists” will take place in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on 18-19 October 2022.

This two-day conference is co-organized by the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan,  the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the European Union (EU), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the State of Qatar.

The conference is aimed at promoting bilateral, sub-regional, regional, and international cooperation to improve border and customs controls in order to prevent and detect the movement of terrorists, including foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs), illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons, conventional ammunition and explosives, nuclear, chemical, biological or radiological weapons and materials, and to take measures on border security and management, criminal justice, and information‑sharing in accordance with international humanitarian law, international human rights law and international refugee law.

This Conference is part of the “Dushanbe Process” launched in May 2018, when the first High-Level International Conference of the process on "Countering Terrorism and Preventing Violent Extremism" (Dushanbe, 3-4 May 2018) was jointly convened in partnership with the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, UN entities, the OSCE and the EU. The UNOCT High-Level Conference of the process on “International and Regional Cooperation on Countering Terrorism and its Financing Through Illicit Drug Trafficking and Organized Crime” was convened on 16-17 May 2019 in Dushanbe.

The Conference will include a High-Level Opening Session with the participation of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, H.E. Mr. Emomali Rahmon, Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General of UNOCT and a number of Government Ministers and other senior officials from the region and abroad.

The International High-Level Dushanbe Conference will conclude with the adoption of the Dushanbe Declaration on Border Security and Management Cooperation to Counter Terrorism and Prevent the Movement of Terrorists.

Detailed information, as well as the registration link is available on the official website of the Conference: https://www.dushanbectprocess.org/).

For any queries, please contact:

• Mr. Sahobiddin Sadriddinzod (s.sadriddinzod@mfa.tj, informdepartment@mfa.tj), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan

525675 Jeff Bieley Edita Buçaj

The OSCE Mission concluded a series of workshops for all of eight Kosovo Police regions on ways and methods to prevent crimes through community involvement.

The workshops held in Prishtinë/Priština, Gjilan/Gnjilane, Gjakovë/Djakovica, and Mitrovicë/Mitrovica South from 1 to 13 September involved 120 sector police officers assigned in their areas of responsibility, many of whom are part of Local Public Safety Committees alongside local community representatives at village / neighbourhood level.

These events aimed at introducing new sector officers to their duties and obligations outlined in the Integrated Intelligence-led and Community-Oriented Policing Standard Operating Procedures, which the Mission helped develop. Participants were informed about how the intelligence process works and ways to utilize information passed to them from the community. This process enables local issues of concern to be identified and addressed more proactively and effectively, ensuring safer communities.

“Local Public Safety Committees are helping communities to address security problems through co-operation and partnership at the local level.  Such local safety fora also offer an effective mechanism in support of efforts to prevent problems from arising in the first place,” said Michael Davenport, Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

“Communities also need to know their sector police officers, and members of the public need to know who to contact about their concerns. I therefore welcome police efforts to gain the trust and confidence of local communities,” he added.

The officers were also shown an example of a comprehensive sector file, which is a reference point for information pertaining to people or particular premises located within a certain area, and were trained on how to compile one for their own sector, including what information should be collated. These files would be electronically compiled and available, thus enabling swift communication and information being obtained for dynamic incidents occurring locally, as well as a central reference point.

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is mandated with human rights protection, democratization and public safety. It works with all law-enforcement agencies to increase their capacities to deal with threats to security and public safety through special tailored training programmes developed in co-operation with them.

525930 Communication and Media Relations Section

The impact that war has on the safety and wellbeing of children was at the heart of today’s Forum for Security Co-operation meeting. This topic was introduced for the first time for discussion by the Forum by the Belgian Chair, who will lead the Forum’s discussions until the end of 2022.

“Children are the most vulnerable victims of armed conflict and it is high time that we address this question head on in this Forum,” said Didier Nagant de Deuxchaisnes, Belgium’s Permanent Representative to the OSCE and FSC Chair. “Five and a half million children are affected by the war in Ukraine. This is further proof of the urgency of this issue that has ramifications across the OSCE region and the globe.”

