OSCE

543474 Marina Živaljević

A needs assessment to evaluate the fire mitigating measures in Montenegro concluded on 12 May, conducted by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) for the Ministry of Defense and with the support of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro.

During the week, representatives of the Swedish delegation, the Mission and the Ministry held working meetings and field visits to assess the firefighting preparedness before the start of the forest fire season.

Representatives of the Ministry of Defense stated that the visit of the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency was of great importance in advance of the fire season. “We are preparing and reviewing our fire system, so their experiences and support will help us enhance our system and readiness for all types of hazards,” said Ministry’s representatives.

Ulrika Hedman, Swedish Agency’s Project Manager, said that after a week of conversations, observations and exchange of experiences, they see room for improvement in the firefighting capacities of the country. “My firefighter team and I would like to thank both the OSCE Mission and the Ministry of Defence for organizing this assessment. We are looking forward to continued co-operation during the year,” said Hedman.

Dominique Waag, Head of OSCE Mission, expressed gratitude for the promised Swedish assistance as well as for seconding a Project officer to the Mission.

The Mission is supporting the Ministry of Defence in improving firefighting capabilities under the auspices of the extra budgetary project “Mitigation of Safety and Security Risks related to SALW/SCA in Montenegro”.

The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency is responsible for helping the Swedish society prepare for major accidents, crises and the consequences of war. In addition, the Agency provides international support to many partners and participates in a number of co-operation forums in the area of civil protection and preparedness, peace-support operations and more.

543450 Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Ton van den Brandt

VIENNA, 12 May 2023 - Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) Teresa Ribeiro concluded her visit to the United States of America from 1 – 5 May, where she presented the Joint Declaration on Media Freedom and Democracy and hosted several events on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day in New York, while in Washington she met with high-level officials in the U.S. Department of State.

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day (WPFD), Representative Teresa Ribeiro, along with freedom of expression mandate holders from the United Nations, the African Commission on Human and People's Rights, and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, presented this year's Joint Declaration on Media Freedom and Democracy. Aligned with the theme "Enabling a Future of Rights" for WPFD, the Joint Declaration emphasizes the crucial role of independent, free, and diverse media in providing reliable news and information, fostering robust public debate, and contributing to the cultivation of an informed and active citizenry.

On this occasion, the RFoM organized and participated in various side events. The first event, organized in collaboration with UNFPA, UN WOMEN and the Association for Progressive Communications (ACP), highlighted the interlinkages between freedom of expression and gender justice. The second event, organized in conjunction with the freedom of expression mandate holders, offered a more in-depth discussion with civil society and other stakeholders of the Joint Declaration’s main findings and recommendations. During a third event, jointly organized with UNESCO and its ‘Social Media 4 Peace’ project, focused on the question of how to build a healthier online information ecosystem to ensure access to public interest information. Another event focused on the interconnected nature of media freedom and security and was held in partnership with the North Macedonian Chairpersonship in Office and Albania as an elected member of the UN Security Council. This event received co-sponsorship from Sweden, Poland, and Finland, the recent and forthcoming Chairs of the OSCE.

The collective conclusion drawn from these events underscores the fact that challenges to media freedom have grown in scale and complexity. Many developments are interrelated and interconnected, negatively affecting the media system and its essential function in society. The broad spectrum of thematic areas covered by the events facilitated lively debates and pertinent discussions on some of the most urgent challenges to global media freedom, including those within the OSCE region.  These discussions also highlighted the important and unique mandate of the RFoM as part of a regional security organization.

While in New York, the Representative met with Anna Luehrmann, Minister of State for Europe and Climate at the Federal Foreign Office of Germany. During their conversations, they explored possibilities for strengthening multilateral engagement in support of media freedom.

The Representative continued her trip to the U.S. with meetings in Washington with high-level officials from the U.S. Department of State. She met with Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights Uzra Zeya, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary Kami Winter, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary Tom Selinger, and Deputy Assistant Secretary John M. Pommersheim. The discussions revolved around the regressing media freedom situation in the OSCE region, the growing challenges related to disinformation, alarming developments concerning media freedom in the context of Russian Federation's ongoing aggression against Ukraine, the safety of journalists and media workers, and the situation of exiled journalists.

