Central Europe

561191 Mirvete Islam, OSCE Mission to Skopje

Addressing violence against women and girls requires an effective response across the entire criminal justice chain. This starts with the first encounter with the police, ensuring gender-sensitive policing and victim-centred investigations, and culminates in a fair judgment delivered by a court of law operating within a robust legal framework.

During the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), the OSCE Mission to Skopje organized a roundtable with representatives from state institutions and civil society to discuss how to counter GBV in North Macedonia. The forum provided a platform for participants to address key issues, advocate for changes, and present actionable recommendations to make zero tolerance for violence a reality.

Prof. Elizabeta Gjorgievska, First Lady, emphasized the troubling escalation in feminicide cases and the need for a whole-of-society approach, including comprehensive education, public awareness, and behavioural changes.

Ms. Jovana Trenchevska, Minister of Labour and Social Policy, highlighted the complexity of GBV, emphasizing the necessity of education, combating stereotypes, and encouraging reporting.

Collaboration and coordination among institutions and civil society, particularly local women’s rights organizations, is crucial to enhancing efforts to counter GBV.

“The Mission is working alongside institutions to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of gender-based violence. And civil society remains our crucial partner in this fight,” said the Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, Ambassador Kilian Wahl.

There are currently eleven women shelters for victims/survivors in the country. Recognizing the importance of the international community's involvement at grassroots levels, Ami Larsson Jain, Ambassador of Sweden, emphasized the need to work together with NGOs to increase the focus on prevention efforts, the importance of consent, as well as challenging harmful norms at an early age.

A robust legal framework serves as the cornerstone in strengthening the fight against GBV. The Mission played a crucial role in the ratification of the Istanbul Convention and amendments to the Criminal Code, criminalizing various forms of GBV. The current focus of the Mission is on ensuring the rigorous and consistent implementation of these new provisions, further reforms to criminalize all forms of GBV and adoption of the new Law on Gender Equality.

Continuous training for police officers is essential, especially in identifying various forms of GBV recently criminalized by the amended Criminal Code.

Since 2018, the Mission has worked closely with the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MoIA) of North Macedonia to introduce gender-sensitive policing through a mentoring program. The Gender Mentoring Program fosters inclusivity and responsiveness when dealing with crime, especially related to GBV.

Ms. Biljana Jeremic, the Head of the Domestic Violence Unit at the MoI / SIA Skopje, stressed the need to improve risk assessment and provide adequate protection measures for victims. In tandem with the mentoring program, the Mission provides Advanced Interviewing Skills Training to police officers to enhance their ability to conduct better risk assessments and risk management in cases of GBV.

Shifts in the criminal justice chain are necessary to catalyse behavioural changes. “Equality between women and men decreases the prevalence of violence against women. It is critical that we continue supporting the creation of a more just and equal society,” emphasized Head of Mission, Ambassador Kilian Wahl.

Moving forward, the Mission will continue to focus on supporting actionable recommendations, sustainable solutions, and ongoing cooperation across societal sectors while fostering a culture of zero tolerance for violence.

561170 Chyngyz Zhanybekov Aida Almazbekova

BUDAPEST, 6-7 December 2023 - The State Personal Data Protection Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Agency's Training Center staff participated in a study visit to Hungary. Supported by the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, this visit aimed to share best practices and experiences in the field of personal data protection in cyberspace and response to cyber incidents.

During the visit, the delegation from the Kyrgyz Republic studied the methods and technologies applied by Hungary for effective information protection in the digital environment. The exchange of experience and knowledge contributes to the improvement of the personal data protection system in the country.

In addition, co-operation between the Agency and the Hungarian National Authority for Data Protection and Freedom of Information stimulates the cybersecurity development, while strenghthening bilateral relations between Hungary and the Kyrgyz Republic.

This initiative was carried out in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Agency and the Hungarian National Authority for Data Protection and Freedom of Information on 13 February 2023.

Within its mandate, the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek is committed to enhancing the security of cyberspace and promoting digitalization in the Kyrgyz Republic.

561155 Communication and Media Relations Section David Dadge

From 11 to 22 December 2023, the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department and the OSCE Presence in Albania delivered in Tirana, Albania a training programme for 40 junior analysts from the Albanian State Police Intelligence and Criminal Archives Directorate.

The analysts learned about the OSCE model of intelligence-led policing and basics of criminal intelligence analysis, focusing on the practical application of a wide range of analytical tools.

"The Albanian State Police considers intelligence-led policing key to success in the fight against crime and intelligence analysis as one of the most important elements in its police operations. This is why, within the framework of the criminal police reform, we focus on the capacity-building of the police personnel,” said Neritan Nallbati, Director of the Criminal Police Department.

