OSCE

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 29 and 30 March, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Compared with the previous 24 hours, between the evenings of 30 and 31 March, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and fewer in Luhansk regions.
• The SMM followed up on reports of an injured man in Verkhnotoretske.
•  It observed fresh damage near and in residential areas in Dokuchaievsk and Hlybokyi.
• The Mission saw military presence inside the Petrivske disengagement area and recorded ceasefire violations in the Zolote disengagement area.
• The SMM observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas of Donetsk region.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. In addition, the Mission was denied access at a checkpoint near Zaichenko.*
• The SMM observed a calm situation in several regions in Ukraine during the Presidential Elections.

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, between the evenings of 29 and 30 March, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including, however, a similar number of explosions (about 75), compared with the previous reporting period (70 explosions). More than half of the ceasefire violations were recorded south and south-south-east of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol). On the evening of 29 March, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded about 25 ceasefire violations including an undetermined explosion at an assessed range of 200-500m south from the camera.

Between the evenings of 30 and 31 March, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations, including, however, a similar number of explosions (about 75), compared with the previous 24 hours. The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded at southerly directions of Chermalyk and at south-westerly and northerly directions of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, between the evenings of 29 and 30 March, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 215 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 500 explosions). About two thirds of the ceasefire violations were recorded west and north-west of Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, non-government-controlled, 50km west of Luhansk).

Between the evenings of 30 and 31 March, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including nine explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded near the disengagement area close to Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and in areas east-north-east of Berezivske (non-government-controlled, 53km north-west of Luhansk).

During the day on 31 March, while conducting a mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight near Kalynove-Borshchuvate (non-government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 12 shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire at an assessed range of 2-4km south-west, assessed as aimed at the UAV which was flying about 1.5km south-west of the SMM’s position.

On the same day, while conducting a mini-UAV flight near Molodizhne (non-government-controlled, 63km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 20 shots of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 1-1.5km south-west, assessed as aimed at the UAV which was flying about 1km south-west of its  position.

Also on the same day, while conducting a mini-UAV flight near Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard four shots of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 1-1.5km north-west, assessed as aimed at the UAV which was flying about 1km north-west of its  position. The Mission landed all UAVs safely.*

Man injured reportedly due to gunfire in Verkhnotoretske

On 31 March, the SMM followed up on reports of a man injured by shrapnel on 29 March in Verkhnotoretske (government-controlled, 23km north-east of Donetsk). At a hospital in Toretsk (formerly Dzerzhynsk, government-controlled, 43km north of Donetsk), the SMM saw a man (aged 30) with five bandaged wounds: to his face, neck, right thigh and abdominal area. Medical staff told the Mission that the man had been admitted to the hospital on 29 March with five shrapnel wounds. The man told the SMM that in the afternoon hours of 29 March while outside his house at 25 Vyshneva Street in Verkhnotoretske, he had heard gunfire and an explosion and had subsequently seen blood on his face.

Fresh damage to a residential building in Dokuchaievsk

On 31 March, at 104 Lenina Street in Dokuchaievsk (non-government-controlled, 30km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM saw a fresh hole in the lower section of the west-south-west-facing window pane of a flat on the third floor of a four-storey residential building. The SMM assessed the damage as caused by a bullet from an undetermined weapon. The SMM also saw a flower pot with damage to its side, assessed as caused by an impact from a bullet. The owner of the flat (woman, aged 30-40) said that she and her family had been at home when the damage had occurred in the afternoon of 25 March.

Fresh damage to residential buildings in Hlybokyi

The SMM observed damage to three residential buildings in Hlybokyi (non-government-controlled, 55km west of Luhansk).

On 28 March, at 5 Krylova Street, the SMM saw 25 shattered west-facing windows, 27 shattered north-facing windows and 27 shattered south-facing windows, with shattered glass found up to a meter south from the building. The SMM also saw more than 40 holes in the middle of the south-facing side of the second floor and ten holes in the middle of the north-facing side of the second floor, assessed as caused by small-arms fire (7.62mm). It also saw 13 fresh craters at a distance of 50-150m south-east, north and north-north-east of the building. The SMM also observed a smashed windshield assessed to be from a possible heavy utility truck (KamAZ variant) in the yard west-south-west of the building. Two residents of the building (a man and a woman, aged 45 years old) told the SMM they had been present inside the building when shelling took place.

About 15m east from the above-mentioned location, at 6 Krylova Street, the SMM saw four freshly broken windows and more than ten fresh holes in the north-facing side of the building, assessed as caused by a small-arms fire (7.62mm). The SMM also observed 12 fresh craters at a distance of 70-150m north-west of the building and an additional five fresh craters 150-150m north-east.

About 150m north-east from the above-mentioned second location, at 8 Krylova Street, the SMM saw four freshly broken east-facing windows.

On 29 March, in Hlybokyi, an SMM mini-UAV spotted three heavily damaged buildings at 5, 6 and 8 Krylova Street. In a field about 150m west-north-west of the damaged buildings, the same UAV spotted 13 fresh craters assessed as impacts of artillery (122mm) rounds fired from a north-westerly direction and seven fresh impact craters (weapon(s) and direction of fire undetermined), all at a distance of 50m of the closest residential houses. In a field about 150m east-south-east of the damaged houses, the same UAV spotted five recent impact craters (weapon(s) and direction of fire undetermined), at a distance of 70m of the closest residential houses. 

Disengagement areas[2]

On 29 March, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded two muzzle flashes at an assessed range of 1-2km south-south-east (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area). While in Kadiivka, the SMM heard about 90 undetermined explosions at an assessed range of 10-15km north-west, near the Zolote disengagement area. On 29 March, while in Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), the SMM saw five bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire at an assessed range of 5-9km east (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area). On 30 March, positioned in three locations near the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM heard about 50 bursts and shots of small-arms fire, all assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On 31 March, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded 130 projectiles in flight at an assessed range of 2-4km east and east-south-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).  Positioned 1km north of Pervomaisk (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard a burst of heavy-machine-gun fire 600m west-north-west (assessed as inside the disengagement area). Positioned in two locations near the disengagement area, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion and five shots and bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire, all assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On 29 March, inside the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), an SMM long-range UAV spotted an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-80) near previously reported positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces about 1.2km east of the area’s western edge and about 900m north of its southern edge.[3] On 31 March, positioned near the Petrivske disengagement area, the SMM observed a calm situation.