543420

Currently, judicial and legal reforms are one of the top priorities for the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan and there is no doubt that lawyers play a crucial role in these processes.

This is why the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan – together with the Chamber of Advocates of the Republic of Uzbekistan and experts from the Centre de la Protection Internationale (Centre of International Protection) – organized the training titled “International Mechanisms for the Protection of Human Rights in the UN System”, held from 4 to 9 May in Samarkand. The event aimed to further develop the capacity of lawyers to protect and defend and human rights.

Overall, 36 participants (22 women and 14 men) took part in the training and focused on important topics including the role of the United Nations (UN) in the protection and the promotion of human rights, the procedure before the UN Human Rights Committee, the right to life and the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, as well as the right to a fair trial.

Ms. Nadia Yakhlaf-Lallemand, Head of the Human Dimension at the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, noted how the Development Strategy of New Uzbekistan 2022-2026 reflects the Government’s priorities to develop legislation expanding the powers of lawyers to provide effective legal aid, increase their participation in pre-trial and conciliation procedures, and ensure accessibility of legal aid to the population.

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator will continue to support judicial and legal reforms taking place in the host country in line with the aforementioned Development Strategy, particularly by contributing to the institutional and professional development of the Chamber of Advocates and its members.

VIENNA, 11 May 2023 - The current setbacks in media freedom in the OSCE region are not isolated incidents, but are closely linked to the larger political and social contexts in which they occur stated Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) Teresa Ribeiro today during the presentation of her bi-annual report to the OSCE Permanent Council.

She noted an erosion of democracy and a backsliding of human rights, accompanied by increasingly polarized societies, diminishing trust in democratic institutions, and the rise of extremist movements and populism. “Declining trust in democratic governance and institutions goes hand in hand with a decline in trust in the media. This, in turn, has affected adversely the sustainability, independence, and diversity of the media and their ability to promote democracy, the rule of law, security and peace,” said Ribeiro.

In her report, Ribeiro stressed that independent quality media is an essential pillar of democracy, holding power to account, promoting human rights, diversity and equality, and enhancing social cohesion and peacebuilding. She urged the participating States to reaffirm their commitment to ensuring that media freedom is a fundamental prerequisite for the establishment of peaceful societies, fostering mutual understanding among nations, and is an integral component of overall security.

Ribeiro also addressed the challenges posed by the unprecedented spread of false narratives, propaganda and disinformation facilitated by digital technologies and their impact on our communities. She noted that manipulative practices that influence information have become instrumentalized, while emphasizing the dangers of amplifying malign content in the online information space. The Representative also noted that the war by the Russian Federation against Ukraine has created a new reality: “One where we are faced with an increasing level of weaponization of information, blurring the lines between freedom of expression and its misuse for disinformation and propaganda for war, creating chaos and distrust in the media and other democratic institutions.”

She cautioned against regulatory proposals aimed at further controlling information flows and restricting free speech online, stressing the need to center the use of technologies that impact online information spaces on international human rights standards.

Ribeiro urged the participating States to protect and enhance media freedom in the OSCE region, promote independent quality media, and foster an information space that serves the public interest. “By providing reliable information, explanations, and analyses, the media enables a public debate and an informed and active citizenry. This facilitates free and independent elections and other forms of public participation and community engagement, including in decision-making processes, and contributes to peace and democracy,” said Ribeiro.

The report can found here: https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/a/a/543366_0.pdf

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

Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

A three-day training course on strengthening North Macedonia’s capacity to implement targeted financial sanction regimes concluded today in Veles, North Macedonia. The training was jointly organized by the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), with the support of the OSCE Mission to Skopje.

The course brought together twenty-two participants from nine different agencies of North Macedonia involved in the countering of terrorist financing, including the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Customs Administration, Financial Police Office, Intelligence Agency, Ministry of Justice, Financial Intelligence Office, Agency for National Security, and National Coordinator’s Office for Countering Violent Extremism and Countering Terrorism.