The training programme not only laid a solid foundation for improved intelligence-led policing capabilities within the Albanian State Police, but also paved the way for future initiatives. To ensure sustainable capacity-building and consolidate the participants’ knowledge, the OSCE will organize two more advanced courses for the same group in early 2024. They will focus on strategic risk assessment and advanced criminal intelligence analysis, and provide participants with specialized skills essential to their roles.

This multi-stage capacity-building initiative aligns with the recent restructuring of the Albanian State Police Intelligence and Criminal Archives Directorate. The restructuring resulted in the creation of the information analysis sector, consisting of junior analysts operating at central and local levels who required specialized training.

The training programme was part of the OSCE extrabudgetary project "Building intelligence-led policing capacities at regional and national levels in the OSCE area", funded by Germany.

561149 Communication and Media Relations Section David Dadge

On 18 December 2023, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) participated in an event to mark the 33rd anniversary of the Moldovan Police at the invitation of the General Police Inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. During the event, the police underscored the need for an integrated approach to tackle the hybrid threats Moldova is facing.

On 19 December 2023, TNTD officials handed over technical equipment to strengthen the Moldovan General Police Inspectorate’s data and crime analysis capabilities.

“This project has empowered the Inspectorate with the necessary computer equipment and software to support our ability to develop analysis and act. As we combat transnational organized crime, this technology is critical to our operational capacities,” said Viorel Cernăuteanu, Head of the Moldovan General Police Inspectorate upon receiving the equipment.

The OSCE will continue supporting Moldovan law enforcement in enhancing their abilities to investigate criminal activities related to transnational organized crime, including the trafficking of small arms and light weapons and stockpiles of conventional ammunition, thus contributing to security and stability in the country and the wider region.

The technical equipment was provided as part of the extra-budgetary project “Support to the Law Enforcement Agencies in Moldova in Response to the Security Challenges in the Region”, which is funded by Germany, the United States and Poland. This project is jointly implemented by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the Forum for Security Co-operation Support Unit.

Željka Šulc

Sarajevo, 21 December 2023 - The OSCE Mission to BiH deeply regrets the lack of progress in delivering crucial amendments to the BiH Election Law so far, despite years of negotiations and numerous rounds of discussions and calls the elected leaders of BiH to finally deliver on their democratic obligations.

As we approach the 2024 elections and beyond, Bosnia and Herzegovina needs an inclusive, comprehensive, and transparent review of its electoral legislation, primarily to improve election integrity, prevent electoral fraud and thus safeguard the democratic rights of its citizens. 

The necessary amendments have been clearly and repeatedly enumerated and recommended, including by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), in its 2022 Election Observation Mission Final Report, by the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) and the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission).

While technical fixes are important, they are not enough if the system remains broken in many other ways. 

Due to systemic gaps in legislation, sub-legislation and existing practices that ODIHR has identified in their Reports, a number of irregularities do occur - before, during and after Election. These gaps might well call into question the overall validity of the elections and influence the outcome where the difference of votes is small.

Based on the recommendations from ODIHR’s country reports following the last election cycles, the following deficiencies must be addressed as a matter of uttermost urgency:

1. A comprehensive review of the legal framework should be undertaken to address all outstanding ODIHR recommendations, eliminate existing gaps and inconsistencies. In line with international good practice, the comprehensive review process should be open, inclusive and consultative and take place well before the next elections.
2. In order to ensure timely formation, impartiality and professionalism of Polling Station Commissions and increase stakeholders’ trust, the authorities should review the system of appointment of these commissions. This could be achieved by limiting eligibility to nominate their members only to the parties represented in the state parliament, or those drawn from a permanent roster of trained people maintained by the Central Election Commission.
3. The consistent application of procedural safeguards and all other measures aimed at preventing electoral corruption, fraud and irregularities, should be considered including creating legal pre-conditions for piloting and full application of new technologies in elections.  
4. Authorities should provide adequate and effective allocation of funds to ensure the functionality of the Central Election Commission as an institution, including in non-election years, and to cover all the costs associated with the organization of the elections. The Central Election Commission should be provided with the necessary resources to hire sufficient and qualified staff, including in its audit, legal and IT departments, and to develop its IT infrastructure. In this sense, we were disappointed to see that the Council of Ministers has so far failed to approve the 2024 BiH institutions budget, which includes the necessary financing for the 2024 local elections. We want to see this remedied as soon as possible. Therefore, we hope that the Council of Ministers will reconvene at their earliest convenience in order to adopt the necessary allocation of sufficient financial resources, allowing for timely elections.
5. Authorities should ensure that members of the election administration are not recalled for arbitrary reasons and that they are able to conduct their duties without fear of retribution or intimidation, including based on gender, and should promptly investigate and respond to such cases.
6. To ensure the equality of the vote, the boundaries of multi-member constituencies and their relevant number of mandates should be reviewed periodically and well in advance of the next elections, in line with the national legislation, international standards and good practice.
7. To increase the transparency of campaign finance and accountability for financial violations, the regulatory framework should prescribe proportionate and dissuasive sanctions for violations.