“Right now, 177 million children in the world depend on humanitarian aid. Of these, over 30 million have fled conflict. So far, tragically, 746 children have been injured and 383 killed due to Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine,” he added.

The forum was addressed by Geert Cappelaere, Director of the UNICEF Partnership Office in Brussels, Rita Izsák-Ndiaye, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office on Children and Security, Gamba de Poittiers, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict, and Andrii Chernousov, sociologist at the Kharkiv Institute for Social Research.

Bartosz Kempinski

On 13 September, the Personal Representatives of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office concluded a country-visit to Georgia. The purpose of the visit was to assess and share information on best practices and challenges pertaining to tolerance and non-discrimination.

Rabbi Andrew Baker, Personal Representative on Combating Anti-Semitism; Regina Polak, Personal Representative on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination; and Ismail Hakki Musa, Personal Representative on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims met with representatives of the UN Human Rights Office and the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities in Georgia as well as with different civil society representatives and religious groups. 

During the four-day visit, they also had meetings with the office of the Public Defender of Georgia, the Advisor to the Prime Minister of Georgia on Human Rights Issues, the State Ministry for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Agency for Religious Issues, the Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. 

They discussed topics such as combating religious discrimination and xenophobia against members of different religions. The meetings provided an opportunity to highlight the importance of actions that enhance equality and reduce the level of discrimination and xenophobia.

“In times of multiple global crises, including war and the rise of far-right movements, this visit is crucial to support the Georgian government in keeping track of its ongoing strategic activities to improve human rights standards, in particular for ethnic and religious minorities, and people who experience intolerance and discrimination based on any other ground such as, for example, gender identity or sexual orientation, ” said Representative Polak. 

The Personal Representatives concluded that, together with governmental actions, there is a need for a meaningful inclusion of civil society. “Georgia is blessed with an active and engaged civil society network and passionate, courageous human rights activists. It is important that they are listened to and included to a bigger extent in the government’s work aiming at the preparation of a comprehensive human rights strategy and effective action plan,” said Rabbi Andrew Baker.

“Taking into consideration suggestions and recommendations by civil society will help Georgian authorities to enhance their integration and equality policies in place as well as their implementation,” underlined Ambassador Musa.

Empowering Trust and Cohesion in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Communities Željka Šulc

Sarajevo, 14 September 2022 – The launch of the EU, UN, OSCE, and Council of Europe supported project “Empowering Trust and Cohesion in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Communities’’ was officially marked today at a kick-off event held in Sarajevo. The overall objective of the project is to strengthen and promote the environment that is more conducive to genuine reconciliation. The project purpose is to provide support to the civil society, increase positive interaction between and within the communities and amplify positive stories from local communities and civil society. The kick-off event was opened by Johann Sattler, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At his opening address, he stated:

“Cooperating closely with BiH ‘champions of peace’, whose actions represent best practices in terms of strengthening tolerance and fighting division, ‘Mozemo bolje’ aims to push back against the dynamics that are leading people to seek a better future abroad and preventing this country from realising its considerable potential. There are many excellent initiatives at a local level that serve as a good example for other communities as well as for politics at a national level. These deserve to be supported and amplified”.

Dr. Ingrid Macdonald, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bosnia and Herzegovina added: “Together with the European Union, Council of Europe and OSCE, the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina will expand our support to people across the country who are working every day to build trust and sustain peace. With IOM and UNDP, we will invest in communities and people promoting good practices and seek to showcase champions of peace across the country. As highlighted by United Nations’ Secretary General in his “Common Agenda”, investing in prevention and peacebuilding has never been more important than it is today.”

“BiH is full of activists, communities, and leaders whose inspiring stories make a difference in places such as Žepče, the Majevica region, Bosanski Petrovac, Tešanj and Vareš. Unfortunately, these stories of co-operation, mutual respect and engagement for a better future are often overshadowed by the divisive narratives that dominate BiH politics,” said Dr. Susan Penksa, Acting Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH. “For this reason, the OSCE Mission to BiH is happy to join our international and local partners in advancing trust and community cohesion in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” she added.

