OSCE

BRATISLAVA, 11 March 2019 – More than 300 high-level participants including political representatives, national counter-terrorism co-ordinators and experts from the OSCE’s participating States and Partners for Co-operation, as well as representatives from international and sub-regional organizations, academics and civil society will meet in Bratislava on 25 and 26 March for the annual OSCE-wide Counter-Terrorism Conference. Media representatives are invited to cover the conference’s opening and closing sessions.

During the two-day conference participants will take stock of efforts to prevent and counter terrorism as well as violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (VERLT) in the OSCE area.

The conference’s sessions will explore:

• Advances in international co-operation in countering terrorism and the implementation of good practices in preventing VERLT in the OSCE area
• Platforms that support co-operation and co-ordination between governments and civil society
• Programmes and approaches that help identify, divert and support individuals at risk of radicalization to terrorist violence, such as referral mechanisms and pre-criminal interventions
• Prison-based and non-custodial programmes to rehabilitate and reintegrate terrorist offenders while ensuring due prosecution of their criminal actions

The conference is organized by Slovakia’s 2019 OSCE Chairmanship with the support of the Action against Terrorism Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in close co-operation with other OSCE executive structures, within their respective mandates.

The opening session from 09:30 to 10:45 on 25 March will be moderated by Katarína Žáková, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Slovak Delegation to the OSCE, and include (subject to last-minute changes):

• Lukáš Parízek, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic
• Paul Bekkers, Director of the Office of the OSCE Secretary General
• Michèle Coninsx, Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (UNCTED)

Keynote speeches will be delivered by:

• Dragan Mektić, Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Oleg Syromolotov, Deputy-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
• Oleg Kravchenko, Deputy-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus
• Dragan Pejanović, State Secretary, Ministry of the Interior of Montenegro
• Chris Harnisch, Deputy Co-ordinator for Countering Violent Extremism, State Department, United States
• John Gatt-Rutter, Head of the Counter-Terrorism Division, European External Action Service (EEAS)

A representative of Slovakia’s 2019 OSCE Chairmanship will deliver closing remarks on 26 March from 16:30 to 17:00, along with: 

• Rasa Ostrauskaite, OSCE Co-ordinator of Transnational Threats Activities
• Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office on Counter-Terrorism

Media representatives wishing to attend the opening and/or closing sessions must register by 15 March 2019 by sending an e-mail to eva.masanova@mzv.sk and shiv.sharma@osce.org to obtain the registration form.

The conference will be held at the Hotel Saffron, Radlinského street 27, Bratislava.

SKOPJE, 12 March 2019 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) formally opened today an election observation mission for the 21 April presidential election in North Macedonia. The mission’s deployment follows an invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The mission is led by Corien Jonker and consists of a core team of 11 experts based in Skopje and 18 long-term observers, who will be deployed throughout the country in multinational teams of two from 20 March. In addition, ODIHR will request that OSCE participating States provide 250 short-term observers, who will arrive several days before the election.

The mission will assess the election for its compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation. Observers will closely monitor voter and candidate registration, campaign activities, the work of the election administration and relevant government bodies, election-related legislation and its implementation, and the resolution of election-related disputes. As part of the observation, the mission will also monitor the media coverage of the campaign.

In the course of its observation, the mission will meet with representatives of state authorities, political parties, civil society, the media and the international community.

On election day, observers will monitor the opening of polling stations, voting, the counting of ballots and the tabulation of results. For election day, the ODIHR election observation mission will join efforts with delegations from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

The mission will publish an interim report in the course of its work. The day after the election, a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions will be issued at a press conference. ODIHR will issue a final report on the observation approximately two months after the end of the election process.

The ODIHR election observation mission and the OSCE Mission to Skopje operate separately and independently under their own mandates.

For further information, please visit page osce.org/odihr/elections/north-macedonia/413765 or contact Ivan Godarsky, Media Analyst, at +389 72 443 647 (Skopje mobile), or at ivan.godarsky@odihr.mk

or

Thomas Rymer, ODIHR Spokesperson, at +48 609 522 266 (Warsaw mobile), or at thomas.rymer@odihr.pl

SKOPJE, 11 March 2019 – On the occasion of the formal opening of the election observation mission deployed by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to observe the 21 April presidential election in North Macedonia, the mission will hold a press conference in Skopje on Tuesday.

Corien Jonker, Head of the ODIHR election observation mission, will introduce the role of the mission and its upcoming activities. The mission's deployment follows an invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ODIHR election observation mission and the OSCE Mission to Skopje operate separately and independently under their own mandates.

Journalists are invited to attend the press conference at 15:00, Tuesday, 12 March, in Congress Ballroom 2 of the Aleksandar Palace Hotel, Prohor Pcinjski, Skopje.