Once appropriately amended, the Election Law must then be implemented properly and equitably.

I urge, once again, the responsible authorities to ensure the integrity and transparency of the 2024 Local Elections, and take concrete steps to minimize electoral fraud.    

It is responsibility of the politicians to restore the trust in the integrity of elections in BiH and thus ultimately in democracy.

Citizens of BiH deserve this.

561074 Baseline assessment on the inspection, investigation and punishment of environmental contraventions and crimes in Albania

Effective and functional environmental governance relies on enhanced institutional technical expertise and proactive public engagement. Recognizing the intricating aspects of environmental challenges, the OSCE Presence is working with environmental compliance and enforcement agencies to enhance their technical resources to address environmental violations and increase the role and participation of citizens in environmental governance.

Against this backdrop, as part of its ongoing efforts, the OSCE Presence has taken the lead in undertaking two significant documents, such as a public survey on environmental governance and a training need assessment across the institutional chain dealing with environmental violations. 

On 19 December 2023, the Presence unveiled and discussed the preliminary findings of both reports with 30 participants such as prosecutors, environmental inspectors, police officials, civil servant officials, and civil society organizations. The technical discussion further elaborated and deepened the findings, which will guide and support the Presence’s work in designing advanced and targeted training programs for institutions and public environmental awareness-raising campaigns.

Opening the event, Head of the OSCE Presence’s Department on Governance in Economic and Environmental Issues Aleksandar Maskovic said: “The insights discussed here will help to discuss future training programs and also contribute to the development of a robust and co-ordinated strategy among all stakeholders.”

Anila Leka, a prosecutor from the General Prosecution Office, underlined the importance of building capacities of prosecutors on environmental violations which fall in line with the efforts to revise the whole criminal code of Albania.

The survey on environmental governance indicated that 86% of respondents have shown high interest to contribute for the environmental governance in Albania. The survey tackled other relevant issues such as the nexus of environmental violations with corruption and gender. The obtained results will support the Presence and other relevant stakeholders to design and initiate targeted environmental campaigns.

The training need assessment underlined the importance of systematic training programs for civil servant of institutions dealing with environmental violations. It shed light on the current state of affairs, identified gaps in knowledge and skills, and ultimately pave the way for strategic interventions that will empower relevant stakeholders in their efforts to combat environmental crimes effectively.

The public survey and training need assessment are developed under the extra-budgetary project to enhance environmental governance and security in Albania implemented by the OSCE Presence in Albania and supported by the governments of Norway, France and Italy.

561047 Communication and Media Relations Section David Dadge PROTECT: Project on the Protection of Vulnerable Targets from Terrorist Attacks

From 13 to 15 December 2023, national experts from eight offices and government ministries in Uzbekistan joined an interactive workshop on the protection of critical infrastructure from terrorist attacks. The event served as the first activity in the OSCE’s newly-launched initiative called Project PROTECT. It was organized by the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department (TNTD), with support from the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan.

“Project PROTECT on the Protection of Vulnerable Targets from Terrorist Attacks” seeks to strengthen national approaches across the OSCE area to protecting vulnerable targets from terrorist threats and other hazards. As part of Project PROTECT’s capacity-building efforts, this workshop was designed to raise awareness on, and build a common understanding of, the need to protect critical infrastructure from terrorist attacks in a human rights-compliant manner, gather good practices from Uzbekistan, and identify priorities for future project activities in the country.

“Uzbekistan considers co-operation with the OSCE part of an important international partnership, contributing to the mutual benefit of both Uzbekistan and Europe and promoting meaningful collaboration,” said Erkin Salikhov, Chairman of the Committee on Issues of Defense and Security of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, during his opening remarks. “Collaboration between Uzbekistan and the OSCE contributes to security, stability, and economic development in the region, as well as promoting democratic reforms and protecting human rights,” he added.

“Project PROTECT looks forward to bringing communities together at the national level – similar to today’s event – and across the region,” said Daniel Golston, Project PROTECT Lead at TNTD. “This will help us learn from one another, support the development of critical infrastructure protection frameworks that are appropriately tailored to the national context, and address evolving terrorist threats - all while being equally respectful of human rights and fundamental freedoms,” he added.  

