OSCE

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On 9 June 2023, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) in collaboration with the National Human Rights Centre and the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Uzbekistan held a roundtable to discuss the draft Methodological Guidelines to Ensure Rights of Women and Children in Emergency Situations.

This draft was developed by the PCUz supported expert Henri Myrttinen in the framework of the recently adopted National Action Plan for the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (Women, Peace and Security) in Uzbekistan. Eighteen representatives from the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Institute of Civil Protection under the Academy of the Ministry of Emergency Situations learnt about the international good practices on integrating gender aspects in the various emergency situations, including natural disaster risks such as earthquakes, floods and droughts as well as regional and global trends such as pandemics and climate change.

In her welcoming remarks, Dilnoza Muratova, Deputy Director of the National Center for Human Rights, stressed that “introducing a gender perspective into the field of disaster risk reduction is key to the development of the specific abilities of different gender groups to survive the crisis and cope with its consequences.”

Nadia Yakhlaf-Lallemand, the Head of Human Dimension at the PCUz, added that “recognizing these gender differences will enable better planning and implementation of disaster prevention, risk reduction, and immediate and long-term responses to address the needs and vulnerabilities of all people affected by disasters.”

This roundtable was organised within the PCUz project “Promoting Gender Equality and Combating Human Trafficking”.

PODGORICA, 12 June 2023 – Montenegro’s early parliamentary elections were competitive and voters were offered a wide range of choices, but the process was weakened by legislative shortcomings as well as divisive campaign rhetoric and a polarized media environment, international observers said in a statement today.

The joint observation mission from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), and the European Parliament (EP) found that the elections were well managed and the legal framework provides a basis for holding democratic elections, despite a number of gaps and inconsistencies, leaving most previous recommendations unaddressed.

“Voters had an array of choices to make in yesterday’s elections, and fundamental freedoms were respected throughout the campaign,” said Nina Suomalainen, head of the ODIHR election observation mission. “But looking ahead, there is a clear need for election reform to close the remaining gaps and ambiguities and strengthen the system for future elections.”

The elections took place against the backdrop of a lengthy institutional and constitutional crisis. The legal and political uncertainty over the date of the elections contributed to the low-key start to the campaign, which only picked up in the two weeks before voting day. During the campaign, some candidates resorted to populist and divisive rhetoric, often on national and religious grounds. While the use of public resources is banned by law during the campaign, numerous public employment contracts were issued in the election period. There was also a lack of clear distinction between the role of some candidates who are also senior officials, including in their activities on social media.

Women remain underrepresented in political life, mostly because the parties fail to promote their participation beyond the legal minimum. Gender stereotypes are widespread, and observers also noted concerns that violence against women deters many from becoming involved in political life and standing as candidates, with online attacks posing a particularly acute problem.

“With 15 candidate lists, the elections were competitive and all candidates enjoyed equal opportunities in the campaign,” said Reinhold Lopatka, head of the PACE delegation. “However, women remained underrepresented; the culture of gender equality is still low and violence against women who enter politics is not uncommon – particularly on social media.”

Longstanding concerns over voter list accuracy continued to weaken public trust in voter registration. At the same time, the candidate signature collection process needs additional safeguards to avoid abuse. Election day itself was calm and professionally managed, although some procedural safeguards were not always followed during the counting.

“The elections were well run, and we hope the new parliament will provide the support to the government necessary to make the long-awaited and much-needed reforms,” said Nikos Papandreou, head of the EP delegation. “These will only be possible when there is a stable and consensual political environment, a political space where partisan differences will not be an obstacle to an inclusive and equitable growth.”

The media environment is free and diverse, but it is polarized along political lines. The public broadcaster met the legal requirements for offering free airtime and organizing election debates, but most of the election coverage was broadcast on its less popular channel.

The international election observation mission to the early Montenegrin parliamentary elections totalled 147 observers from 27 countries, consisting of 122 ODIHR-deployed experts and long-term and short-term observers, 19 parliamentarians from PACE and 6 from the EP.

For more information, please contact:

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

Bogdan Torcătoriu, PACE: +382 68650143 or Bogdan.TORCATORIU@coe.int

Raffaele Luise, EP: +32 470 95 22 06 or raffaele.luise@europarl.europa.eu

PODGORICA, 9 June 2023 – International election observers will hold a press conference to present their findings following the early parliamentary elections in Montenegro.