Sessions focused on the opportunities the sanction regime pursuant to UN Security Council Resolutions 1267 present as a disruption tool, procedures derived from it, and let participants engage in exercises to use sanctions effectively through inter-agency co-operation. An expert from the UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning ISIL (Da'esh), Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities presented the role of the Monitoring Team, the threat picture and a case study.

Mr. Zlatko Arsov, Deputy National Coordinator for Countering Violent Extremism and Countering Terrorism, highlighted in his opening remarks the need to foster regional and international co-operation in countering terrorism and thanked the OSCE for the support in organizing this series of training courses and more broadly for its support in drafting National Strategies on Countering Terrorism and Countering Violent Extremism.

This was the final course in the framework of the progressive training programme on countering the financing of terrorism, jointly implemented by the OSCE and UNODC since 2021 in North Macedonia and organized with the financial support of the United States. The programme included five tailored training modules for officials from North Macedonia, delivered by local trainers. It aimed to support further compliance with OSCE commitments and international standards in the field of countering the financing of terrorism. The OSCE Mission to Skopje will ensure follow-up support to the national agencies responsible for countering terrorism.

543306 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe Farhod Nabiyulloev

An OSCE-organized three-day training course on counteracting trafficking in human beings for facilitators from Women’s Resource Centres (WRCs) concluded on 28 April 2023 in Dushanbe.   

The course brought together some 25 participants and aimed at strengthening the knowledge of WRC facilitators on how to raise the awareness of the general public on human trafficking. Participants learned about the identification of persons at risk as well as survivors of the crime, the rights of victims of trafficking in human beings, and the rights of the child victims of trafficking as the special vulnerable group that needs enhanced protection. Other topics covered during the course were the difference between trafficking in human beings, smuggling of migrants, and illegal migration; direct and indirect actors in the field of combating trafficking in human beings; National Referral Mechanism for victims of trafficking in human beings and the role of WRCs within the National Referral Mechanism.

“I learnt about national and international human trafficking laws, the human rights of the victims of human trafficking, and how government agencies deal with this issue. Victims of human trafficking can be both women and men, orphans, refugees, and migrants. I will use my gained knowledge and skills at seminars with community members and will warn them against becoming victims of human trafficking,” said Abdurahim Kalandarzoda, Facilitator from “Darmonbakhsh” WRC in the Dusti district of the Khatlon region. 

“The training was prepared and organized at the highest level. The proposed topics were recognized as very important for the work of facilitators from WRCs,” said Inoatkhon Khojaeva, Facilitator of the WRC “Rohnamo” in the Lakhsh district of the Khatlon region adding that she will be able to apply this knowledge in practice.

Building the capacity of civil society representatives on counteracting domestic violence and trafficking in persons is one of the commitments of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe in the implementation of the OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality (2004) and OSCE Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings (2003).

The training course is being implemented within the Women’s Resource Centres project of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe and funded by the United States of America, Finland, Norway, Germany, and Andorra.

543297 Farhod Nabiyulloev Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

Twenty officers of the Tajik Border Troops completed the training course on operational planning on 5 May 2023 in Dushanbe. The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (OSCE) organized the course in co-operation with the Tajik Border Troops. The training course was conducted in the framework of OSCE's project Patrol Field Capacity Building of the Tajik Border Troops through Promotion of Regional Co-operation - Phase II, financed by the Republic of France.

During a three-week course, participants learned seven steps of the operational planning process. The training included classroom instructions introducing the concepts of operational planning followed by practical exercises. The students applied the learned concepts to a realistic planning scenario related to dealing with security and humanitarian issues on the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border. Gender-sensitive border security operations, human rights and humanitarian law and the Google Earth geospatial analysis software were also the focus of the training course.

Two International instructors from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Romania as well as two national experts from the Tajik Border Troops with expertise in operational planning conducted the course.

543255 Jeff Bieley Edita Buçaj

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo held yesterday in Gračanica/Graçanicë the first of six workshops with young members of non-majority communities to inform them about employment opportunities available with the Kosovo Police and to familiarize them with recruitment procedures.