During the workshop, participants explored core concepts for effective critical infrastructure protection from terrorist attacks, including physical security practices, insider threat mitigation, risk management frameworks, business continuity management, and infrastructure interdependencies. They also discussed the importance of partnerships within and outside government, including with civil society and the business community. Among those joining the event were representatives from the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism.

This workshop was organized with financial support from Germany. Moving forward, the OSCE will support the design of nationally tailored actions under Project PROTECT in Uzbekistan.

560924 Communication and Media Relations Section David Dadge Understanding the Role of Women in Organized Crime

On 18 and 19 December, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in co-operation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, organized a regional workshop to present and discuss the findings of the OSCE assessment report on ‘Understanding the role of women in organized crime’ in the context of Central Asia. The workshop was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

The event brought together 30 representatives from the Ministries of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The objective was to enhance their understanding of how women are recruited into organized crime, the roles they play within these criminal networks, as well as how and why they leave lives in organized crime across Central Asia. The workshop further showcased best practices from across the OSCE area on gender-sensitive organized crime prevention initiatives.

The workshop explored the OSCE assessment report findings on the role of women in organized crime. It also facilitated a regional dialogue on emerging trends and challenges in light of security developments in Afghanistan and its effect on organized crime and its actors, including women, across the Central Asian region.

Sergei Sizov, Acting Head of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan underscored the importance of understanding the role of women in organized crime during the workshop. “Only by better understanding the role of women in organized crime and by recognizing their agency, can we 1) fully understand the organized crime landscape and its actors, 2) effectively prevent and combat the phenomenon and 3) provide women with access to organized crime prevention and exit initiatives,” he said.  

The workshop helped to improve information sharing and the exchange of good practices on organized crime prevention and exit among practitioners and policy makers in the region, while also serving as a platform for discussion and identifying training needs.

BELGRADE, 18 December 2023 – Although Serbia’s early parliamentary elections offered voters a choice between political alternatives and freedoms of expression and assembly were generally respected, pressure on voters as well as the decisive involvement of the President and the ruling party’s systemic advantages undermined the election process overall, international observers said in a statement today.

The joint observation mission from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), and the European Parliament (EP) found that the legal framework is adequate to carry out democratic elections. However, there are still numerous issues to address, and in these elections, observers noted the misuse of public resources, the lack of separation between the official functions and campaign activities, and intimidation and pressure on voters, including cases of vote buying.

“While the elections were technically well-organized, they unfolded in the midst of a socially and politically divided landscape,” said Reinhold Lopatka, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission. “The decisive involvement of the President dominated the electoral process, and the use of his name by one of the candidate lists, together with bias in the media, contributed to an uneven playing field.”

Yesterday’s elections took place against the background of high polarization and intense competition between opposing political agendas. In the run-up to the election, a number of concerns were voiced about the intimidation and harassment of civil activists, human rights defenders, and journalists.

“Serbian voters have once again been called to the polls, regretfully reinforcing the ‘culture of early elections’, the unlevel playing field these create, and the political instrumentalization of electoral cycles,” said Stefan Schennach, Head of the PACE delegation. “This further undermines public trust in democratic institutions and electoral processes. Terminating parliamentary mandates ahead of time also prevents parliaments from working properly, preparing thorough and inclusive legislation and holding the executive to account, which is key in a parliamentary democracy.”

Some 6.5 million voters were registered to take part in yesterday’s early elections. The election administration prepared for voting day efficiently and transparently, considering the challenges posed by the short timeline and the local and regional elections taking place the same day. However, the frequent number of early elections in recent years have undermined trust in the country’s democratic institutions. Election day was smooth overall, but there were a number of procedural deficiencies, including frequent cases of overcrowding, violations of the secrecy of the vote, and numerous instances of group voting.

OSCE PA Head of Delegation, Farah Karimi, noted: “Serbia has conducted its third parliamentary election in just under four years, a frequency that has diminished the public’s trust in the democratic process and the institutions governing it, and the election campaign has been marked by extreme divisiveness.” Concerns were raised pertaining to free speech, and the treatment of activists, LGBTI individuals, human rights defenders, and journalists, who have faced intimidation and harassment.

The domination of the President in the campaign, despite the fact that he was not a candidate in yesterday’s elections, gave his party an unjustified advantage. In addition, a number of earlier recommendations to improve oversight mechanisms and introduce a campaign expenditure limit remain unaddressed, which reduces transparency and increases opportunities for high campaign spending, potentially further undermining the chances of the opposition.