For further information, please contact Ivan Godarsky, Media Analyst with the election observation mission, at +389 72 443647 or at Ivan.Godarsky@odihr.mk.  

or

Thomas Rymer, ODIHR Spokesperson, at +48 609 522 266 (Warsaw mobile), or at thomas.rymer@odihr.pl.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period.
• Following the beginning of a recommitment to the ceasefire coinciding with International Women’s Day at 00:01 on 8 March, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the hours before midnight.
• A man lost both lower limbs and suffered an eye injury due to an incident with unexploded ordnance in Makiivka.
• The Mission monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement area and elsewhere. Its access was also restricted near non-government-controlled Zaichenko.*
• In Kyiv, Kharkiv, Uzhhorod and Mariupol the SMM observed events on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 185 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (680 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south-east and south-south-east of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol), while the majority of explosions were recorded in areas south-south-east and south-west of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk) and in areas west-south-west of Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk).

About 35 per cent of the ceasefire violations (about 380), including 56 explosions, were recorded after the beginning of the recommitment to the ceasefire at 00:01 on 8 March.

In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 930 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (190 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, all explosions, were recorded in areas south, east and west of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), in areas west of Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, non-government-controlled, 50km west of Luhansk) and in areas east of Luhansk city.

About three per cent of the ceasefire violations (about 30), including seven explosions, were recorded after the beginning of the recommitment to the ceasefire at 00:01 on 8 March.

Following the beginning of the recommitment to the ceasefire, the SMM recorded in total around 400 ceasefire violations (including 63 explosions) in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Man loses both legs and suffers eye injury due to incident with unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Makiivka

The SMM followed up on reports of a man who had suffered injuries in an incident with UXO in Makiivka (non-government-controlled, 12km north-east of Donetsk). On 8 March, at a hospital in Makiivka, the Mission saw a man (in his thirties) with both lower limbs amputated below the knees and his left eye half-closed. He told the Mission that on 19 February he had picked up a round-shaped metal object in the street while walking to his garage in Zaslonova Street in Makiivka. At his garage, he said, he had accidentally dropped the object and could not remember anything that had happened afterwards. Medical staff at the same hospital told the SMM that the man had been admitted on 19 February with blast injuries to both lower limbs necessitating amputations, as well as an eye injury.  

Disengagement areas[2]

On the evening of 7 March, the SMM camera in Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) recorded an undetermined burst at an assessed range of 0.5-1km south-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

On the day of 8 March, positioned on the northern edge of the disengagement area near Zolote, the SMM heard six bursts and two shots of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 2-4km west-south-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area). Positioned on the southern edge of Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard three undetermined explosions at an assessed range of 6-8km south-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

Also on the 8 March, positioned near the disengagement areas close to Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk) and 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.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites

Non-government-controlled areas

8 March

The SMM saw:

• at least seven tanks (type undetermined) parked in a compound on the northern edge of Khrustalnyi (formerly Krasnyi Luch, 56km south-west of Luhansk) (for previous observations, SMM Daily Report of 8 March 2019).

Weapons that the SMM could not verify as withdrawn[4]

At heavy weapons holding areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas of Donetsk region

8 March

The SMM noted that:

• six self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and four surface-to-air missile systems (three 9K33 Osa and one 9K35 Strela-10) were again missing.

Indications of military presence inside the security zone[5]

Government-controlled areas

8 March

The SMM saw:

-  an armoured personnel carrier (APC) ( BTR-60) near Novobakhmutivka (28km north of Donetsk).

Demining activities and presence of mine hazard signs

The SMM observed 18 people dressed in protective clothing and equipped with sticks and other equipment carrying out demining activities in a field adjacent to a road  between Lomakyne (government-controlled, 15km north-east of Mariupol) and Talakivka (government-controlled, 17km north-east of Mariupol).

In Raivka (non-government-controlled, 16km north-west of Luhansk) the SMM observed, for the first time, a mine hazard sign (with the word “Mine” written in Russian), attached to a stick placed in soft ground 25m south of the road.

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to damaged power lines at the Zolote-5/Mykhailivka power station (non-government-controlled, 58km north-west of Luhansk). A representative of the electricity company carrying out the repairs told the SMM that repairs had been successfully completed.

The Mission 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, 20km north of Donetsk).

Events on the occasion of International Women’s Day

On 8 March, the SMM observed events on the occasion of International Women’s Day in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Uzhhorod (182km west of Ivano-Frankivsk) and Mariupol (a similar gathering was observed in Odessa on 7 March).

In Kyiv, the Mission saw about 1,100 young people (mostly women) gather at Mykhailivska Square and march through the city centre, and heard them expressing, among other things, support for women’s rights and opposition to violence against women. At the square, the SMM saw about 350 law enforcement officers in riot gear separating the gathering from a second group of 150-200 young people (mostly men) heard expressing opposition to the march. The SMM saw three young men, belonging to the group opposing the march, detained by the police. Police officers told the Mission that another group of the men was being questioned at a police station because they had damaged equipment belonging to march participants. The SMM did not observe further incidents.

In Kharkiv, the Mission observed two peaceful public gatherings: around 100 participants belonging to the first gathering (mostly women) expressed support for “female solidarity”, while participants of the second one (around 30, mostly men) held up banners opposing ideas propagated by the first group. The Mission saw around 200 police officers present and did not observe any incidents.

The Mission continued monitoring in Kherson, Lviv, Dnipro and Chernivtsi.

*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 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 of 8 March 2018). 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 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), citing “security concerns”.

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.
• The SMM did not travel across the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk) due to the presence of mines. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC said there were mines on the road south of the bridge.