On 30 and 31 March, positioned near the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed a calm situation.

Withdrawal of weapons

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

Weapons in violation

Government-controlled areas

30 March

The SMM saw two surface-to-air missile systems (9K33 Osa) (one stationary and one moving from west to east) about 4km south-west of Muratove (51km north-west of Luhansk).

31 March

The SMM saw two anti-tank guided missile systems (9P148 Konkurs, 135mm) next to the entry-exit checkpoint near Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk).

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[4]

Government-controlled areas

29 March

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• two armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-2) near Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk);
• two IFV (BMP-1) near Slavne (26km south-west of Donetsk);
• two APCs (BTR-60 and BTR-70) near Novotroitske (36km south-west of Donetsk); and
• an APC (MT-LB-S ambulance variant) near Novohnativka (40km south of Donetsk).

30 March

The SMM saw:

• a trench digger (undetermined variant) near Vesele (21km north of Donetsk) and
• an APC (MT-LB ambulance variant) and five IFVs (three BMP-1 and two BMP variants)  near Popasna.

31 March

The SMM saw:

• an APC (MT-LB ambulance variant) and four IFVs (three BMP-1 and a BMP variant) near Popasna (see above);
• an IFV (BMP variant) and an APC (MT-LB) near residential houses in Novozvanivka (70km west of Luhansk); and
• an APC (BTR variant) near Novotroitske.

Non-government-controlled-areas

29 March

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• three IFVs (BMP-1), an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) and an artillery reconnaissance vehicle (PRP-4 Nard) near Petrivske (21km south of Donetsk), and
• two IFVs (BMP-1) near Bila Kamianka (51km south of Donetsk).

Presence of mine hazard signs 

On 30 March, the SMM saw for the first time a wooden square sign (grey with “Mines” written in Cyrillic) located about 4m east of a local road on the southern edge of Kalynove-Borshchuvate.

SMM facilitation of operation of civilian infrastructure

On 30 and 31 March, the Mission continued to facilitate and monitor adherence to the ceasefire to facilitate the operation of the DFS and monitor the security situation around the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk).

Border areas outside government control

On 29 March, while at a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk) for 30 minutes, the SMM saw seven cars (two with Ukrainian and four with Russian Federation licence plates, as well as one with “DPR” plates) and four trucks with covered cargos (one with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates, as well as two with “DPR” plates) exiting Ukraine. The SMM also saw a bus (with Russian Federation licence plates), 23 cars (two with Ukrainian, 11 with Russian Federation and one with Georgian licence plates, as well as nine with “DPR” plates) and seven trucks with covered cargos (three with Ukrainian and two with Belarusian licence plates, as well as two with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine.

On 30 March, while at a border crossing point near Novoazovsk (40km east of Mariupol) for 30 minutes, the SMM saw eight cars (one with Ukrainian and five with Russian Federation licence plates, as well as two with “DPR” plates) and two trucks with covered cargos (with Ukrainian licence plates) exiting Ukraine. The SMM also saw six cars (three with Ukrainian and three with Russian Federation licence plates) and a covered cargo truck (with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine.

The SMM monitored a calm situation in several regions of Ukraine during the Presidential Elections

On 31 March, on the occasion of the Presidential Elections in Ukraine, the SMM observed calm situations in Kyiv, Kherson,Mykolaiv, Odessa,  Lviv, Rivne, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zakarpattia, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia and Chernivtsi, as well as government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The SMM observed an increased presence of law enforcement officers in urban areas in most of the abovementioned regions. The Mission also observed a calm situation and at entry-exit checkpoints in government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

In Kyiv, the SMM observed a calm situation outside the Parliament and in front of the Central Election Commission (CEC) at 1 Lesi Ukrainky Square, where it also saw a group of 350 people (mostly men, aged 18-50) standing in front of the CEC building throughout the day.

On 30 March and 31 March, the Mission observed calm situations at the crossing points between Chonhar (163km south-east of Kherson), Kalanchak (67km south-east of Kherson), Chaplynka (77km south-east of Kherson) and Crimea.

*Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (for example, see SMM Daily Report 30 March 2019 ). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

• On 30 March, at a checkpoint about 1km north of Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), two armed members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage south to Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol).

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.

Delay:

• On two occasions on 29 March, at a checkpoint west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), members of the armed formations again stopped the SMM on two occasions and allowed it to pass, without providing any reason, only after about 23 and 16 minutes of waiting at the checkpoint.

Conditional access:

• On 31 March, at a checkpoint 5km north-east of Horlivka (non-government-controlled 39km north-east of Donetsk), three members of armed formations again allowed the SMM to proceed only after inspecting the trailer of its vehicle.

Other impediments:

• On 31 March, while conducting a mini-UAV flight near Kalynove-Borshchuvate (non-government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 12 shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, assessed as aimed at the UAV (see above).
• On 31 March, while conducting a mini-UAV flight near Molodizhne (non-government-controlled, 63km north-west of Luhansk), the Mission heard five shots of small-arms fire, assessed as aimed at the UAV (see above).
• On 31 March, while conducting a mini-UAV flight near Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard five shots of small-arms fire, assessed as aimed at the UAV (see above).

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During the reporting period, the SMM camera in Krasnohorivka was not operational.

[2]Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] Due to the presence of mines, including on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM cannot access its camera in Petrivske, and thus the SMM has not been able to access observations from the camera since 22 June 2018.

[4] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons, unless otherwise specified.

415751 Communication and Media Relations Section

A four-day train-the-trainer course on appropriate and effective responses to gender-based violence for officials from Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania was held from 25 to 29 March 2019, at the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) Headquarters in Budapest, Hungary.

The course was organized by the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department/Strategic Police Matters Unit, in partnership with the Swedish Institute of Police Education at Linnaeus University and in co-ordination with the OSCE Gender Section. The four-day course for police and prosecutors was followed by a one-day workshop where judges and social workers joined in.

Delivered by experts from the Institute, the course aimed at consolidation of soft skills, mutual learning, identification and exchange of good practices and working methods, including referral methods, which are transferable to other countries.