What:

• A press conference of the international election observation mission to the early parliamentary elections in Montenegro
• Those unable to attend in person can follow the livestream here

Who:

• Nina Suomalainen, Head of the ODIHR election observation mission
• Reinhold Lopatka, Head of the PACE delegation
• Nikos Papandreou, Head of the EP delegation

When:

• 14:30 local time (GMT +2) on 12 June 2023

Where:

• Lesendro Conference room, Ramada hotel, 74 Bulevar Save Kovačevića, Podgorica

The international election observation is a joint mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), and the European Parliament (EP). The observation mission totals 147 observers, made up of 122 ODIHR-deployed experts, long-term, and short-term observers, 19 from PACE, and 6 from the EP.

For more information, please contact:

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

Bogdan Torcătoriu, PACE: +382 68650143 or Bogdan.TORCATORIU@coe.int

Raffaele Luise, EP: +32 470 95 22 06 or raffaele.luise@europarl.europa.eu

Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz

The 2023 presidential election in the Czech Republic offered voters a wide variety of choices across the political spectrum. The overall campaign, both offline and online, was competitive but divisive, and voters could make an informed choice in both rounds. Campaign coverage was extensive in both public and private media, and contestants enjoyed allocated free airtime. The media overall fulfilled their watchdog function and positively, there were no verbal attacks by the candidates toward journalists. Political finance is adequately regulated, however, consideration should be given to further enhancing transparency of campaign finance.

These are some of the main conclusions from the final report on the Czech Republic’s 2023 presidential election, published today by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). The report offers nine recommendations to bring elections in the Czech Republic closer in line with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections

Recommendations include:

• Strengthening the electoral participation of people with disabilities through accessible and easy-to-understand format campaign materials;

• Recognizing violence against women in the campaign by political parties and institutions as a barrier to women’s political participation, and strengthening existing proactive and preventive measures against such actions;

• Introducing reasonable limits on individual donations from natural and legal persons for presidential campaigns to avoid undue influence by donors;

• Regulating foreign donations for presidential campaigns;

• Providing the Office for Oversight with adequate financial and human resources to ensure effective oversight;

• Introducing a reasonable timeline for the Office for Oversight to publish the results of campaign finance audit;

• Introducing thresholds for ownership across all media types and an impact assessment of potential mergers on media pluralism before their approval;

• Repealing criminal sanctions for defamation in favour of proportionate civil sanctions;

• Providing adequate funding to public media to guarantee editorial independence and programmatic quality.

ODIHR deployed an Election Expert Team on 9 January 2023 to observe the presidential election. All 57 participating States across the OSCE region have formally committed to following up promptly on ODIHR’s election assessments and recommendations.

VIENNA, 9 June 2023 – Teresa Ribeiro, the Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), concluded her visit to Slovakia yesterday. The purpose of the visit was to discuss persistent challenges to freedom of the media and assess the progress made in ensuring the safety of journalists in Slovakia.

During her visit, Representative Teresa Ribeiro held meetings with Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Miroslav Wlachovský, Minister of Culture Silvia Hroncová, State Secretary at the Ministry of Interior Ľubomír Šablica, and Chairperson of the Council for Media Services Marta Danielová.

She addressed the concerning backdrop of the recent acquittal in the double murder case of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová. In this context, she commended Slovakia for establishing a new protection mechanism, Safe.Journalism.sk, designed to enhance the safety and security of journalists operating within the country.

Further discussions were held regarding the independence and financial sustainability of public service media in Slovakia.

"The crucial role of a vibrant and independent media sector in upholding democracy, promoting human rights, fostering diversity, and enhancing social cohesion and peacebuilding, especially in the run-up to the general election this year, cannot be overstated," Representative Ribeiro said.

The Representative on Freedom of the Media exchanged opinions with stakeholders on the measures introduced to strengthen the safety of journalists and enhance their institutional protection. Her proposals encompassed a range of measures to address existing challenges and ensure a more secure environment for media professionals to carry out their important work.

As part of her visit, Representative Teresa Ribeiro also highlighted the significance of ongoing legal reforms in Slovakia.