[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 SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage did not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification from the SMM to the signatories of the Package of Measures on effective monitoring and verification of the withdrawal of heavy weapons.

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

MOSCOW/PARIS/WASHINGTON DC, 09 March 2019 – In their March 1 statement, the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stephane Visconti of France and Andrew Schofer of the United States of America) welcomed the commitment of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to meet soon under the auspices of the Co-Chairs.  The Co-Chairs, working closely with the two foreign ministers, have been making preparations for this important leaders’ meeting, which will be the first direct contact between the two leaders conducted under Co-Chair auspices.

The Co-Chairs underline the importance of maintaining an environment conducive to productive discussions and continue to assess positively the recent lack of casualties on the front lines.  The Co-Chairs also welcome some initial steps being taken in the region to prepare the populations for peace and encourage the sides to intensify such efforts.  At the same time, the Co-Chairs reiterate the critical importance of reducing tensions and minimizing inflammatory rhetoric.  In this context, the Co-Chairs urge the sides to refrain from statements and actions suggesting significant changes to the situation on the ground, prejudging the outcome of or setting conditions for future talks, demanding unilateral changes to the format without agreement of the other party, or indicating readiness to renew active hostilities.

With reference to some contradictory recent public statements on the substance of the Minsk Group process, the Co-Chairs reiterate that a fair and lasting settlement must be based on the core principles of the Helsinki Final Act, including in particular the non-use or threat of force, territorial integrity, and the equal rights and self-determination of peoples.  It also should embrace additional elements as proposed by the Presidents of the Co-Chair countries in 2009-2012, including: return of the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijani control; an interim status for Nagorno-Karabakh providing guarantees for security and self-governance; a corridor linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh; future determination of the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh through a legally binding expression of will; the right of all internally displaced persons and refugees to return to their former places of residence; and international security guarantees that would include a peacekeeping operation.

The Co-Chairs stress their view that these principles and elements must be the foundation of any fair and lasting settlement to the conflict and should be conceived as an integrated whole.  Any attempt to put some principles or elements over others would make it impossible to achieve a balanced solution. 

The Co-Chairs are prepared to meet with the leaders and foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan at any time, and call on the leaders to resume negotiations in good faith at the earliest opportunity.  Continuous and direct dialogue between Baku and Yerevan conducted under the auspices of the Co-Chairs remains an essential element in building confidence and advancing the peace process.  The Co-Chairs will also continue to discuss, as appropriate, relevant issues with the interested parties directly affected by the conflict, recognizing that their views and concerns must be taken into account for any negotiated solution to succeed. 

The Co-Chairs stress that they remain fully committed, in accordance with their mandate, to helping the sides find a peaceful solution to the conflict.  The Co-Chairs also express their full support for the impartial and critical monitoring work undertaken by the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and his team.

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 both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• It saw fresh damage to a residential house in Shchastia.
• The Mission saw multiple launch rocket systems in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line.
• The Mission monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• It observed the presence of mines and explosive remnants of war in Donetsk region.
• Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and near non-government-controlled Bezimenne and Dovzhanske, an area near the border with the Russian Federation.*
• In Kyiv, the SMM saw posters in front of the Embassy of the Russian Federation demanding the release of sailors following the incidents at sea, near the Kerch Strait.

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 680 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 160 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, including one-third of the explosions, were recorded in areas south-east and south-south-east of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol), at south-westerly and north-westerly directions of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk) and in areas south-east and west-south-west of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations, including 190 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 15 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, including the majority of explosions, were recorded at northerly and southerly directions of Kadiivka (formerly Stakhanov, non-government-controlled, 50km west of Luhansk).

Damage related to gunfire in a residential area in Shchastia

The SMM followed up on reports about damage in a residential area in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk). At 8 Haharina Street, the SMM observed a fresh hole (2.5cm in width) on the south-east-facing wall of a two-storey residential house assessed as from a bullet (12.7mm) from a heavy-machine-gun. A man (aged 50-55) who introduced himself as a neighbour of the owner of the affected house said that there had been heavy-machine-gun fire in the late morning hours of 6 March.

Disengagement areas[2]

On the evening of 6 March, the SMM camera in Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) recorded 11 projectiles in flight and a burst at an assessed range of 2-4km south-east (all assessed as inside the disengagement area) as well as three projectiles at an assessed range of 1-1.5km east and east-south-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area). On the day of 7 March, positioned 1.5km west of Molodizhne (non-government-controlled, 63km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 18 undetermined explosions at an assessed range of 4-6km north-north-east and south-south-west (assessed as inside the disengagement area). Positioned in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two explosions assessed as impacts of artillery rounds at an assessed range of 1-5km north and east (assessed as outside the disengagement area) and 30 shots of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 500m north (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

On the day of 7 March, positioned near the disengagement areas close to Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk) and 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

Government-controlled-areas

6 March

An SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted:

• three multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-27 Uragan, 220mm) (and 16  rockets (220mm) on the ground next to one MLRS) and five probable (MLRS) (BM-27) near Virivka (81km north-west of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled-areas

5 March

Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of:

• seven MLRS (type undetermined) in a training area near Miusynsk (62km south-west of Luhansk) (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 23 February 2019).