Built on a victim- and rights-centred approach, the course promoted the EU-legislation on wide protection of victims of violence. The process focused on localized scenarios based on real-life cases.

Complementary to the course, the one-day workshop highlighted the importance of a co-ordinated and integrated approach when fighting gender-based violence cases. The workshop strengthened the participants’ understanding of how improving multidisciplinary co-operation and interaction on gender-based violence cases can contribute to better meeting the needs of victims and highlighted best practices that could significantly improve the ability to counter gender-based violence crimes.

The 23 participants in the course from interior ministries, police academies and schools and general prosecutor’s offices, together with the 9 additional participants in the adjacent workshop from the regional courts and victim support services of the three beneficiary countries, will transfer the acquired knowledge and skills in a series of national specialized courses to be organized by the OSCE in Hungary, from 6 to10 May, in Romania, from 27 to 31 May and in Bulgaria, from 10 to 14 June.

The OSCE commended the excellent gender balance of the group of trainers and participants at the workshop, with a total of 16 male and 16 female.

The project titled “Effective Criminal Justice Strategies and Practices to Combat Gender-based Violence in Eastern Europe” is financially supported by the European Commission and the government of Austria.

415697 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe held the fourth co-ordination meeting dedicated to the implementation of Tajikistan’s 2020 National Strategy and Action Plan on Prevention of Violent Extremism in Dushanbe on 29 March 2019. It was organized together with Tajikistan’s General Prosecutor’s Office.

The meeting brought together both national and international high-level stakeholders to discuss the implementation of the National Action Plan on countering violent extremism (CVE). The participants identified further support areas for civil society and government institutions, in line with international human rights standards and best practices.

As part of the implementation efforts, the findings of OSCE’s professional development courses for public councils on police reform and CVE in the framework of community policing efforts were also presented.

“The OSCE recognizes that in the contemporary security environment the scale and complexity of terrorist threats is ever-changing. Therefore, the Organization promotes a co-operative and co-ordinative approach at all levels and in all forms,” emphasised Fejzo Numanaj, Acting Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe.

Manuchehr Mahmudzoda, Head of the International Co-operation Department of the Office of the Prosecutor General, equally underlined that the co-operation between government, civil society, and international actors in this field is crucial.

“Our understanding of the issue is based on the tenets that the drivers of violent extremism and terrorism are context-specific, and require a multi-stakeholder approach to effectively counter this phenomenon,” stated Ambassador of the United States of America to Tajikistan John Marc Pommersheim.

Navruz Odinaev, a civil society representative and member of Public Council on Police Reform said: “It is very important to have a co-ordination mechanism between civil society and government actors on the issues related to preventing and countering terrorism. Imposing restrictive measures, be it in cyberspace or elsewhere, will exacerbate the terrorist radicalization of youth.”

The participants of the meeting further shared their ideas on implementation modalities of the Strategy and agreed to co-ordinate their efforts on a bi-monthly basis.

KYIV, 1 April 2019 – Sunday’s presidential election in Ukraine was competitive, voters had a broad choice and turned out in large numbers. While the existing legal framework offers a sound basis for holding democratic elections, it was often not implemented in good faith by many stakeholders in the run-up to election day. This negatively impacted trust in the election administration, the enforcement of campaign finance rules, and the effective resolution of election disputes, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today.

Fundamental freedoms were generally respected, and candidates could campaign freely, but numerous indications of vote-buying and the misuse of state resources undermined the credibility of the process. The media landscape is diverse, but campaign coverage lacked in-depth analysis and was often biased, the observers said. 

“This competitive election has laid the groundwork for a vibrant second round,” said Ilkka Kanerva, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission. “I hope that this will encourage Ukraine to continue on its path of democratic development, at peace and secure within its internationally recognized borders in our community of European values.”

Election day was assessed positively overall, and paves the way to the second round. Still, some procedural problems were noted during the count, and conditions for tabulation were at times inadequate, the statement says.

“We were pleased to see that the campaign was competitive but believe, nevertheless, that there are key legal issues that should be addressed as a matter of priority,” said Angela Smith, Head of the delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). “PACE and the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission hope to continue their close co-operation with Ukraine in the field of democratic development.”

Doris Barnett, Head of the delegation from the OSCE Parliamentary Delegation, said: “Despite earlier concerns, election day was well administered and without disturbances. The Ukrainian people deserve praise for the conduct of these elections” she said. “I have high expectations that the results, once confirmed, will be recognized, and that the second round will be just as peaceful, orderly and efficient.”

The election is taking place in the context of ongoing armed conflict and other hostilities in the east of the country and the illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula by the Russian Federation. As a consequence, the election could not be organized in Crimea and certain parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions that are controlled by illegal armed groups.

"What I observed was a free choice by free people. Ukrainians demonstrated their strong commitment to democratic and Euro-Atlantic values. I saw the enthusiasm of citizens of all ages participating in the election process in impressive numbers,” said Michal Szczerba, Head of the delegation from the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. “However, I sincerely regret that not all could vote because Russia has illegally annexed Crimea and continues its military aggression in eastern Ukraine. The NATO PA will continue to assist Ukraine’s path of reforms and support its aspiration to join our Alliance.”

The election campaign was competitive and generally peaceful. However, there was lack of genuine political debate among the contestants. The overwhelming majority of the 39 candidates did not conduct any campaign activities, casting doubt on their intention to genuinely compete in the election.

Several candidates, on the other hand, campaigned throughout the country. Incumbent President Petro Poroshenko and Yulia Tymoshenko were most active, with Poroshenko’s extensive tours around the country blurring the line between his official position and campaign activities. Volodymyr Zelenskyi, who received the most votes in the first round, did not hold a single traditional campaign rally.

There was widespread criticism that the incumbent president used social assistance programmes, salary increases and other financial incentives as campaign tools. At the same time, ODIHR election monitors observed the abuse of state resources at the national and local levels by several candidates. More than 80 criminal investigations into alleged vote-buying have been launched, including two alleged nationwide schemes focusing on the campaigns of Poroshenko and Tymoshenko, respectively.

Rights and freedoms that underpin democratic elections are guaranteed in the constitution. The legal framework remains largely unchanged since the 2014 presidential election. Efforts at electoral reform were inconclusive, and most previous recommendations by ODIHR and the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission, including the crucial need to codify electoral legislation, remain unaddressed. Positively, the right of individuals to lodge constitutional complaints, introduced in 2016, allowed citizens and political parties for the first time to challenge election-related legislation.