“The electoral campaign took place against the background of Russia’s ongoing war of aggression in Ukraine. The information manipulation remains a concern in Serbia even though it was not the predominant topic of the elections,” said Klemen Grošelj, Head of delegation from the European Parliament. “The low level of political debate, the pressure on the voters, the emphasis on personally discrediting opponents, the harsh rhetoric used during the campaign and, in general, the political life of Serbia, are all very worrying elements.”

While Serbia has a large number of media outlets and the media covered all candidates in line with the law, the diversity of views was greatly reduced by the high degree of polarization and strong influence of the government on most of them. At the same time, media reporting was dominated by the ruling parties and positive coverage of the President. The oversight body responsible for electronic media was not effective in stopping violations during the election period. Observers also noted numerous reports about critical journalists who were verbally insulted by state officials, as well as co-ordinated attacks on journalists by pro-government media.

“While the Serbian authorities organized the elections efficiently on a tight schedule, the opposition’s lack of access to the media and absence of genuine analytical reporting impacted voters’ ability to make an informed choice,” said Ambassador Albert Jónsson, who headed ODIHR’s election observation mission. “Measures are also lacking to prevent misuse of public office and resources, and, in practice, the line between official duties and campaign activities was blurred.”

The international election observation mission to the early parliamentary elections in Serbia totalled 361 observers from 45 countries, made up of 254 ODIHR-deployed experts, and long-term and short-term observers, which comprised 71 from the OSCE PA, 23 from PACE, and 13 from the EP.

For more information, please contact:
Katya Andrusz, ODIHR: +48 609 522 266 or katya.andrusz@odihr.pl
Nat Parry, OSCE PA: +45 601 08 177 or nat@oscepa.dk
Sylvie Affholder, PACE: +33 7 60 19 75 05 or sylvie.affholder@coe.int
Raffaele Luise, EP: +32 477 85 52 67 or raffaele.luise@europarl.europa.eu

560653

Promising initiatives to address risks of human trafficking for sexual exploitation in the context of major sporting events have been implemented in several OSCE participating States, including France, Germany, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States. 

On 15 December, the OSCE hosted an interactive roundtable in Vienna, gathering civil society organizations, national anti-trafficking experts, law enforcement, sports organizations, as well as local authorities and international organizations who have developed awareness-raising campaigns to advance the fight against trafficking. Participants shared good practices and experiences that will serve as an inspiration for future initiatives, particularly ahead of the UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany and the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in France.

In 2003, the OSCE Action Plan recommended that participating States raise awareness by “addressing, also through the media, the need to reduce the demand for the activities of persons trafficked for sexual exploitation.” Sporting events also offer a unique opportunity to reach out to a large audience through awareness-raising campaigns as a prevention measure and to tackle the scale of the demand that enables trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

560644 Communication and Media Relations Section David Dadge

Strengthening youth resilience to organized crime and corruption in South-Eastern Europe was the aim of a civil society organizations’ regional grants programme, carried out by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities and the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime.

Between July and October, 5,142 young people engaged in 72 in-person events, workshops, art performances and film festivals. Moreover, the programme reached 436,257 young people through social media channels, raising their awareness on the rule of law and integrity to create a peaceful and prosperous society.

Recognizing the civil society’s essential role in working with and for youth on the ground, during the programme, the OSCE and the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime supported two civil society organizations in each of the involved participating States including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. The organizations conducted grass-root extra-curricular educational and awareness-raising events engaging young people.

“Young people want to make sure that their opinions are heard, particularly when it comes to tackling organized crime and corruption. It is thus important to include them in efforts to address these challenges,” said one of the young participants from Montenegro, where the research by NGO Juventas showed that 40 per cent of the most listened songs in Montenegro glorify criminal activities and invited youth to critically assess the media they consume.

“I did not know about the risks and dangers of youth engagement in criminal and corrupt activities before. Through the creative approach of using photography, this initiative helped me learn to critically detect delinquent behaviour among young people and utilize effective ways to prevent it,” pointed out a young participant from Bosnia and Herzegovina, where NGO Sensus organized a youth camp creatively exploring photography to understand crime patterns and negative influences in the local communities and social media.

The programme was delivered in the framework of the OSCE-wide multi-year project Enhancing youth crime and drug use prevention through education on legality and awareness campaigns addressing threats of organized crime and corruption, funded by Italy. Other donors supporting this project are Andorra, Finland, Germany and Poland.

560638

On December 15, 2023, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, jointly with the National Center for Human Rights and the National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Persons and Forced Labor, held a roundtable discussion  on Challenges and Solutions in Promoting Business Respect for Human Rights Across the Supply Chain.

Fifty (twelve women and 38 men) representatives from the govenment agencies and business entities exchanged good practices on ensuring respect for human rights in the supply chain, and discussed methods for identifying the challenges with respect for human rights that companies encounter at various levels of business operations. 