7 March:

The SMM saw:

• eight stationary MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) in a compound about 2km south-west of Sadovyi (57km south-west of Luhansk) and
• 21 MLRS (BM-21) near Khrustalnyi (formerly Krasnyi Luch, 56km south-west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

7 March

The SMM saw:

• four self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Novoolenivka (48km north-west of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas

5 March

Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of:

• 22 tanks (type undetermined) in a training area near Buhaivka (37km south-west of Luhansk) (for previous observations, see  SMM Daily Report 21 February 2019);
• ten tanks (type undetermined) in a training area near Shymshynivka (27km south-west of Luhansk); (for previous observations, see  SMM Daily Report 21 February 2019);
• two tanks (type undetermined), a piece of self-propelled artillery or mortar and 12 pieces of towed artillery or mortars in a training area near Miusynsk ; and
• 27 tanks (type undetermined) in a training area near Ternove (15km south-east of Luhansk) (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 21 February 2019).

7 March

The SMM saw:

• at least seven tanks (type undetermined) parked in a compound on the northern edge of Khrustalnyi and
•  a tank (type undetermined) being transported on road H-21 near Lutuhyne (20km south-west of Luhansk).

Weapons that the SMM could not verify as withdrawn[4]

At heavy weapons holding areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas of Donetsk region

7 March

The SMM noted that:

• 14 self-propelled howitzers (2S1) were present for the first time and
• 33 self-propelled howitzers (22 S1 and 11 2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) and 30 towed howitzers (24 2A36 Giatsint-B, 152mm and six D-20, 152mm) were again missing.

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[5]

Government-controlled areas

28 February

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

- an IFV (BMP variant) about 200m north of the Petrivske disengagement area, near Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk).

6 March

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• an IFV (BMP variant) near Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• two armoured combat vehicles (type undetermined) near Novohryhorivka (61km north-east of Donetsk) and

• a probable armoured personnel carrier (MT-LB) near Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk).

Presence of mines and unexploded ordnance

On 6 March, an SMM mini-UAV again spotted 47 previously observed anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid out on a road (and adjacent field) between Bohdanivka and Viktorivka (non-government-controlled, 42km south-west of Donetsk), about 170m north of the disengagement area near Petrivske. About 200m from the abovementioned mines, the same UAV again spotted an additional 25 previously observed anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid out across the same road.

On 7 March, about 600m west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 29km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM again saw two pieces of unexploded ordnance (UXO), assessed as 152mm artillery rounds, lying four meters north of a local road.

On the same day, the SMM saw for the first time at least six anti-tank mines (TM-62) fixed on a wooden plank on the southern side of road T0504 about 60m east of the forward position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the eastern outskirts of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk). About 1.5km south-east, between the forward positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the armed formations, the SMM saw an object assessed as the tailfin of a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG-7) on the same road.  About 500m further south-east, the SMM saw a fresh impact crater assessed as caused by an undetermined weapon on the south-western side of the road.

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to power lines near Holmivskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km north-east of Donetsk) and to the Petrivske water pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk). The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.

Border area outside of government control

While at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw a bus (with Ukrainian licence plates) entering Ukraine and three cars (one with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates and one with “LPR” plates) exiting Ukraine. After about six minutes, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to move away from the border crossing point.*

Posters in front of the Embassy of the Russian Federation 

In Kyiv, on 6 March in front of the Embassy of the Russian Federation at 27 Povitroflotskyi Avenue, the SMM saw 20 posters (not seen on 5 March) affixed on tripods placed in a green area in front of the building. The posters displayed the Ukrainian flag and the coats of arms of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Ukrainian Navy as well as slogans (in English) which demanded the release of the sailors detained following incidents at sea, near the Kerch Strait.

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

*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 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 2.5km west of Bezimenne (non-government-controlled, 30km east of Mariupol), two armed members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage west, citing “security concerns”.
• At a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (non-government-controlled, 84km south-east of Luhansk), two unarmed members of the armed formations told the SMM to move away from the area, citing the need for prior permission from senior members of the armed formations to visit it.

Conditional access:

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

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.

[1] Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as a map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report. 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 SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage did not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification from the SMM to the signatories of the Package of Measures on effective monitoring and verification of the withdrawal of heavy weapons.

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

413675 Marina Živaljević

The Montenegrin Ministry of Culture hosted a roundtable discussion on the Draft Law on Amendments to the Law on National Public Broadcaster Radio-Television of Montenegro, on 8 March 2019 in Podgorica. The meeting was organized with the support of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, the Council of Europe (CoE) and the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro.

The main objective was to enable the public to participate in a constructive discussion on the proposed amendments and legal solutions, as well as to share the analysis of international media experts.

The head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, Maryse Daviet, said that in today’s time of mass media and rapid flow of information, it is very important to provide the public with accurate and impartial news. “The role of the public service broadcaster is particularly important since it plays a special role in creating public opinion. It is important to note that public service broadcasting should always be a citizens’ service, independent, impartial and professional,” said Daviet.