"These reforms play a crucial role in enabling media freedom and guaranteeing the protection of journalists' rights. They are essential to preserving freedom of the media and freedom of expression in the country while countering the proliferation of disinformation."

Moving forward, the RFoM expressed her optimism that the government of Slovakia will continue to demonstrate its commitment to media freedom and take concrete steps to implement the suggested measures. She stressed the importance of close cooperation between the government, civil society, and media organizations in fostering an environment conducive to the free flow of information, the protection of journalists, and the promotion of democratic values.

The RFoM will continue to monitor the situation closely and continue cooperating with interlocutors in Slovakia to safeguard media freedom, enhance the safety of journalists, and promote a vibrant and independent media landscape.

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From 5 to 9 June, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, organized an introductory training course on cybercrime and digital evidence at the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan.

Around twenty representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Office of the Prosecutor General took part in the course delivered by two international experts from Moldova and Uzbekistan. The participants were introduced to key concepts regarding cybercrime and digital evidence, and learnt how to identify, seize and secure potential sources of digital evidence at a crime scene and on the Internet.

“Tajikistan, just like other countries in Central Asia, has witnessed rapid digitalization in all spheres of society over recent years. Criminals have been increasingly using digital technologies as well. It is therefore crucial for law enforcement officers to be familiar with these technologies and their role in conducting or facilitating crime,” said Deputy Head of the Academy, during the course’s opening.

This was echoed by Jukka Tuononen, Head of the Politico-Military Department of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe. “With the continuous evolution of digital technologies and their role in our daily life, every criminal justice actor needs at least a basic understanding and knowledge of these issues. Systematic and long-term education on this topic for criminal justice actors is key for building and sustaining capacities of the OSCE participating States to investigate and prosecute contemporary forms of crime”.

The training was delivered under the extra-budgetary project “Capacity Building on Combating Cybercrime in Central Asia”, which is funded by the United States of America, Germany and the Republic of Korea. This was the first national training event in Tajikistan under the project. Two additional training courses for the same group of participants are scheduled for autumn this year.

545794 Joint co-operation strategy on climate change and security in the Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif Area

Biodiversity loss is one of humanity’s greatest challenges. Amplified by climate change, it threatens not only ecosystems but also the people who depend on them.

On June 9, OSCE and adelphi, a Berlin-based think tank, published a Strategy Paper on strengthening co-operation to address climate-related security risks in Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif Area. The strategy includes an implementation plan developed by regional stakeholders to jointly counter the shared risks.

The Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif area in South-Eastern Europe is a biodiversity hotspot, home to a diverse ecosystem of rare flora and fauna with outstanding natural value. Comprising the four protected areas Korab-Koritnik, Mavrovo, Shar Mountain, and Sharri/Šara, it covers a combined area of more than 240,000 hectares, making it one of the largest protected areas on the continent. More than 100,000 people rely on its natural resources to earn a living, but climate change is threatening the area’s rich biodiversity, putting at risk the lives and livelihoods of local communities.

In response to these challenges and building on the earlier Scoping Study, the Strategy Paper prioritizes areas for joint action, identifies ways to strengthen co-operation among the four protected areas, and outlines tangible project ideas to address climate-related security risks in the Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif Area. Among the project ideas for joint implementation in the protected areas are initiatives to prevent illegal logging, hunting, and wildlife smuggling, to enhance resilience to forest fires and to create livelihood opportunities for women.

The strategy was developed through a consultation process that brought together park management authorities, governmental agencies, municipalities, local NGOs, relevant regional and international organizations, and experts to discuss climate-related security risks and to develop a joint vision and action plan for this mountain region.

This strategy was prepared within the framework of the OSCE extra-budgetary project Strengthening responses to security risks from climate change in South-Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia, which is implemented by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) in partnership with adelphi and funded by Andorra, Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and the United States. The project is part of the OSCE’s active effort to support its participating States in implementing the 2021 OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on climate change.

545734 Jeff Bieley Edita Buçaj

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo concluded on 31 May 2023 a series of five workshops for high school students on sexual violence and sexual harassment. Organized in co-operation with the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), the workshops aimed at further enriching the participants’ knowledge about these topics and preparing them to conduct similar activities for their peers, following a round of five workshops last year.