“We have been here for eight weeks now, looking at all aspects of the election. There are loopholes in the laws, and these should not be abused,” said Ambassador Peter Tejler, Head of the election observation mission from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. “It is important that stakeholders now implement the law in good faith. This will help build trust in the election administration and help to ensure a fair campaign.”

The Constitution guarantees freedom of expression and prohibits censorship. Nevertheless, the government has introduced a number of restrictive measures affecting the activities of the media and journalists, citing threats to national security. The media landscape is diverse but largely divided along political lines. The business and political interests of the owners affect the autonomy of private media outlets and the general trust in them. The public broadcaster is severely underfunded, which affects its ability to fully perform its public-service role.

There was also criticism of hastily adopted changes to the law on the Central Election Commission, particularly from civil society, which claimed that the amendments exclusively benefited the current president. This led to doubts from many sides about the Commission’s impartiality.

The State Voter Register contains the records of some 35.6 million voters. Despite some concerns about difficulties to adequately capture data on internally displaced persons (IDPs), internal labour migrants and citizens living abroad, there was general confidence in the accuracy of the voter lists.

The law provides for election observation by international and citizen observers: candidate and party observers were seen in almost all polling stations, and citizen observers in around one half. However, in light of the designation by parliament of the Russian Federation as an aggressor state, a recent amendment to the election laws effectively prohibited citizens of the Russian Federation and or people whose nomination was initiated or submitted by the Russian Federation from observing elections in Ukraine. This is at odds with OSCE commitments.

For further information, contact:

Nat Parry, OSCE PA, +380 98 046 71 82 or +45 60 10 81 77, nat@oscepa.dk

Thomas Rymer, ODIHR, +380 67 339 62 93 or +48 609 522 266, thomas.rymer@odihr.pl

Bogdan Torcatoriu, PACE, +380 96 429 48 91 or +33 6 50 39 29 40, bogdan.torcatoriu@coe.int

Henrik Bliddal, NATO PA, +32 475 75 27 25, hbliddal@nato-pa.int

415739 Mirvete Islam, OSCE Mission to Skopje Ilona Kazaryan

SKOPJE, 1 April 2019 – A co-ordinated response to existing and emerging transnational threats is the focus of an OSCE-supported regional conference taking place today and tomorrow in Skopje. The event was opened by Zoran Zaev, Prime Minister of North Macedonia, and Ambassador Clemens Koja, Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje.

During the conference, representatives of border and customs agencies of North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania will share best international practices pertinent to Integrated Border Management (IBM). Participants from Kosovo are also taking part in the event. The two-day event will promote enhanced co-operation through better real-time data exchange between law enforcement agencies in the region.

“This conference is one of a series of practical discussions we have organized focusing on border security and management in the region. These activities are aimed to develop common goals and best practices to counter the threats of transnational organized crime and terrorism,” said Koja.

He added that the OSCE is committed to achieving a balance between the need to maintain security in the face of cross-border threats on the one hand and freedom of movement for persons, goods, services and commerce on the other.

Prime Minister Zaev said: “Illegal cross-border activities require an adequate response. In today’s globalized world, in order to make free movement of people and goods maximally efficient, we must double our efforts to fight organized crime, including corruption and illegal migration, weapons proliferation, drug smuggling and human trafficking.”

VIENNA, 1 April 2019 - OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák yesterday met in Bratislava with Minsk Group Co-Chair Andrew Schofer, of the United States of America, acting also on behalf of Minsk Group Co-Chairs Igor Popov of the Russian Federation and Stéphane Visconti of France, and Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk. The Chairperson-in-Office was briefed on the results of the meeting between President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan on 29 March in Vienna, the first meeting of the two leaders under the auspices of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

The Chairperson-in-Office welcomed the constructive atmosphere of the talks, and the leaders’ commitment to taking further, tangible steps to find a peaceful solution to the conflict. “We remain positive about, and fully supportive of, this process and the leaders’ commitment to strengthening the ceasefire and to undertaking measures in the humanitarian field,” Lajčák said.

VIENNA, 1 April 2019 – Ahead of the first OSCE Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting under the Slovak OSCE Chairmanship, which will focus on tolerance and non-discrimination in Vienna, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Slovak Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Miroslav Lajčák called for more dialogue, respect and closer co-operation in combating intolerance, discrimination and hate crimes.

“Our organization is built on the concept of comprehensive security. This means that dialogue, tolerance and respect for cultural diversity and human rights are not just good for humanity, but can also act as key drivers of peace. In times where political and religious intolerance is rising, I believe dialogue is key. It can foster tolerance and solidarity among diversity. It can enable us to prevent conflicts. And it can help us to achieve a culture of lasting peace.” said the Chairperson-in-Office.

The event in Vienna, organized in co-operation with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), will bring together more than 150 representatives from OSCE participating States, intergovernmental organizations, educational institutions, religious or belief communities and civil society from across the OSCE’s participating States and Partners for Co-operation to discuss the progress  made by participating States in implementing OSCE commitments on upholding the principles of tolerance and non-discrimination, including in the promotion and protection of  freedom of religion or belief. 

“The continuing reports from religious or belief communities of racism, intolerance and discrimination manifested in various forms, including hate crimes, should trouble us all. These violations of the most basic human rights, including the freedom of religion or belief, are a threat to security and stability both within countries and at the regional level,” added ODIHR Director Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir. “As a priority, we must work together to understand and dismantle the systemic root causes of these terrible phenomena.”

Noting that the principles of tolerance and non-discrimination and the right to freedom of religion or belief are inseparable and interrelated, and under severe stress in the OSCE region, Professor Ingeborg Gabriel, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, also focusing on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians and Members of Other Religions, pointed out that “to counter any form of intolerance -  also against Christians and members of other religions - and to achieve lasting social peace, we need concerted efforts, including from civil society institutions and religious communities, to strengthen these principles and to stand up for a decent society based on mutual respect”.

Ambassador Mehmet Paçacı, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims, warned that according to official and civil society reports, cases of intolerance and discrimination against Muslims in the OSCE region are on the rise. “Despite many recent good practices, monitoring and reporting the cases of intolerance and discrimination against Muslims are still at a very low level in our region," he warned.