Aleksandar Bogdanović, Minister of Culture, said that at this stage of the EU integration, Montenegro is legally inheriting and implementing high international standards of freedom and independence of the media. “These standards definitely imply that the Public Radio-Diffusion Service is conceptualized to meet the interests of the wider public, to ensure the implementation and promotion of fundamental human rights and freedom, the pluralism of social and public ideas, and enhances the culture of public dialogue and respect for linguistic diversity,” said Minister Bogdanović.

Aivo Orav, Head of the EU Delegation to Montenegro, said that the legal framework needs to create conditions for transparency, media pluralism and in that sense, it is equally important that the Law on National Public Broadcaster Radio-Television, as well as the Law on Electronic Media, acknowledge recommendations and show clear media strategy. “I am glad that we have been able to co-ordinate with our partners from the Council of Europe and the OSCE and give our recommendations on the amendments to the Law,” said Orav.

Angelo Longo, Head of Operations of the Council of Europe Programme Office in Podgorica, concluding the welcoming speeches, said that as the guardian of the rule of law in Europe, the Council of Europe through its legal system is set to protect the fundamental rights ensured in the European Convention, including the right to freedom of expression: “Without free expression and free media, violations of human rights may remain hidden and genuine democracy is not possible.”

The event was attended by representatives of state institutions, the media community, international organizations and diplomatic missions in Montenegro, as well as representatives of civil society organizations working with the media.

Željka Šulc

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) organized a co-ordination meeting on March 6 in Mostar to discuss the process of investigation and court proceedings in cases involving representatives of the migrant population who hold the status of victim or suspect.  The event was held together with the Prosecutor’s Office of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton.

The meeting gathered representatives of judicial institutions, police and security agencies as well as other governmental and non-governmental organizations.

The purpose of the event was to assess the capacity, practice of work and level of co-ordination amongst all relevant state authorities and institutions that hold jurisdiction for migrant issues on the territory of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton. Special consideration was given to the treatment of migrants in accordance with international human rights standards, those already registered as asylum seekers, and those who expressed a wish to claim asylum.

The participants discussed the lack of verified information on the identity of migrants who are involved in judicial proceedings, either as suspects or victims, and ways to overcome challenges faced by the police, the Prosecutor’s Office and the Court. 

This meeting was organized as a follow-up meeting to a previous one held in the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office Mostar in November 2018, which was attended by representatives from the Office for Foreigners’ Affairs – Field Office Mostar and the Police Administration Mostar.

It was noted that significant progress has been made since then with regard to the level of co-ordination amongst the relevant bodies in charge of dealing with migrants. The participants agreed to continue with regular meetings, as trends indicate an increase in the number of migrants coming to BiH in the springtime. The OSCE Mission to BiH will assist the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina to better prepare for the upcoming challenges in this area.

NEW YORK/VIENNA, 8 March 2019 - OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Slovakia’s Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák and OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger welcomed the new recommitment to a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine that came into effect today at 00:01 (Kyiv time) and should bring a decrease in violence.

While the renewed truce is a welcome development, a lasting ceasefire is yet to be reached. The Chairperson-in-Office, therefore, reiterated his call for a "sustainable, full and permanent ceasefire" in Ukraine.

"This is now an opportunity to focus on the needs of the women, men and children who have suffered far too long as a result of this conflict. The guarantee of a safe and secure environment is a crucial precondition for any positive development, including improving the dire humanitarian situation. I call on the sides to assume their full responsibilities, especially with regard to people on both sides of the contact line in the conflict-affected area," said the Chairperson-in-Office.

OSCE Secretary General Greminger stressed: “Every week, civilians are killed or injured in eastern Ukraine by shelling, landmines or explosive remnants of war.  Damage to essential infrastructure has reduced access to basic services, and in some cases poses the risk of environmental disaster. After five years of suffering, the people of Ukraine deserve peace, safety and hope for a better future. The sides must do more to ensure the wellbeing of the people they claim to protect, and cease fighting to allow the pursuit for a political solution.”

The Chairperson-in-Office and the Secretary General reiterated their continued strong support for the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM). “The SMM is doing crucial work in reducing tensions on the ground,” they noted. “OSCE monitors must be granted secure and unimpeded access to fulfil their mandate. We need to further strengthen the important work of the monitors, who directly contribute to the prevention of further escalation.”

VIENNA, 8 March 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today called on the Ukrainian authorities to reverse the entry ban to Ukraine imposed on Christian Wehrschütz, a journalist with the Austrian Public Service Broadcaster (ORF).

“Christian Wehrschütz has been working as the ORF correspondent in Ukraine for many years. The denial of entry to Wehrschütz, like to any other journalist, is very detrimental for the freedom of the media. I call on the authorities to reverse their decision and abstain from creating obstacles to his accessing the country for the legitimate pursuit of professional activities,” Désir said, “I recall that the OSCE participating States committed to facilitate the work of journalists from other participating States and to the free flow of information“.

The entry ban followed the recent denial of an extension of Wehrschütz’s accreditation by the Joint Forces Press Centre in Ukraine on the basis of alleged violations of procedures for entry and exit from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The journalist denies these allegations. 