During the event, the leading experts presented operational approaches to build a more equitable, inclusive, and responsible business world. In addition, a brief introduction to the draft National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights was presented at the roundtable.

This Roundtable was organised in the framework of the PCUz project “Promoting Gender Equality and Combating Human Trafficking”.

560604 Therese Abrahamsen Edita Buçaj

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo concluded today its 7th edition of the annual Civil Society Forum, a platform that gathers civil society organizations (CSOs) to address challenges and issues they face and facilitates constructive exchanges amongst them.

Around 80 representatives and activists of civil society organizations from across Kosovo working on a wide-range of areas participated in this year’s edition. Together with expert panels, they discussed developments related to youth legal framework, as well as the role of organizations of persons with disabilities and other human rights organizations in monitoring the implementation of UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The discussions also focused on the need for a comprehensive approach toward a stronger role of CSOs in the society.

“A vibrant civic activism at all levels is an essential building block of democracy and social development, and civil society organizations are in the position to hold governmental bodies accountable for their actions,” said Ambassador Michael Davenport, Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo. “Furthermore, locally-based organizations - those closest to residents - have the potential to develop new solutions for existing problems, while actively involving local governments and residents,” he added.

During discussions, youth organizations and Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports representatives reconfirmed their commitment to the ongoing development of the broader youth framework. With the draft Law on Youth in the Assembly, participants emphasized the need for an open and transparent consultative process for the development of related sub-legal acts, that will start once the Law is adopted. Finally, the Strategy on Youth 2024-2032 and its three-year Action Plan remain key youth policy documents to be finalized, that will provide the framework for the mid- and long-term development of the youth sector. The OSCE Mission in Kosovo remains strongly committed to these processes and to support involved stakeholders.

In addition, Afrim Maliqi, Director of HandiKos, stressed the necessity of a stronger human rights-based approach to the rights of persons with disabilities, in view of the Constitutional amendments that will include the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as directly applicable international instrument in Kosovo.

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo works with civil society organizations as part of its long-lasting commitment to strengthen their contributions to public life, and to enhance their co-operation and coordination with relevant institutions. It organizes the Civil Society Forum annually since 2016.

BELGRADE, 15 December 2023 – International election observers will hold a press conference to present their findings following the early parliamentary elections in Serbia.

What:

• A press conference of the international election observation mission to the early parliamentary elections in Serbia
• Journalists can attend the press conference in person or via Zoom (details below)
• Those unable to attend in person can follow the livestream here

Who:

• Reinhold Lopatka, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the OSCE short-term observers
• Stefan Schennach, Head of the PACE delegation
• Farah Karimi, Head of the OSCE PA delegation
• Klemen Grošelj, Head of the EP delegation
• Ambassador Albert Jónsson, Head of the ODIHR election observation mission  

When:

• 15:00 local time (GMT +1) on 18 December 2023

Where:

• White Pearl Room, Falkensteiner Hotel Belgrade, Bulevar Mihaila Pupina 10k, Belgrade

Registration:

• To take part via Zoom, please register by 11:00 local time on 18 December using the following link

The international election observation is a joint mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE (OSCE PA), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), and the European Parliament (EP). The observation mission totals 359 observers, made up of 254 ODIHR-deployed experts, long-term, and short-term observers, 71 from the OSCE PA, 23 from PACE, and 11 from the EP.

For more information, please contact:

Katya Andrusz, ODIHR: +48 609 522 266 or katya.andrusz@odihr.pl

Nat Parry, OSCE PA: +45 601 08 177 or nat@oscepa.dk

Sylvie Affholder, PACE: +33 7 60 19 75 05 or sylvie.affholder@coe.int

Raffaele Luise, EP: +32 477 85 52 67 or raffaele.luise@europarl.europa.eu

560523 Donors to the OSCE Secretariat Extra-Budgetary Support Programme for Ukraine

Within primary financial support from the European Union, the OSCE Secretariat Extra-Budgetary Support Programme for Ukraine (SPU) organised a roundtable “Priority Setting in Mine Action and Draft National Strategy” in Kyiv on 14 December 2023.

At the event 60 representatives of Ukrainian mine action agencies and international organizations, central and local authorities, demining operators were able to discuss ways to introduce improved planning and co-ordination of all actors in this sphere with due regard to best international practices and local realities.

Miljenko Vahtaric, the SPU’s Mine Action Technical Advisor, shared Croatia’s experience in assigning demining priority status to specific categories of lands, depending on its use by local communities. Olena Kryvova, an expert from Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining, highlighted  the importance of establishing priorities in mine action in international practice. Prioritization in mine risk education and in organization of assistance to victims was also in focus.