“Freedom of religion is surely predicated on the basic safety and security of its practitioners to gather in prayer and fellowship. They must also be free to engage in the religious observance and practice that shape their identity.”, stressed Rabbi Andrew Baker, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Anti-Semitism. “Thus, we need to flag the dangers of a growing secular environment that is hostile to religion more generally,” he added.

The event in Vienna also aims at discussing how best to prevent and respond to intolerance and create an appreciation for diversity. Various lessons learned will be exchanged, with focus placed on initiatives and tools such as education policies and awareness-raising strategies. Co-operation between different communities, groups and organizations will be discussed as a key element in tackling discrimination and intolerance.

Following up on the commitments made by all 57 participating States, including from the Basel Ministerial Council in 2014, the Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting’s goal is to take stock of the implementation of commitments in the area of tolerance and non-discrimination. The event also provides a forum for identifying and discussing promising practices and challenges in this respect in the OSCE region.

Ultimately, this could be conducive towards potential Bratislava OSCE Ministerial Council decisions in the area of freedom of religion or belief. The meeting follows up on and complements the Conference on Combatting Anti-Semitism in the OSCE Region, which took place in Bratislava in February 2019.  

Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan

Promoting rural entrepreneurship for women was the focus of a two-day training seminar and roundtable discussion co-organized by the OSCE Programme Office that concluded on 29 March 2019 in Shymkent, Kazakhstan.

The event was conducted in partnership with the Union of Women Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan for some 45 participants from the parliament, the local administration, the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs – Atameken, civil society and women entrepreneurs from the rural areas of the Turkestan Region.

Participants discussed current government-supported business programmes, challenges faced by women in pursuing business projects and the importance of gaining financial and managerial skills to obtain credit resources. The discussion was complemented by a  visit to companies run by women entrepreneurs of the Turkestan Region, which provided the opportunity to consider key challenges and opportunities in doing business locally.

The event is part of the Programme Office’s longstanding efforts to promote gender mainstreaming and economic empowerment initiatives in the host country.

Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan

Promoting rural entrepreneurship for women was the focus of a two-day training seminar and roundtable discussion co-organized by the OSCE Programme Office that concluded on 29 March 2019 in Shymkent, Kazakhstan.

The event was conducted in partnership with the Union of Women Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan for some45 participants from the parliament, the local administration, the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs – Atameken, civil society and women entrepreneurs from the rural areas of the Turkestan Region.

Participants discussed current government-supported business programmes, challenges faced by women in pursuing business projects and the importance of gaining financial and managerial skills to obtain credit resources. The discussion was complemented by a  visit to companies run by women entrepreneurs of the Turkestan Region, which provided the opportunity to consider key challenges and opportunities in doing business locally.

The event is part of the Programme Office’s longstanding efforts to promote gender mainstreaming and economic empowerment initiatives in the host country.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region.
• The SMM followed up on reports of a woman and a boy injured due to shelling in Sentianivka.
• The Mission recorded a ceasefire violation inside the disengagement area near Zolote.
• It observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line.
• The SMM saw anti-tank mines for the first time near Vodiane and Pikuzy.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. In addition, it was restricted at a checkpoint near Novolaspa and at a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region, as well as near Zaichenko, Izvaryne and Sievernyi close to the border with the Russian Federation.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including 70 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 330 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south and south-east of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol) and at northerly and westerly directions of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 500 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (75 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations and explosions were recorded at north-easterly directions of Hannivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk) and in areas around the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) (see below).

Woman and boy injured due to shelling in Sentianivka

The SMM followed up on reports of injuries to a woman and a boy in Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, non-government-controlled, 44km west of Luhansk) due to shelling, at two locations where the SMM had previously observed damage and fresh craters (see SMM Daily Report 27 March 2019 and SMM Daily Report 29 March 2019). At 22 Shevchenka Street, a resident (woman, 81 years old) told the SMM that she had bruises on her left shoulder and that she had been injured while standing outside the house at around 18:30 on 25 March when shelling occurred. At 20 Shevchenka Street, a resident (man, around 38 years old), who said that he was the woman’s grandson, told the SMM that on the same day, while he was at work, his 12-year-old son had been struck by the pressure wave of an explosion during shelling as he was trying to reach a basement in the yard of the house to take shelter. Medical staff at an ambulance service in Sentianivka said that they had treated a boy suffering from a concussion and shock and an elderly woman with bruises on 25 March.

Disengagement areas[2]

On the evening of 28 March, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded a projectile in flight at an assessed range of 1.5-3km south-east, assessed as inside the disengagement area, as well as an undetermined explosion and four projectiles near the disengagement area. On the same evening, positioned on the northern edge of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 15 undetermined explosions near the disengagement area. During the day on 29 March, positioned on the northern edge of Popasna, the SMM heard 44 explosions (21 assessed as outgoing rounds of undetermined weapons and 23 as outgoing artillery rounds) near the disengagement area.

Positioned inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk) and near the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM observed calm situations.[3]

Withdrawal of weapons

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

Weapons in violation

Non-government-controlled areas

29 March

The SMM again saw two self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and four towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) near Bile (22km west of Luhansk).

Government-controlled areas

29 March

The SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) near Popasna.

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[4]

Non-government-controlled areas

28 March

An SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (probable BMP variant) and an armoured combat vehicle (ACV) (type undetermined) near Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km north-east of Mariupol).

Government-controlled areas

28 March

An SMM long-range UAV spotted an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-70), at least two probable ACVs (type undetermined) and an IFV (BMP-2) near Nevelske (18km north-west of Donetsk).

An SMM mini-UAV spotted an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) and for the first time a 150m-long westward extension to a trench system near Popasna (not seen in imagery from 7 March 2019).

29 March

The SMM saw:

• six IFVs (BMP-1) near Popasna and
• four Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel digging new trenches 20-25m north of road H-15 about 300m south-south-east of the most forward Ukrainian Armed Forces position at the entry-exit checkpoint near Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk).

On 29 March, the SMM saw a fixed-wing UAV flying about 10m above the ground from south to north near Kapitanove (49km north-west of Luhansk), which landed close to four Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel who subsequently packed up the UAV and left the area.