The workshops will be conducted jointly with the police in different regions across Kosovo, and are being held in support of the ongoing Kosovo Police recruitment campaign.

The events will introduce participants to the application procedures to join the police, specifically focusing on the recruitment criteria and selection process, including written, physical and psychological tests. They will also learn about the basic professional police training course, and about the importance of police work in contributing to the communities they serve.

“Although the legal framework provides adequate protection and equal inclusion of all communities in the police ranks, the inclusion of non-majority communities remains a challenge for the police,” said Ambassador Michael Davenport, Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.  

“A diverse and representative police force serves its community better. We commend the Kosovo Police for their efforts to reach out to all communities, providing first-hand information and answering questions, and motivating people to become part of the police to provide security and safety to the diverse communities of Kosovo,” he added.

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

Besides specialized training and development opportunities for the police, the Mission works with the Kosovo Police to further increase the participation of non-majority communities and women in its ranks.

A video message from Ambassador Davenport in Albanian and Serbian supporting this campaign can be viewed here: 

Albanian: (1) Facebook

Serbian: (1) Facebook

Today the OSCE Moscow Mechanism rapporteur Professor Hervé Ascensio presented his findings to the OSCE Permanent Council, collected in his report entitled ‘Report on the serious threat to the OSCE human dimension in Belarus since 5 November 2020’.

Ascensio was appointed rapporteur by the 38 participating States that invoked the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism on 23 March to examine “threats to the fulfilment of the provisions of the human dimension posed by human rights violations and abuses in the Republic of Belarus”.

The Mechanism, agreed by consensus by all OSCE participating States, allows for an investigation to be launched without consensus and independently of the OSCE Chairpersonship, institutions and decision-making bodies if one State, supported by at least nine others, "considers that a particularly serious threat to the fulfilment of the provisions of the [OSCE] human dimension has arisen in another participating State".

The Permanent Council is one of the OSCE’s main decision-making bodies, and convenes each week in Vienna to discuss developments in the OSCE area and make decisions on future activities.

The report, which contains numerous recommendations, is available here.

Information for Google Short title:  United States mid-term elections 477766 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz

The November mid-term congressional elections were competitive and professionally managed, with voters actively taking part. Candidates could campaign freely, but the tone was highly polarized and the campaign negatively impacted by harsh rhetoric. In many cases, partisan redistricting reduced the competitiveness in some constituencies. Disclosure rules for campaign finance are generally comprehensive, but loopholes in the law make the impact of money in politics less transparent. There was generally a high level of confidence in the election administration, but the politicization of the offices of chief election officials and the intimidation of election workers were issues of concern.

These are some of the main conclusions detailed in the final report published today by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). The report offers 31 recommendations to bring elections in the United States of America closer in line with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections.

Key recommendations include:

• Guaranteeing full representation rights in Congress, to citizens residing in the District of Columbia, as well as U.S. territories

• Ensuring that redistricting is carried out by independent bodies to ensure competitiveness and provide effective opportunity for voters, including minorities, to elect the representatives of their choice

• Considering comprehensive reform of the legal framework for campaign finance to ensure a more level playing field for smaller parties and independent candidates, as well as limiting campaign expenditures

• Legally requiring independent groups and non-profit organizations that engage in campaign activities or donate to campaign committees to disclose the sources of their funding within a specific timeframe

• Barring election officials at state and local level from overseeing elections in which they are competing

• Discouraging inflammatory and divisive rhetoric, including attempts to undermine trust in the electoral process

• Ensuring that voter identification documents are equally available to all voters

• Setting of policy by federal states, together with relevant federal institutions, to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of electronic absentee voting

• Strengthening legal, financial, technological, and educational support for local journalism to encourage a more diverse media environment

• Ensuring access to international and citizen non-partisan observers in all states and to all stages of the electoral process

ODIHR deployed a Limited Election Observation Mission (LEOM) to the United States of America from 25 September to 18 November to observe the 8 November vote.