Representatives of Ministry of Defense spoke about the current process of forming annual demining plans, while the State Emergency Service of Ukraine presented practice of organizing the work of its mine action teams. The Ministry of Economy of Ukraine used the occasion to table for review by participants the provisions of the draft of national mine action strategy, gather input and observations from local and international demining operators, as well as representatives of local authorities from the regions, heavily affected by Russia’s war of aggression , such as Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Kherson, Kyiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhya oblasts. 

Marcel Peško, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairmanship – Project Coordinator in Ukraine noted that “solving the problem of explosive remnants of war will be the key challenge in the process of post-war reconstruction, and it already severely endangers lives of Ukrainians in many communities. Co-ordinated response of all mine action agencies is key to swift and effective resolution of the problem, that is why we are supporting efforts to streamline planning and management of operations in this sphere, notably development of national strategy”.

Arturo Rodriguez Tonelli, Regional Programme Manager EU Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI), Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine, commented: “A clear and coherent set of priority criteria across all aspects of mine action is essential to ensure that communities receive assistance tailored to their most urgent needs. The European Union makes mine action a priority in its humanitarian and recovery support to Ukraine. Coordinating efforts will ensure that resources are put to best use and help international partners better target their humanitarian mine action support to Ukraine”.  

For reference:

This effort is part of “Support to Environmental Rehabilitation with Focus on Building National Humanitarian Mine Action Capacities of Ukraine” Project implemented with primary funding provided by the European Union, as well as contributions from the Organization's participating States; see full list of the Programme's donors. 

560493

On 14 December 2023, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) organized an event in Vienna to celebrate International Migrants Day. The event took place in partnership with the International Labour Organization and the European University Institute.

OSCE diplomats, policymakers and practitioners active in the field of international migration, experts of migrant labour rights, representatives of the private sector, and academics working on migration narratives engaged in vibrant discussions on pressing policy issues connecting the labour market, demographic change, migration, and education.

Minister Plenipotentiary Hilda Kolevska, representing the 2023 Chairpersonship of North Macedonia, underlined: “Effective migration governance is a long and complex task, that is achieved only through international co-operation. At its core, migration reflects the innate desire for individuals to pursue happiness, security, and fulfilment. It is about people – as the motto of our Chairpersonship reads. But it is indeed about work too. May our collective efforts lead to solutions that realize potentials of migration, acknowledge the dignity and agency of all migrants, benefitting the socio-economic fabric of country of origin, destination and transit.”

The event, titled “It’s about work: Bringing back the interaction of migration, the labour market and economic development in the public discourse”, was part of the OSCE-led project E-mindful, funded by the European Commission. The project has helped bring together diverse and multi-pronged perspectives on migration governance and labour migration management. It has generated evidence-based guidance, including some of which was presented during today’s discussions, to be used by the European Commission, the OSCE, and ILO constituents. The project has promoted inclusivity in social and economic environments for both migrants and nationals, while encouraging effective policy-making.

The OSCE will continue to facilitate dialogue and co-operation on effective labour migration governance and labour migration management as an integral part of good economic governance.

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About 45 women councillors from Vlora, Shkodra and Tirana regions participated in three tailored information sessions organized by the OSCE Presence as part of its Women Municipal Excellence Programme #WoMEP, during the first two weeks of December 2023.

The primary objective of these activities was to strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of newly elected women councillors. By equipping them with the necessary tools, the information sessions sought to empower these local representatives, enabling them to excel in their roles. Furthermore, the participants actively engaged in discussions to identify their needs and expectations, contributing to the strategic planning of WoMEP activities for the year 2024. The women councillors also delved into setting development priorities for local governments and mastering the intricacies of municipal budgets and fiscal policies.

Since 2020, WoMEP stands as a flagship initiative in the Presence's efforts to foster gender equality at the local level. This innovative program is specifically designed to empower women councillors serving in Albania’s 61 municipal councils, emphasizing critical aspects such as gender equality, leadership, and management skills. The ultimate goal is to support and guide the women councillors, fostering tangible changes within their respective local councils.

VIENNA, 13 December 2023 – Today, Canada held its closing plenary meeting as Chair of the OSCE’s Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC).

Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly issued the following comment expressing the importance of the FSC and Canada’s commitment to it: “The OSCE was created in an era of division, and it once again finds itself divided – between an aggressive Russia and participating States that respect and defend their OSCE commitments and obligations under international law. While the FSC faces challenges, we remain convinced that it will play an important role in restoring the Euro-Atlantic security architecture.”