Earlier the Representative addressed the problems faced by Wehrschütz with the authorities and asked them to consider easing the travel requirements for media professionals in the areas affected by the ongoing crisis in and around the country. The Representative also expressed concern about the publication of labelling information about Wehrschütz on one of the websites in Ukraine and emphasized that this could put the journalist at risk and jeopardize his safety.

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

413693

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Lamberto Zannier visited Latvia from 5 to 8 March 2019, in his first visit to the country in his current capacity, to assess the state of inter-ethnic relations and the integration of society. 

Zannier had a series of meetings in Riga, including with the Prime Minister, and with the representatives of several ministries, the parliament (the Saeima), minority communities and civil society, as well as with teachers and parents.

Zannier also travelled to the south-east of Latvia and visited Daugavpils, a city with a diverse ethnic composition. He met with the municipal administration, minority groups and the education authorities. 

The High Commissioner also visited three schools in Riga and Daugavpils with different languages of instruction.

Issues related to education reform, language policy and citizenship featured in all of the discussions, along with broader matters related to the integration of Latvian society.

Zannier welcomed the President’s initiative to grant automatic citizenship to the newborn children of non-citizens. The High Commissioner urged the government to proceed with the education reform in a way that is consultative and inclusive, and that takes into consideration the opinion of all groups, including members of minorities. More broadly, Zannier encouraged the authorities to keep integration high on the agenda and offered the support of his institution with respect to several facets of this process.

VIENNA, 8 March 2019 – Greater efforts are needed to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls occurring both in private and public life, which prevents them from being full and equal participants in society, said OSCE senior officials on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

Miroslav Lajčák, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia; Thomas Greminger, OSCE Secretary General; and Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), stressed that violence against women and girls is one of the greatest threats to peace and security and continues to be one of the most widespread human rights violations in the world. Not only does it threaten the security and safety of its victims, it also affects the communities and societies they live in.

“Violence against women and girls affects whole societies. Therefore, entire societies must be involved in combatting and eradicating it – from justice institutions and government ministries to civil society. Without violence in their lives women will be able to participate and lead across political, economic and social sectors and this benefits everyone in society. In the context of the OSCE, as an international security organization, this is particularly crucial for the participation of women in peace processes,” stressed Lajčák. Pointing out that this year’s International Women’s Day focuses on innovation, he said: “Women all over the world are coming up with innovative solutions to today’s challenges. We need to break down the barriers they face to make their ideas heard. Ongoing, systemic violence against women is one of such barriers."

According to the findings of the OSCE-conducted survey on the prevalence of violence against women in the OSCE region published this month, some 70 per cent of the more than 15,000 women and girls surveyed disclosed that they have experienced some form of violence since the age of 15. More than 20 per cent of those interviewed said they were subjected to physical or sexual violence by a partner. The survey results provide policymakers with the data and tools to improve national laws and policies to better protect victims.

“We all have the responsibility to openly reject acts of violence and stand by the victims. We must do all we can to change the perception that violence towards women is acceptable,” said OSCE Secretary General Greminger. Referring to the OSCE survey, he said that the study marks “an important step towards eliminating violence against women: it provides the necessary data countries need to formulate appropriate policy responses. We can no longer use the excuse of not knowing enough. We must act now and take concrete steps to prevent violence against women and girls.”

ODIHR Director Gísladóttir stressed that violence against women hinders their equal involvement in all spheres of life, including their political participation: “When women step out of the private sphere, demand their rights and contest patriarchy publicly, they are often exposed to violence in politics. There is a need for improved data on violence against women in public life, including during elections. Our Office can use such data to support participating States in designing more effective prevention and mitigation interventions to remove the stigma associated with such violence and hold perpetrators accountable.”

The OSCE participating States have adopted three Ministerial Council decisions on preventing and combating violence against women, including most recently in December 2018 in Milan. This Ministerial Council decision calls on participating States to take concrete action to address the root causes of violence against women and girls.

413582 Andrii Dziubenko

Two videos designed by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine to support efforts by the Department of Cyberpolice, National Police of Ukraine in raising awareness of cybersecurity issues, were presented at a joint event in Kyiv on Wednesday, 6 March 2019. One video provides instructions on how to avoid fraud and phishing during shopping, the other prompts Ukrainians to abide by basic rules to protect personal and corporate data while they are online.   

“With these materials, we are distributing information that every Internet user should be aware of to avoid being a victim of cybercrime. We also call on citizens to file statements about committed online crimes, even if the damage caused is not significant,” said Head of Cybercrime Department Serhiy Demedyuk.

Both videos have the confirmed status of social advertising and can be used by TV channels for social media campaigns. The OSCE PCU also produced two sets of leaflets with the same messages and gave 1,000 copies of each set to the Department of Cyberpolice for distribution during awareness-raising meetings organized by the police, including in schools. 

“It is important that the authorities run such campaigns focusing on the prevention of crimes. It can diminish the workload for law enforcers investigating cyberfraud, and also help Ukrainians to keep financial and personal data protected,” said Liliia Grudko, Head of the OSCE Project Co-ordinators’ Human Security Programme.  

According to the cyberpolice, in 2018 Ukraine’s law enforcement bodies investigated more than 11,000 crimes committed with the use of ICT, almost third of them were related to payment systems, another third dealt with e-commerce, and over 2,600 were related to the hacking of data.  