The five workshops were held in Gjilan/Gnjilane, Mitrovicë/Mitrovica South, Prishtinë/Priština, Gjakovë/Đakovica and Prizren, and reached 71 high school students. Students learned about definitions of gender-based violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, available services and the importance of early reporting, as well as the roles of different institutions in addressing and handling cases of sexual violence and sexual harassment.

“Based on the OSCE Survey on Women Safety and Wellbeing published in 2019, almost a third of all women, or 29%, say they have experienced at least one form of sexual harassment since the age of 15. Violence against women is especially high among students, 60%, and is a cause and effect of gender inequality, driven by existing norms and attitudes,” said Valentina Bejtullahu Turjaka from the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

“On the other hand, although early reporting of sexual violence is crucial to ensure access to justice for victims during court proceedings, it remains low mainly due to lack of support from the family, school and society, followed by stigma and fear of being threatened. Many students are not aware that sexual harassment is a criminal act and punishable by law in Kosovo, and many of them do not have information on available services and reporting mechanisms. Therefore, increasing the awareness of new generations on this sensitive violation of human rights is a must in order to break the silence, empower girls and prevent any form of discrimination and violence among them,” she added.

During the workshops, through group exercises, participants also discussed the methodology and developed an action plan on how to conduct workshops for their fellow students. So far, with the support of the OSCE Mission and schools’ psychologists, the trained students have organized 12 information sessions on sexual violence and sexual harassment for around 290 of their fellow students. In addition, they have also developed artwork and posters with messages on sexual violence and reporting mechanisms. Throughout 2023, with the support of schools’ psychologists, students will organize additional information sessions on sexual violence and sexual harassment for more students.  

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is mandated to protect and promote human and community rights, as well as democratization and public safety sector development.

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On 5 and 6 June 2023, the OSCE Presence in Albania held the last phase of a comprehensive multi-module curriculum training for state auditors on diagnosing and assessing corruption risks in the public procurement area. The training sessions – organized in partnership with the Italian Anti-corruption Authority (ANAC) – were designed and implemented together with the Albanian Supreme Audit Institution (ALSAI).

Since 2021, about 50 ALSAI auditors attended a series of capacity development and discussion sessions. The wide range of topics included corruption risk identification; risk assessment and management in procurement and public private partnership contracts; methodologies on conducting economic and financial analysis; and monitoring of public contracts. The participants discussed concrete case studies brought by the ANAC and recommendations to strengthen anti-corruption and transparency tools in the national framework. 

The training sessions offered ALSAI officials the opportunity to exchange information and share good practices with ANAC senior experts, as well as to strengthen the professional capacities of the auditors in conducting more qualitative public procurement audits.

The final two-day training focused on monitoring of public contracts and promoting innovative digital tools to improve public auditing. Addressing the event, Deputy Head of Presence Clarisse Pasztory, ALSAI General Director Mariola Llanaj, Public Procurement Agency General Director Reida Kashta and ANAC representatives Paolo Giacomazzo and Filippo Romano stressed the importance of transparency, accountability and efficiency in public procurement.   

Tashkent, 8 June 2023 - The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an election observation mission for the 9 July early presidential election in Uzbekistan, following an official invitation from the national authorities.

The mission is headed by Ambassador Urszula Gacek and consists of a core team of 11 international experts based in Tashkent and 24 long-term observers, who will be deployed throughout the country from 14 June. ODIHR will request 250 short-term observers, to arrive several days before election day. 

The mission will assess the conduct of 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 all aspects of the election, including pre- and post-election developments. Specific areas of focus include the implementation of the legal framework, the conduct of the campaign, including on social networks, the work of the election administration at all levels, election dispute resolution and media coverage. The observers will also assess the implementation of previous ODIHR election recommendations.

Meetings with representatives of state authorities, political parties, civil society, the media and the international community form an integral part of the observation.

An interim report will be published some two weeks prior to the election to update the public and the media on the observation mission’s activities. The day after the election, the mission’s preliminary findings and conclusions will be presented at a press conference. A final report with an assessment of the entire election process and containing recommendations will be published some months after the election.