Presence of mines

On 28 March, an SMM mid-range UAV again spotted 32 anti-tank mines laid out in two rows in a field near Vodiane (government-controlled, 94km south of Donetsk), as well as 36 anti-tank mines in two fields and across a road about 2km north of the aforementioned mines and for the first time at least 75 anti-tank mines in a field about 200m north of the same mines. On the same day, the same UAV spotted for the first time at least 150 anti-tank mines in a field near Pikuzy.

On 29 March, the SMM saw for the first time five anti-tank mines in a single row about 10m south of road T-0504 and about 400m from a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint in the eastern outskirts of Popasna.

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk). It also continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) and to monitor the security situation around the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Donetsk).

Border areas outside government control

On 29 March, while at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw 37 cars (13 with Ukrainian, 14 with Russian Federation and three with Georgian licence plates, as well as seven with “LPR” plates) and 35 covered cargo trucks (13 with Ukrainian, three with Russian Federation, seven with Belarusian, one with Lithuanian and one with Azerbaijani licence plates, as well as ten with “LPR” plates) queueing to exit Ukraine. After about five minutes, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

On 29 March, while at a border crossing point near Sievernyi (50km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed no cross-border traffic. After about 15 minutes, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

The Mission continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the JCCC should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (for example, see below). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

• At a checkpoint north of Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), an armed member of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage south to Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol) and west to Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol), citing risks to the security of the patrol as a reason for the denial.
• At a checkpoint near Novolaspa (non-government-controlled, 50km south of Donetsk), two armed members of the armed formations again denied the SMM access to the village, citing risks to the security of the patrol as a reason for the denial.
• A man in civilian clothing denied the SMM entry into a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region, citing “orders from his superiors”.
• At a border crossing point near Sievernyi (non-government-controlled, 50km south-east of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations again told the SMM to leave the area.
• At a border crossing point near Izvaryne (non-government-controlled, 52km south-east of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations again told the SMM to leave the area.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.
• North of the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk), a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that he was not aware of any demining activities having taken place in the past 24 hours.

 

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During the reporting period, the SMM camera in Krasnohorivka was not operational.

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate”.

[2]Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] Due to the presence of mines, including on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM cannot access its camera in Petrivske, and thus the SMM has not been able to access observations from the camera since 22 June 2018.

[4] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

Željka Šulc

Progress on implementing the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) Law on Youth in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton was the main topic of a co-ordination meeting organized by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina on 29 March 2019 in Mostar.

The meeting gathered local government and youth council representatives from the municipalities of Citluk, Jablanica, Konjic and the City of Mostar as well as members of youth associations from the municipalities of Ravno, Stolac, Capljina, Neum and Prozor-Rana where youth councils have not been established yet. Representatives of the executive and legal branches of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton government and the FBiH Youth Council were also present at the meeting.

The participants expressed their commitment to investing more efforts in applying the Law across the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton because it has been recognized as one of the mechanisms that can help address some of the negative trends related to youth such as unemployment and lack of mobility.

Since its adoption in 2010 only four of the nine units of local self-governance have established a youth council in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton while there is no council at the cantonal level. This has made it difficult for young people living in the Canton to reap the benefits guaranteed by the Law and network with their peers within similar youth structures in other parts of the FBiH.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

KYIV, 30 March 2019 – The Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, Ertugrul Apakan, expressed his gratitude to all 57 OSCE participating States for their support for the Mission, following a consensus decision yesterday to extend the SMM’s Mandate for another year.

“The Mission will continue implementing its Mandate and contributing to reducing tension, and fostering peace and security in Ukraine,” said Ambassador Apakan.

VIENNA, 30 March 2019 – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia, Miroslav Lajčák, welcomed yesterday's OSCE Permanent Council decision to renew the mandate of the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) by another year, and called for continued support for the international monitors and national staff on the ground.

The Chairperson-in-Office recalled that the SMM was mandated to establish and report facts in response to specific incidents and to report incidents, including those concerning alleged violations of fundamental OSCE principles and commitments, throughout Ukraine.

“I want to express my sincere gratitude to the women and men of the Mission, who - for five years now - have been working every day, under challenging circumstances, to carry out their crucial tasks as the principal and largest international monitoring presence on the ground. They deserve our gratitude and our support,” Mr. Lajčák said. “The monitors are the eyes and ears of the organization – and indeed, of the international community - and they directly contribute to the prevention of further escalation,” he added.

VIENNA, 29 March 2019 - The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan met today in Vienna for the first time under the auspices of the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stéphane Visconti of France, and Andrew Schofer of the United States of America).  The meeting was also attended by Foreign Ministers Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Elmar Mammadyarov.  Andrzej Kasprzyk, the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, also participated in the meeting.

The meeting took place in a positive and constructive atmosphere and provided an opportunity for the two leaders to clarify their respective positions.  They exchanged views about several key issues of the settlement process and ideas of substance.

The two leaders underlined the importance of building up an environment conducive to peace and taking further concrete and tangible steps in the negotiation process to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.

Recalling their conversation in Dushanbe, the leaders recommitted to strengthening the ceasefire and improving the mechanism for direct communication.  They also agreed to develop a number of measures in the humanitarian field.

The Prime Minister and President instructed their Ministers to meet with the Co‑Chairs again in the near future.  They also agreed to continue their direct dialogue.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and Luhansk region.
• The SMM saw fresh damage to a residential building in Chermalyk, as well as fresh craters close to residential buildings in Sentianivka.
• The Mission saw military presence inside the Petrivske disengagement area.
• Small-arms were fired in the direction of an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle near Lozove.
• It observed weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. In addition, it was restricted at a checkpoint near Verkhnoshyrokivske and near Dovzhanske close to the border with the Russian Federation.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 330 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 115 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south-east of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), north-north-west of the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), as well as south-east of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol).

During the day on 28 March, while conducting a mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight near Lozove (non-government-controlled, 52km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard five shots of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 1-2km north-east, assessed as aimed at the UAV which at the time was flying over an area 250-300m east of the SMM’s position. The SMM landed the UAV safely.*

On the evening and night of 27-28 March, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded approximately 60 ceasefire violations, including an impact of a mortar (type undetermined) round at an assessed range of 400-800m south-south-west.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, however, fewer explosions (75), compared with the previous reporting period (about 230 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas north-north-west of Molodizhne (non-government-controlled, 63km north-west of Luhansk), north-east of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk) and at westerly directions of Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, non-government-controlled, 50km west of Luhansk).