Bojana Urumova, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Sarajevo reminded:

“This project is only a part of our joint engagement in BiH. Our four organizations work together every day, for example, in countering negative and divisive rhetoric, fighting hate speech, and promoting inclusive education and citizens’ participation at local level.” Following opening statements thematic panel discussion ‘How do we do better? - examples from local communities’ was held. The panel was moderated by prof. Edina Bećirević and it gave great insights on how local communities contribute to improved trust and social cohesion within and between communities and their leaders.

The participants of the panel were Suad Huskić, Mayor of Tešanj Municipality, Zdravko Marošević, Mayor of Vareš Municipality, Spasoje Kulaga, Founder and President "Pravi Požar" Association from Derventa, Jasmin Jašarević, General Manager of the Center for Youth Development PRONI, and Aleksandar Krstić, Municipal Official and member of the Majevica / Ugljevik working group.

WARSAW/VIENNA, 13 September 2022 – OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid call for an immediate ceasefire following reports of armed clashes along the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“The escalation of hostilities at the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan must cease immediately. The progress achieved so far by following the diplomatic path must not be squandered,” said Rau. “There has been progress over the past eighteen months, including agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan to continue work towards a peace treaty. These clashes jeopardize this progress and put countless lives at risk.”

“I can only stress that hostilities must stop, not least to avoid further casualties,” said Schmid. “Drawing on decades of experience and expertise, the OSCE stands ready to help. We all share the joint objective of achieving sustainable peace and prosperity in the region.”

525636 Umeda Gafurova

On September 9, 2022, the OSCE Border Management Staff College (BMSC) concluded a four-week Staff Course in Vienna, Austria. The enterprise represented the 33rd such offering conducted by the College since its founding in 2009 and the second held outside its home campus in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. 

Twenty-seven student representatives of customs, border, immigration, drug control, and training institutes attended from 12 countries. Representatives from Albania, Egypt, Georgia, Italy, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Serbia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkiye, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan successfully completed the training session.

The Staff Course emphasizes capacity building and promotes high standards in border management and security. The curriculum includes an extensive array of topics inclusive of all three OSCE dimensions of security. The training also provides participants with a platform for dialogue and the sharing of best practices and expertise in their respective fields.

Reflecting on his experience with the BMSC, Giampiero Romagnoli, a graduate from Milano Malpensa International Airport of Italy, noted: “Involvement in such training seems overwhelming at the beginning of the journey due to its diversity and richness. However, as we approach the end of the course, we realize the importance of sharing knowledge and expertise, the feeling of being part of a greater world, and the commitment to perform our work at the highest levels. The knowledge gained and the interaction with our fellow counterparts from different countries are the best memories one can bring back, as friendship and people are not just memories, but real-life experiences.”

Oksana Mykhalyshyna, another graduate from the Border Guard Service of Ukraine, added that the sessions on combatting illegal migration and terrorism, leadership, and conflict management were of great relevance. In addition, in light of the recent events in Ukraine, topics related to refugees, and the risks associated with trafficking in human beings covered by subject matter experts, were very rewarding.

Grigori Strijac, representing the Border Protection Department of Border Police of Moldova, noted that he was lucky to take part in the Course. Of all the training programs attended in recent years, the Staff Course has been challenging and intense. He further stated that he would apply the knowledge and the expertise he obtained during the Course in his daily professional responsibilities.      

Topics covered during the four-week training included the promotion of border security and management in the OSCE area, border security and management models, elements of border control and cooperation, as well as economic, environmental, and human aspects of border security. Alongside the studies, this group of participants had the opportunity to develop research papers related to and covering OSCE’s three dimensions of security.

Finally, a roundtable discussion on “Gender sensitive approaches for border management in times of crisis and conflicts” was also conducted in the framework of the course. The event brought together subject area experts, representatives of diplomatic missions, the OSCE delegations in Vienna, international organizations, and participants of the 33rd Staff Course.​