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Promoting and strengthening the National Action Plan (NAP) for the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 “Women, Peace and Security” was the focus of a three-day training held on 6-8 June in Tashkent. The training was conducted by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) together with the National Human Rights Centre and the Republican Commission for the Enhancement of the Role of Women in Society, Gender Equality and the Family.

During the event, representatives from  judiciary and law enforcement agencies  enhanced their knowledge and skills in implementing the recently endorsed NAP, by ensuring access to justice for vulnerable groups of population, including victims of gender-based violence, as well as enhancing women’s role in the security sector. In recent years, Uzbekistan has made significant progress in implementing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and promoting women's participation in public and political life, as well as in the security sector. As stated by Senator Gulnora Marufova, member of the Committee of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis (National Parliament) of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Women and Gender Equality, “the Agenda of Women, Peace, and Security is interlinked with various spheres of national politics. We are convinced that it is impossible to achieve sustainable development without increasing the role of women in the socio-political life of the country and further enhancing the role of women in decision making process for the significant matters of national and foreign policy.”

Nadia Yakhlaf-Lallemand, Head of Human Dimension at the PCUz, noted that the UNSCR 1325 is embedded in the OSCE security policy, and that the PCUz is supporting the host country in both promoting the NAP and facilitating the exchange of best practices from the OSCE region and beyond.

Dilnoza Muratova, Deputy Director of the National Human Rights Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan, briefed participants on the adopted NAP, underlining that "the enacted National Action Plan focuses on priority areas in which it is feasible to change the situation, introduce more effective policies and strive to achieve results in ensuring peace and security in the country.”

This training program was organised within the framework of the projects “Promoting Gender Equality and Combating Human Trafficking” and “Support to Democratic Policing and Addressing Transnational Threats”.

Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz

Election experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) presented final reports on France’s 2022 presidential and parliamentary elections in Paris from 5 to 7 June 2023.

The experts discussed the report’s key findings and recommendations with government officials, representatives of the National Assembly, the National Commission for Control of Electoral Accounts and Political Finance, the media regulatory body and the Constitutional Council.

Discussions focused on consolidation of electoral legislation, enhancement of transparency of campaign finance, decriminalization of defamation, balanced campaign coverage by the media, including online, alternative voting methods and the need to ensure standardized training of poll workers.

“The follow-up visit to France opened a frank discussion on how to address ODIHR recommendations with effective and workable solutions, by harmonising well-established and trusted local democratic traditions with international standards and commitments for the conduct of elections,” said Ambassador Urszula Gacek, Head of the ODIHR Election Assessment Mission for the 2022 parliamentary elections.

ODIHR election observation activities also assess the country’s efforts to implement previous recommendations through changes in legislation, procedures and practices. For France, the ODIHR mission evaluated the follow-up to recommendations on the 2017 presidential election and concluded that two recommendations (7 and 9) were fully implemented, one recommendation (1) was mostly implemented and six recommendations remain to be addressed.

ODIHR discussed with authorities potential avenues for future co-operation. The ODIHR assistance offered includes expert discussions, thematic workshops and legal reviews related to potential changes to the electoral legislation.

In the 1999 OSCE Istanbul Document, all OSCE participating States committed themselves to “follow up promptly the ODIHR’s election assessment and recommendations”.

VIENNA, 8 June 2023 – In line with the mandate of the Organization, and through the particular efforts of the Office of the Co-ordinator for Economic and Environmental Activities, the OSCE has been working on addressing environmental and security impacts and challenges of the war in Ukraine, in partnership with UN agencies and field operations. The recent destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam in Kherson oblast creates additional challenges, dramatically increasing threats to livelihoods and intensifying economic risks for the populations concerned.

Ukrainian authorities have solicited support from the OSCE to further monitor and address these challenges.

OSCE experts underline the immediate and long-term implications of the destruction of the dam, both in the immediate surroundings, as well as further downstream and at the trans-national level, with serious dangers to public health, economic activities, energy security and ecosystem integrity.