Fresh damage to a residential building in Chermalyk

In Chermalyk, the SMM followed up on reports of shelling in the evening of 27 March. At an inhabited one-storey residential house at 68 Chervonoarmiiska Street, the SMM observed two freshly shattered windows (one east-facing and one north-facing), fresh damage to a west-facing wooden fence, as well as a fresh crater with a tail fin assessed as from a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG-7) inside it about 6m east from the house. The SMM assessed the damage as caused by an RPG round fired from an easterly direction.

Fresh craters close to residential buildings in Sentianivka

On 27 March, an SMM mini-UAV spotted 17 fresh craters in a field near Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, non-government-controlled, 44km west of Luhansk), three of which were located about 30m from residential buildings. The SMM was unable to assess the weapon type or direction of fire.

Disengagement areas[2]

On 27 March, positioned in Kadiivka, the SMM heard 33 explosions at an assessed range of 10-15km north-west, assessed as outside the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk). On the same day, positioned about 1.5km south-west of Molodizhne, the SMM heard 250 shots of heavy-machine-gun and small arms fire at an assessed range of 1-2km north-north-west, assessed as outside the disengagement area near Zolote.

The SMM again saw two infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) (BMP variants) and a red-and-black flag near a previously observed position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces inside the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), about 600m south of the northern edge and about 2.5km east of its western edge.[3]

Positioned in the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed a calm situation.

Withdrawal of weapons

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

Weapons in violation

Government-controlled areas

27 March

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• two surface-to-air missile systems (9K35, Strela10), one near and one in Novoselivka (31km north of Donetsk) and
• a probable mortar (type undetermined, 120mm) near Novotroitske (36km south-west of Donetsk).

The SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K35) near Krasnohorivka (24km north of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas

27 March

An SMM-mini UAV spotted a multiple launch rocket system (BM-21, Grad, 122mm) near Bohdanivka (44km west of Luhansk).

28 March

The SMM saw two surface-to-air missile systems (9K33 Osa) near an airstrip in the south-eastern outskirts of Luhansk city.

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites

Non-government-controlled areas

28 March

The SMM saw three towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm), three self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and four tanks (T-72) in a training area near Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk).

Indications of military and military-type presence inside the security zone[4]

Government-controlled areas

27 March

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• four IFVs (BMP-2) near Nyzhnoteple (26km north of Luhansk) and
• an IFV (BMP variant) and two anti-aircraft guns (ZU-23, 23mm) near Novoselivka.

The SMM saw an IFV (BMP-1) and an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRM-1K) near Nevelske (18km north-west of Donetsk).

28 March

The SMM saw an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-70) near Novobakhmutivka (28km north of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas

27 March

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

•  an APC (MT-LB) east of Sentianivka and
•  an APC (MT-LB) near Bohdanivka.

On 27 March, the SMM saw:

• an automatic jamming system (R-330Zh Zhitel) and an additional electronic countermeasure/electronic warfare system (ECM/EW) (type undetermined) near Brianka (46km south-west of Luhansk) and
• an APC (BTR-80) with a mounted heavy machine gun in Luhansk city.

Presence of mines

On 27 March, an SMM mini-UAV again spotted about 23 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid out in two rows running north to south in a field about 220m west of road H-20 and about 2km north-east of Berezove (government-controlled, 31km south-west of Donetsk).

Mine hazard signs seen for the first time

The SMM saw two improvised mine hazard signs (rectangular shaped on wooden stakes with “MINES” written in black in Russian) about 15m north-west of road M04 and about 2km south of Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk).

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), to gas pipelines near Novoluhanske (government-controlled, 53km north-east of Donetsk) and to the Phenol Sludge Reservoir near Zalizne (government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk). It continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS (15km north of Donetsk) and to monitor the security situation around the pumping station near Vasylivka.

Border areas outside government control

On 28 March, while at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw five covered cargo trucks (licence plates not visible) entering Ukraine. The SMM also saw 25 cars (ten with Ukrainian, eight with Russian Federation and three with Georgian licence plates, as well as three with “LPR” and one with “DPR” plates), 20 covered cargo trucks (13 with Ukrainian and two with Russian Federation licence plates, and five with “LPR” plates), and two pedestrians exiting Ukraine. After ten minutes, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

On 27 March, while at a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk) for about two hours, the SMM saw seven cars (one with Ukrainian and three with Russian Federation licence plates, as well as three with “DPR” plates) and a bus with Russian Federation licence plates with 40 passengers (mixed ages and genders) entering Ukraine. The  SMM also saw 15 cars (four with Ukrainian and eight with Russian Federation licence plates, as well as three with “DPR” plates) exiting Ukraine.

The Mission continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the JCCC should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (for example, see below). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

• While at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (non-government-controlled, 84km south-east of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.
• At a checkpoint west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), a member of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage east, citing security concerns. During the approximately 20 minutes that it was present, the SMM observed 10-15 civilian vehicles travel through the checkpoint headed east.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.

Other impediments:

• While conducting a mini-UAV flight near Lozove (non-government-controlled, 52km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard five shots of small-arms fire, assessed as aimed at the UAV (see above).*

 

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate”.

[2]Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] Due to the presence of mines, including on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM cannot access its camera in Petrivske, and thus the SMM has not been able to access observations from the camera since 22 June 2018.

[4] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons, unless otherwise specified.

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The participation of a representative of the Tashkent city administration (Khokimiyat) and a representative of Uzbekistan’s cycling federation at the Fourth International Cycling Congress in St. Petersburg from 28 to 30 March 2019 was supported by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan. During the congress, they learnt about effective and sustainable mobility policies as well as international experiences in enhancing urban mobility.

The Fourth International Cycling Congress was organized by the Russian Ministry of Transport and the St. Petersburg City Municipality and supported by a number of international organizations and embassies. It was attended by some 150 people and speakers from countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Canada, Denmark, France, the Netherlands and Romania.

Presentations during the congress covered issues such as current and future trends in urban mobility, providing a safe environment for non-motorized means of transport, and the economic aspects of developing a cycling culture. There were also site visits to urban bike-sharing stations, the St. Petersburg Centre for Transport Planning, and new cycle lanes built in the city in recent years.