“Canada is honoured to have chaired the FSC, which remains an important forum for politico-military dialogue among participating States, especially in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine,” emphasized Ambassador Jocelyn Kinnear, Permanent Representative of Canada to the OSCE.

Taking into account the current security situation in the OSCE region, and with the objective of stimulating frank and constructive discussion, during its four-month Chairpersonship Canada organized five security dialogues and side events on politico-military subjects including:

• Mine action, with a particular focus on effective measures to protect children;
• Command responsibility and international humanitarian law;
• Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and the improved outcomes in peace, security and operational effectiveness that are achieved through women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in the armed forces and in security processes;
• The mental health impacts of war; and,
• Information integrity in military space.

Prominent Canadian experts featured among the panelists during the events. Professor Valerie Oosterveld from Western University shared her extensive experience building legal cases relating to command responsibility and international humanitarian law, including cases of sexual and gender-based violence. Major-General Marc Bilodeau, Canadian Armed Forces Surgeon General, addressed the progress made by the Canadian Armed Forces in understanding and addressing the mental health impacts of war on its military personnel. Speaking on the WPS panel, Lieutenant-General Jennie Carignan, Chief of Professional Conduct and Culture, Canadian Armed Forces, presented compelling arguments on the important impacts that gender equality has in the security sphere.

For media enquiries, please contact fsc2023.canada@international.gc.ca.

ERGNETI, 13 December 2023 – The 116th Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) took place in Ergneti today under the co-facilitation of the Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), Dimitrios Karabalis, and the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus, Viorel Moşanu.

The EUMM and OSCE commended the commitment of the participants to the IPRM format. Ambassador Moşanu informed that the 2024 OSCE Chairpersonship will be held by the Republic of Malta.

The fatal shooting, which occurred on 6 November near Kirbali village, was discussed at length during the meeting, with the co-facilitators condemning the use of force, which led to the loss of life of a Georgian citizen. The co-facilitators underscored that the safety of the conflict-affected communities must remain the highest priority for all participants at the IPRM. All participants emphasised that such tragic incidents must be prevented to maintain security and stability along the administrative boundary line (ABL).

The co-facilitators and participants noted the important role of the extraordinary meeting in Ergneti on the evening of 6 November to defuse tension. They also commended the crucial role of the EUMM-managed Hotline and the involvement of the co-facilitators for the timely exchange of information surrounding the incident.

The OSCE and EUMM advocated for the lifting of freedom of movement restrictions during the upcoming holiday season while reiterating their calls for the full re-opening of crossing points for regular cross-ABL traffic.

IPRM participants also discussed challenges faced by men, women and children affected by the conflict, particularly ‘borderisation’ activities and recent detentions. The EUMM and OSCE urged for a humanitarian approach towards the resolution of detention cases, particularly in view of the upcoming holidays.

The participants agreed to convene the next regular IPRM meeting on 13 February 2024.

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On 11 December, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) organized a side event “Catalyzing change: Political will in fighting corruption” on the sidelines of the tenth session of the Conference of State Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in Atlanta, Georgia. During the event, OCEEA presented the OSCE’s work in promoting good economic governance and anti-corruption measures to ensure security and stability in the OSCE region. Furthermore, it underscored the essential role of political will in the fight against corruption, emphasizing its critical importance in shaping successful anti-corruption initiatives.

“Political will is not merely important; it is instrumental in shaping the bedrock of robust anti-corruption measures and ensuring their effective implementation. In the broader context of advancing the rule of law and good governance, we recognize these not as abstract concepts but as fundamental prerequisites for prosperity and economic growth,” stressed Adea Pirdeni, Deputy Minister of Justice of Albania, in her opening remarks.

"The OSCE is able to work actively and successfully with participating States to turn their anti-corruption commitments into tangible projects and actions via the work of OCEEA and other units,” said Professor Anita Ramasastry, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combatting Corruption. 

The OSCE’s role in supporting the establishment of Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee was also highlighted by Sasun Khachatryan, Chairman of the Committee: “It is an axiomatic truth that corruption damages all layers of public relations without exception, but now I would like to address its impact on the country’s economic development. The fact that the consistent and uncompromising fight against corruption is yielding its results is also evidenced by the economic indicators recorded by the Republic of Armenia.”

During the week, OSCE also intervened during the General Discussion at the plenary, highlighting the Organization’s commitment to fulfill the mandate in the area of good governance and anti-corruption, and its support to its participating States in implementing their commitments under the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).

The Conference of the States Parties (COSP) is the main policymaking body of the United Nations Convention against Corruption. It supports States parties and signatories in their implementation of the Convention, and gives policy guidance to UNODC to develop and implement anti-corruption activities. OSCE has the status of observer within this body.