The flooding of land and farms is threatening to compromise agricultural outputs and the collapse of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric power plant could trigger a massive disruption of electricity supply in the region. Furthermore, nuclear security could be compromised, as decreased water levels in the reservoir serving the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) could affect the functioning of the plant, a situation that is being closely monitored by Ukraine’s National Nuclear Energy Generating Company, Energoatom, and the International Atomic Energy Agency. Finally, extensive pollution, both hazardous and non-hazardous, threaten to plague vast downstream areas with the destruction of industrial infrastructures. This is all in addition to the plight of tens of thousands facing evacuation and displacement due to the destruction of the dam.

The consequences are significant and will need to be assessed fully.

The OSCE stands ready to continue supporting Ukraine and will coordinate modalities with national authorities in the coming days.

SKOPJE, 8 June 2023 — The OSCE Mission to Skopje, together with the Ministry of Education and Science, awarded grants to 14 schools across North Macedonia that will support the implementation of joint curriculum classes - classes which pair teachers to instruct integrated classes in two languages as a means to foster exchange between different ethnic communities.

“This marks the beginning of a new joint undertaking that will extend over several years, bringing about significant and positive changes in public educational institutions and municipalities nationwide,” said the Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, Ambassador Kilian Wahl.

The huge response to the call for applications has shown the widespread ambition for schools to go the extra mile to foster ethnic integration and understanding by teaming up with other monolingual schools to offer these integrated classes. In Kumanovo, for example, the Faik Konica Slupcane Kumanovo Primary School is partnering with the Magdalena Antonova Primary School located 13 kilometres away. The partnering of three primary schools, the 25 Maj, Bane Krapchev, and Naum Naumovski Borche schools in Gazi Baba, provides another example of the will to work together despite physical distance.  

Highlighting the spirit of collaboration and partnership in realizing this project, Minister of Education and Science Jeton Shaqiri said, “thank you to the OSCE Mission to Skopje, which under the management of  Ambassador Wahl has gained a new impulse, especially in terms of building a peaceful, safe and harmonic environment in schools.”

The Mission is also awarding five grants to civil society organizations (CSOs) that work to bring children and young people from diverse ethnic backgrounds together. One such grant is being awarded to the CSO Sumnal, which will use the funds to work with schools in Bitola to overcome discrimination against the Roma community through a series of art workshops.

“I am impressed by the proposed activity portfolio. I see willingness, creativity and concrete commitment for advancing the relations between the new generations,” stated Minister Shaqiri.

The grants are part of a longer term vision to support unity and integration across the country.

The Building New Bridges project will issue further calls for grant applications in autumn 2023. 

“We are confident that we can make a positive impact on the lives of young people from diverse backgrounds and help create a more inclusive and prosperous future for all in North Macedonia,” concluded Ambassador Wahl.

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On 6 and 7 June 2023, the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA), in co-operation with the 2023 OSCE Chairpersonship of North Macedonia (CiO) and the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), held a regional multi-stakeholder event in Skopje, North Macedonia to discuss how to strengthen youth resilience to organized crime and corruption.

The need to enhance youth education and awareness of the dangers of organized crime and corruption in order to equip young people with the knowledge necessary to reduce their risk of becoming either victims or offenders was one of the key takeaways from the event. Participants also highlighted that stronger inter-institutional and whole-of-society co-operation is needed to identify and jointly address risk factors for youth engagement in criminality at an early stage. Finally, participants stressed the importance of youth dialogue and engagement to prevent organized crime and corruption.  

OSCE Chairman-in-Office Bujar Osmani said: “We need to actively engage young people by providing national, regional and cross-regional platforms for dialogue and experience-sharing, and by giving youth a voice in the design and development of policies and initiatives to prevent organized crime and corruption.”

The event gathered representatives from several ministries, including Internal Affairs, Justice and Education, Ombudsman Offices and Anti-Corruption Agencies from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, alongside academia, civil society and young people from the region. It enabled policymakers and practitioners to discuss youth crime trends, identify capacity needs and exchange best practices related to youth crime prevention – all with direct input from young people themselves.

OSCE CiO’s Special Representative on Youth Memet Zhaku said: “As the next generation of politicians, entrepreneurs and civil society actors, young people have an important role to play in building a culture of lawfulness and integrity across all levels of society. They are key to strengthening whole-of-society resilience to organized crime and corruption”.

The director of GI-TOC’s Observatory of Illicit Economies in South Eastern Europe, Fatjona Mejdini emphasized that: “Civil society plays a crucial role in helping youth build resilience  against organized crime and corruption and empowers them to become positive agents of change in their communities”.