KYIV, 8 March 2019 – Yesterday, the Trilateral Contact Group recommitted to the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine. Ertugrul Apakan, Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, and Martin Sajdik, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and to the Trilateral Contact Group, welcomed the recommitment by issuing the following statement:

“We sincerely welcome the recommitment to the ceasefire made by the Trilateral Contact Group. The recommitment came into effect at 00:01 (Kyiv time) on 8 March 2019, coinciding with International Women’s Day. We encourage full adherence to the ceasefire as envisaged in the recommitment well beyond this holiday, and hope it benefits not only all women but the entire population of Ukraine.

We appreciate that the sides have once again recommitted to the Minsk agreements and urge them to take all the necessary measures to ensure that a sustainable and long-lasting ceasefire follows.”

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

“Today, 8 March 2019, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) joins people around the world in celebrating International Women’s Day. We take this opportunity to honour the achievements of women and to highlight this year’s theme urging all of us to ‘think equal, build smart and innovate for change’.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we should reflect on how we can further create meaningful change, recognizing the crucial role women play in conflict prevention, conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction.  We should redouble our efforts to enhance the participation of women in peace and security initiatives.  

The SMM is monitoring and reporting on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, which recognizes the unique role women should and do play in conflict management, conflict resolution and sustainable peacebuilding.

On this International Women’s Day, I would like to honour the efforts of Ukrainian women, as well as to highlight that gender equality is a necessary precondition for building lasting peace and prosperity for all – women and men alike.  

The Mission in this regard welcomes the launch by the OSCE Secretariat of the Survey Report on the Safety and Well-being of Women which includes a particular focus on Ukraine. This research provides important data for informed decision-making and advocacy at different levels with the aim of reducing violence against women in Ukraine and across the region.

Well beyond International Women’s Day, the OSCE SMM will continue to invest in gender mainstreaming all its activities as well as in enhancing women’s participation in the Mission, making our contribution to peace and security better and more inclusive.”

KYIV, 8 March 2018 – Yesterday, the Working Group on Security Issues reached a decision on the recommitment to the ceasefire, starting at 00:01 (Kiev time) on 8 March 2019. Welcoming this decision, the Special Representative of OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group Martin Sajdik informed the Trilateral Contact Group and issued the following statement in his personal capacity:

“I sincerely welcome the recommitment to the ceasefire in the east of Ukraine, agreed at today’s videoconference of the Working Group on Security under the leadership of the Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, Ertuğrul Apakan.

The recommitment will come into effect at the beginning of the brightest and most beautiful spring holiday –International Women’s Day. This raises optimism and hope that it will be observed not only during this very day, but also during the days and weeks to come, for the benefit of the entire population of Ukraine.

I express my deep appreciation to the sides for having reached this decision and urge them to ensure all the necessary means for the observation of a reliable, sustainable and long-lasting ceasefire.”

NEW YORK, United States, 7 March 2019 – Briefing the United Nations Security Council on the priorities of the 2019 Slovak OSCE Chairmanship in New York today, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Slovakia’s Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Miroslav Lajčák reconfirmed the OSCE’s commitment to supporting the implementation of the UN global mandate at the regional level.

Reminding the members of the Security Council that the United Nations and the OSCE – as the world’s largest security organization under Chapter VIII of the UN Charter –  are based on the same vision of “systems of agreed rules, principles and norms”, “new forms of co-operation between decision makers - so that life can be better for people on the ground” and “dialogue in places where there has been none”, Minister Lajčák called for closer UN-OSCE co-operation on resolving today’s conflicts.

Making the case for closer co-operation, Lajčák stressed that “In working together, we have nothing to lose – and everything to gain.”

“The OSCE has a lot to gain from closer UN engagement, such as operational readiness, capacities and capabilities at various stages of the conflict cycle,” the Chairperson-in-Office said. “But the OSCE has a lot to give, too,” he continued, mentioning tailored regional knowledge, niche expertise and lessons learned from the ground, thanks to its field operations. 

“In addition, in this climate of eroding global arms control, the OSCE can be a platform for confidence building and increased transparency,” Lajčák added.

Looking at future challenges, the OSCE Chair pointed out that as the security landscape is changing, and unpredictability is rising, both organizations need to adapt by pooling their capacities in the areas of conflict prevention and resolution, sustainable development, institution building, rule of law and good governance, in line with the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security.

Concluding his briefing, Lajčák stressed that “there is absolutely no alternative when it comes to the legitimacy the UN brings and the reach it allows,” and, similarly, “when it comes to the OSCE’s 57, there is absolutely no alternative to local know-how and field presence.”

While in New York, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office also met with the President of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, María Fernanda Espinosa; Deputy-Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed; UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary A. DiCarlo; UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix; UNICEF’s Executive Director, Henrietta H. Fore; and Under-Secretary-General of the UN Counter-Terrorism Office Vladimir Voronkov.