“There are different views and opinions on why and how to use the bicycle,” said a representative of the Russian Ministry of Transport in his address to the congress participants. “For the health ministry - it would be a device for physical exercise and leading a healthy lifestyle; for the ministry of labour – a device for leisure time; for the ministry of trade - a technological commodity; and for the transport ministry: a separate mode of transport.”

The participation of the officials from Uzbekistan in the congress was organized under the Project Co-ordinator’s project this year on supporting the implementation of green economy policies in Uzbekistan, specifically, the efforts of the Tashkent city Khokimiyat to establish a cycling network and promote sustainable mobility policies.

KYIV, 29 March 2019 – The international observers for the presidential election in Ukraine will present their preliminary post-election statement at a news conference on Monday, 1 April, in Kyiv.

The mission is a joint undertaking of 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), the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA) and the European Parliament (EP).

The statement will be delivered by Ilkka Kanerva, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission, followed by Angela Smith, Head of the PACE delegation, Doris Barnett, Head of the OSCE PA delegation, Michal Szczerba, Head of the NATO PA delegation, Dariusz Rosati, Head of the EP delegation, and Ambassador Peter Tejler, Head of the ODIHR election observation mission.

The international election observation mission comprises some 970 observers from 45 countries, including 795 long- and short-term observers deployed by ODIHR, 107 parliamentarians and staff from the OSCE PA, 32 from PACE, 19 from the NATO PA and 12 from the EP.

Journalists are invited to attend the press conference at 15:00, Monday, 1 April, in the Grand Ballroom of the InterContinental Kyiv Hotel, Velyka Zhytomyrska St. 2A, Kyiv.

Livestreaming of the press conference will be available at: www.facebook.com/osce.odihr and www.oscepa.org.

For further information, contact:

Nat Parry, OSCE PA, +380 98 046 71 82 or +45 60 10 81 77, nat@oscepa.dk

Thomas Rymer, ODIHR, +380 67 339 62 93 or +48 609 522 266, thomas.rymer@odihr.pl

Bogdan Torcatoriu, PACE, +380 96 429 48 91 or +33 6 50 39 29 40, bogdan.torcatoriu@coe.int

Henrik Bliddal, NATO PA, +32 475 75 27 25, hbliddal@nato-pa.int

Karl Minaire, EP, +380 97 918 38 35 or +32 477 85 45 78, karl.minaire@europarl.europa.eu

Joana Karapataqi, OSCE Presence in Albania OSCE Presence in Albania

A technical workshop on corruption prevention tools and integrity planning for public officials of central level institutions was held on 28 and 29 March 2019 in Tirana.

The event was organized by the OSCE Presence in Albania and the Italian National Anti-corruption Authority (ANAC) in co-operation with the National Co-ordinator against Corruption.

The workshop – tailored to the needs of the anti-corruption focal points in line ministries and other central institutions – was developed by the ANAC and the National Co-ordinator against Corruption.

It focused on providing tools and guidance to promote integrity in public institutions, using data and transparency to fight corruption in public procurement, providing skills for the development and implementation of prevention plans, understanding the risk approach in the development of integrity and anti-corruption policy. The participants also exchanged best practices and experiences in specific fields.

The technical workshop was the last activity of the Presence-implemented project Support Anti-Corruption Measures in Albania (2014-2019), which was supported by the Italian Agency for Development Co-operation (AICS) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), with an in-kind contribution by the Italian School of Public Administration.  The Presence’s work to further strengthen anti-corruption capacities and awareness of public employees will continue.

415541 Edita Buçaj

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo has started a set of three-month Albanian and Serbian language classes for youth belonging to Kosovo Albanian, Kosovo Serb, Kosovo Bosniak, and Kosovo Roma communities residing in the municipality of Obiliq/Obilić. The courses will run from March to June 2019.

20 Kosovo Serb, Kosovo Bosniak, and Kosovo Roma youth attended their first Albanian language class on 18 March in the village of Plemetin/Plemetina, while the group of 11 Kosovo Albanian youngsters started their Serbian classes on 21 March. The Deputy Mayor for Communities; the Communities’ Committee Chairperson; the Director of the Youth Centre; and the President of the Local Youth Action Council of Obiliq/Obilić are also attending the classes.

During the three-month period, participants will have the unique opportunity of getting familiar with the language of their peers from other communities. As such activities are still not a part of the formal education system, extra-curricular language learning helps youth from different communities acquire basic skills in each other’s language, enabling easier communication and overcoming language barriers.

“I am very happy with this initiative, especially because so many young people have shown interest in learning each other’s language,” said the Deputy Mayor for Communities in Obiliq/Obilić, Slaviša Jakovljević, adding that although he already partly speaks Albanian, he decided to participate to inspire others to join the language classes.

The initiative is part of the OSCE Mission’s ongoing efforts to promote and enhance inter-community relations, dialogue and tolerance. Additionally, this activity is a follow-up to the Inter-municipal Declaration signed in 2016, whereby the municipalities of Prishtinë/Priština, Gračanica/Graçanicë, Shtime/Štimlje, Lipjan/Lipljan, Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje and Obiliq/Obilić committed themselves to enhancing their co-operation on inter-community issues, specifically among youth.

VIENNA, 29 March 2019 – Representatives of the 57 OSCE participating States, civil society and international organizations will meet in Vienna on Monday for the two-day conference “Upholding the Principles of Tolerance and Non-Discrimination, Including in the Promotion and Protection of Freedom of Religion or Belief.”

This Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting, organized by the Slovak OSCE Chairmanship, with the support of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), will offer a platform to the participating States and civil society, as well as intergovernmental organizations, educational experts, religious or belief communities and civil society to discuss the progress  made by participating States in implementing OSCE commitments to address all forms of discrimination, including racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and intolerance against Muslims, Christians and members of other religious or belief communities.

The meeting will also provide an opportunity to present and discuss good practices that show how key actors can prevent and respond to intolerance and to explore the differing impact that such intolerance has on women and men.

Journalists are invited to attend the opening of the conference from 15:00 to 16:00 on 1 April in the Neuer Saal of the Hofburg Conference Centre. To register, please send an e-mail confirming your attendance to press@osce.org by 11:00, 1 April.