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

COPENHAGEN, 7 June 2023 – Registration is open for journalists interested in covering the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 30th Annual Session, taking place 30 June – 4 July in Vancouver.

Hundreds of parliamentarians from North America, Europe and Central Asia will meet next month in Vancouver, Canada, for the 30th Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. Taking place 30 June to 4 July at the Vancouver Convention Centre under the theme of “Strengthening Regional Security by Fostering Democratic and Inclusive Societies: The Role of the OSCE PA,” the meeting will be addressed by representatives of the Canadian parliament and government, as well as high-level officials from the OSCE.

Following several days of committee work, the Annual Session will culminate in the adoption of the Vancouver Declaration on 4 July, containing recommendations to national governments, parliaments and the international community. The largest event on the Assembly’s calendar, the Annual Session will focus largely on the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine and its related political, security and humanitarian impacts.

Programmes, reports and draft resolutions are available at the OSCE PA’s website.

Journalists who wish to attend the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Annual Session will need to complete the accreditation form by Monday 26 June.

The Annual Session will be livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook – no registration necessary to follow online. Follow on social media with the hashtag #OSCEPAVancouver23.

The OSCE PA brings together 323 delegates from 56 parliaments, plus a guest of honour from the Holy See. Established by the 1990 Paris Summit with the aim of advancing the aim of comprehensive security, the Assembly provides a forum for parliamentary diplomacy, monitors elections, and strengthens international co-operation to uphold commitments on political, security, economic, environmental and human rights issues.

The OSCE is not responsible for the content of the media advisory as it is the product of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), an independent and autonomous organization. All queries should be directed to the OSCE PA press office.

Tashkent, 7 June 2023 – Observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will hold a press conference on the opening of the election observation mission to the early presidential election in Uzbekistan on Thursday, 8 June.

The press conference will take place via Zoom only.

What:

• An introduction to the role of the ODIHR election observation mission and its planned activities

Who:

• Ambassador Urszula Gacek, Head of the ODIHR election observation mission

When:

• 15.00 local time (GMT+5) on 8 June 2023

Registration:

Please register by 13:00 local time on 8 June by contacting Elma Šehalić at the following link.

For further information on ODIHR’s election observation activities in Uzbekistan, please visit:  https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/uzbekistan

Media Contact:          

Elma Šehalić, Media Analyst: Elma.Sehalic@odihr.uz, +998 90 830 2891

545602 OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Collection of Council of Europe and OSCE National Minority Standards

On 7 June, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov together with Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić,  launched the webpage: Collection of Council of Europe and OSCE National Minority Standards. Developed jointly, the webpage serves as an online resource, collecting in one place access to all key documents and texts on national minority standards from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Council of Europe. The webpage aims to make these standards more widely accessible and available to policymakers, civil society and government authorities dealing with national minority issues.

The joint webpage is not only an example of the HCNM’s and Council of Europe’s long-standing co-operation; it is also part of each institution’s marking of important milestones. This year is the 30th anniversary of the office of the High Commissioner on National Minorities opening its doors in The Hague, and, for the Council of Europe, 2023 is the 25th anniversary of the entry into force of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

The initiative for the webpage started in 2021 during a meeting between High Commissioner Abdrakhmanov and Secretary General Pejčinović Burić when they decided to revisit the 2007 joint publication ‘National minority standards; A compilation of OSCE and Council of Europe texts’. This valuable compendium included all of their relevant national minority related texts to date, but as both institutions have since significantly added to their range of instruments for strengthening engagement in national minority issues, the 2007 publication was in great need of updating.

The development of the updated Collection as a webpage, rather than as a printed publication, is not only more eco-friendly, it also allows for a far greater number of texts and documents to be accommodated, including in various languages, and for the standards to be more widely available. Moreover, as the HCNM and the Council of Europe continue to develop and expand their approaches to the evolving challenges related to national minorities, the webpage will be updated to include these additions.

How to enhance anti-trafficking national leadership structures is the focus of the largest annual meeting of the National Anti-trafficking Co-ordinators and Rapporteurs, which has started today at the headquarters of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France.

The Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (OSR/CTHB) and the Council of Europe (CoE) co-organized the meeting, which concludes tomorrow.

More than 130 participants, representing nearly 60 countries from the Council of Europe and OSCE regions and beyond, are gathered to discuss ways to strengthen the mandates and roles of the National Anti-Trafficking Co-ordinators and Rapporteurs (NACs and NARs), or equivalent mechanisms. NACs and NARs are critical parts of an effective national anti-trafficking strategy, preferably placed in a high-level position in government and in independent human rights bodies, to better leverage, direct, and harmonize the different instruments of the anti-trafficking efforts and maximize their impact.

“The elevated risk for exploitation today means that there is a pressing need and obligation to take action. Success in overcoming the challenges we face requires national leadership,” OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid stressed in her welcoming remarks.

“Unfortunately, States are still not doing a good enough job at identifying and protecting victims of trafficking when the data tells us that less than 1% of all trafficking victims are ever identified, and far too few of those who are identified receive the services and support they need, tailored to their specific vulnerabilities and circumstances,” added Andrea Salvoni, Acting Co-ordinator of the OSCE OSR/CTHB, in his opening remarks

“Our collective duty is to ensure that the fight against human trafficking remains at the top of the political agenda at the national, regional and international levels,” stated Maria Spassova, Vice-Chair of the Committee of the Parties to the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. “The Reykjavik Declaration recently adopted by the Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe emphasized the need to combat human trafficking and foster international co-operation,” she added.

“The annual meetings of national anti-trafficking co-ordinators and rapporteurs provide a platform for exchange of information and ideas, and reinforce their resolve to guide action against human trafficking in the face of new challenges and competing priorities,” concluded Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Council of Europe Anti-Trafficking Convention.

Better identifying and assisting victims of transnational trafficking, enhancing proactive use of financial investigations, understanding and addressing trafficking in human beings for the purpose of forced criminality, and ways to enhance the mandates and roles of the NACs and NARs are among the topics to be treated during the working sessions of the two-day meeting.    

OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

A regional workshop on countering terrorism was held on 5-6 June 2023 in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, focusing on the prevention of bioterrorism attacks involving biological agents and toxins.

The workshop was organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat in partnership with the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) Programme on Countering Terrorist Use of Weapons and with the expert support of the OSCE Secretariat’s Forum for Security Co-operation Support Unit.

The two-day event brought together, both online and in-person, about 90 officials from the five Central Asian countries with expertise in the control of infectious viruses, bacteria and toxins.

In his opening speech John MacGregor, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, quoted the OSCE Principles Governing Non-Proliferation, which, adopted in 1994 and updated in 2013, call on OSCE participating States “to take further steps to stop the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and to intensify co-operation on a non-discriminatory and equitable basis.”

“By pooling together leading subject matter experts from the OSCE Secretariat, as well as various UN agencies and international organizations, the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat and UNCCT/UNOCT have contributed to further advancing global non-proliferation efforts,” added MacGregor.

In his video address during the opening session, UNOCT Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov, noted the timeliness of this workshop on preventing bioterrorism attacks based on a number of recent concerning incidents, the latest of which occurred in January this year in Germany, as well as the risk associated with the deployment of a range of agents by terrorists such as ISIL/Daesh.

Under-Secretary-General concluded by emphasizing that “bioterrorism is a global threat. One of the most important lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic is that global issues need global solutions.”

The regional workshop aimed to raise awareness among Central Asian countries’ law enforcement, border security officials and healthcare professionals of current biological threats related to global terrorism. Special emphasis was placed on raising participants’ awareness of biological threats triggers and indicators to prevent bioterrorism attacks.

In addition, experts from the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA); the 1540 Committee of the United Nations Security Council; the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), the World Customs Organization (WCO); the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research (UNICRI), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) contributed to the regional event online and in-person.  They underscored the need to implement a wide range of measures at the national and regional level to prevent bioterrorism attacks involving biological agents and toxins, as well as to further expand regional and international cooperation to comprehensively address the threat of biological terrorism.

The regional training workshop was organized within the framework of the Centre’s extrabudgetary multi-donor project “Strengthening State Border Service Capacities of Turkmenistan” and supported financially by the Government of Japan.