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 fewer in Luhansk region.
• A car with armed men inside blocked the SMM’s passage near Sakhanka.
• An SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle spotted anti-tank mines on the northern edge of Marinka.
• The Mission monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement area and its access was also restricted at a checkpoint near non-government-controlled Mykolaivka.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 160 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 100 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, including the majority of explosions, were recorded in areas south-east and south-south-east of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol), in areas south and west of the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) and at south-westerly directions of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 15 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 20 explosions). All explosions were recorded in areas north-west of Veselohorivka (non-government-controlled, 64km west of Luhansk).

A car with armed men in military-style clothing blocked the SMM’s passage

On 6 March, near Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM saw a stationary civilian car with three armed men in military-style clothing inside blocking the lane in which two of the Mission’s vehicles were moving. As the SMM patrol attempted to bypass the civilian car, its driver started the engine and began manoeuvring towards the first SMM vehicle, almost colliding with it, and then stopped in front of the second SMM car, blocking its way. The car drove away after about one minute. The SMM then continued its patrol.

Disengagement areas[2]

On the evening of 5 March, the SMM camera in Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk), recorded a projectile in flight at an assessed range of 3-5km east-north-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

During the day on 6 March, positioned near the disengagement areas close to Zolote, Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk) and Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM observed a calm situation.[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.

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

6 March

The SMM saw:

• a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) on road M04 near Novopavlivka (51km north-west of Donetsk).

Indications of military presence in the security zone[4]

Government-controlled areas

6 March

The SMM saw:

• an armored personnel carrier (BTR-70) near Novobakhmutivka (28km north of Donetsk).

Presence of mines

On 5 March, an SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle spotted 33 anti-tank mines (probable TM-62) on the northern edge of Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk): 18 were laid out in two rows across a road leading to Donetsk city (non-government-controlled), about 35m south-east of the nearest residential houses; three were laid across the same road about 200m further east-north-east; four were fixed to a wooden board laid on a side road located between the above-mentioned two sets of anti-tank mines; and eight mines were laid across a local road about 400m south-east of the above-mentioned group of mines.

Unexploded ordnance in Donetsk city

On Stratonavtiv Street in Donetsk city’s Kyivskyi district (non-government-controlled), about 30m from inhabited residential houses, the SMM saw two objects: the first one lying on the ground, the second embedded in the tarmac. In the same district, the Mission also saw another object lying on the side of Bashkyrska Street, about 10m from inhabited residential houses. All three objects were not fenced off. It assessed all three of them as pieces of unexploded ordnance (UXO) (Grad-type rockets).

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The SMM monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to power lines near Holmivskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km north-east of Donetsk and a re-start of a water pump at the Petrivske water pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk). The Mission also monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to a water pipeline running along road H20 between Berezove (government-controlled, 31km south-west of Donetsk) and Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk). A representative of the Voda Donbassa water company told the SMM that the pipeline had been successfully repaired.

The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS and to monitor the overall security situation in the area of the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk).

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 Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination 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 SMM Daily Report 5 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:

• At a checkpoint east of Mykolaivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Mariupol), a member of the armed formations did not allow the SMM to enter the settlement, citing ongoing “small-arms fire in 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.

[1] Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as a map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report. 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.

Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Armenia, Early Parliamentary Elections, 9 December 2018: Final Report

While noting that Armenia’s 9 December 2018 early parliamentary elections enjoyed broad public trust and were held with respect for fundamental freedoms, the final report issued by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) recommends that the authorities, political parties, the media and civil society continue their efforts to preserve the integrity of the electoral process.

The report, published on 7 March 2019, acknowledges that the legal framework for elections is comprehensively regulated and recommends addressing remaining legal gaps and ambiguities in a timely and inclusive manner.

It also recommends the provision of enhanced training to members of polling station commissions on counting votes and documenting the voting results. The report also recommends that the authorities take a more proactive role in ensuring an accessible environment for the electoral participation of persons with disabilities and addressing overcrowding at polling stations.

The media generally ensured balanced and informative coverage of the campaign, the report says. It recommends that authorities further support the editorial independence of public media and foster citizens’ access to impartial, critical and analytical political information.

The report reiterates ODIHR’s previous recommendation to introduce a legal obligation for electoral contestants to account for and report on all campaign-related expenditures and contributions. It further recommends conducting meaningful oversight of campaign finance by relevant authorities.

The report also recommends a legal review of measures to guarantee the protection of voters’ private data during the publication of voters’ lists, and further enhancing special measures to promote women candidates, so as to strengthen the participation of women in public and political life.

For election day observation, ODIHR was joined by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament.

Communication and Media Relations Section

A two-day train-the-trainer course on countering terrorist financing was organized in Vienna for Kazakh participants on 6 and 7 March 2019 by the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department, in co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Astana and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime's Global Programme against Money Laundering (UNODC/GPML), and supported by the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (EAG).

The course, which took place on the premises of the OSCE Secretariat, was led by international experts and tailored to Kazakhstan. It included country- and region-specific scenarios.

The five participants of the course will deliver training courses to local officials upon their return to Kazakhstan, together with international experts from the OSCE, UNODC/GPML and the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism.

The training programme covered areas such as sources of information, case management, investigation, preventing the abuse of non-profit organizations for terrorist financing, and foreign terrorist fighters.

The train-the-trainer course is part of a comprehensive multi-annual OSCE-UNODC capacity-building programme to support national efforts to counter terrorist financing in Central Asia.