In Paragraph 25 of the 1999 OSCE Istanbul Document, OSCE states committed “to follow up promptly the ODIHR’s election assessment and recommendations”. The ODIHR Electoral Recommendations Database tracks the extent to which recommendations are implemented by states across the OSCE region.

543213 Marina Živaljević

How young athletes can foster peace building and conflict resolution efforts and promote inclusive intercultural dialogues – was discussed at the fifth youth camp on “Intercultural Competence Skills in Sport”, organized by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and the Regional Youth Co-operation Office (RYCO) from 8 to 10 May in Kolašin.

Around 20 young athletes from different sport associations gathered to learn more about intercultural skill sets and exchange experiences.

Opening the event, Siv-Katrine Leirtroe, Deputy Head of Mission, emphasised the importance of giving young people opportunities to talk and learn about how they can contribute to building tolerant and peaceful societies. “Sport is a place where people of different cultures and backgrounds come together and fight stereotypes and discrimination in spite of holding different views. Education is important, but it needs a vision. It must inspire young people’s minds, stir their emotions and lend wings to their actions,” said Leirtroe.

Edin Koljenović, Head of the RYCO Local Branch Office in Montenegro said he was pleased with the opportunity to hold this event for five years in a row. “Our young athletes have achieved successes and won medals, making them role models amongst their peers, able to nurture team spirit, friendships, leadership and embracing differences. Today they demonstrated great energy, who after this camp will become ambassadors of RYCO values,” said Koljenović.

Upon the completion of the camp, participants were awarded with certificates.

542967 Marina Živaljević

Ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro partnered with representatives from media self-regulatory bodies in Montenegro to draft a Manual on effective media reporting during election campaigns with 22 concrete recommendations in line with OSCE and international standards, and the Code of Ethics for Montenegrin Journalists.

The Introduction of the Manual sets out the obligation of the media to report accurately and with due care as a fundamental preconditions for the functioning of democracy based on universal suffrage. It adds that the Manual offers a comprehensive and systematic approach to the media community to identify potential professional challenges and provides suggestions as to how to professionally respond to these challenges while covering an election campaign.

In drafting this manual, representatives of the media self-regulatory bodies reviewed recommendations from international organizations on media reporting during elections, as well as the national legal framework within which elections take place. The document also stresses the importance of professional and ethical reporting, to accurately present pluralistic and balanced views in covering an election.  In addition to reporting on the performance of incumbents, providing a platform for debates among candidates, allowing candidates to communicate their message to the electorate, and reporting on campaign developments, the media should inform voters on how to exercise their rights, monitor the electoral process, including election-day proceedings, and report the results to the public. The manual also includes suggestions for preparing the editorial office for the elections.

Members of the Technical Working Group on Self-Regulation, who prepared the Manual, are: Mr Ranko Vujović, Executive Secretary of the Media Council for Self-Regulation; Ms Aneta Spaic, Representative of the Media Council for Self-Regulation; Mr Mihailo Jovović, Programme Director of the daily Vijesti; Ms Paula Petričević, Ombudsperson of the daily Vijesti and the weekly Monitor; Mr Ilija Jovićević, Ombudsperson of the daily Dan and Ms Ljiljana Minić, Editor at the daily Dan.

In the Ministerial Council’s Decision 3/18 in Milan, OSCE participating States recognized the crucial role of journalists in covering elections, in particular in informing the public about candidates, their platforms and ongoing debates.

* This activity is part of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro’s 2023 project and is not linked to the current election observation activities conducted by ODIHR.

542952

Traditional handicraft is inseparable from Central Asia, evoking images of the Silk Road. Yet, the future of trade is digital.

This was the focus of the Regional Forum "E-commerce in handicraft as a driver of key changes in women's entrepreneurship in Central Asia", held on 5-6 May 2023 in Termez, Uzbekistan. The event provided a platform to discuss the role information technology (IT) and digital solutions play in the development of the handicraft sector, in particular for businesswomen. The Forum, organized by the International Business Women Association of Uzbekistan (IBWA) in co-operation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz), brought together around 130 women entrepreneurs from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, as well as Afghan women established in Uzbekistan.

Discussions stressed how handicraft has recently grown into a thriving industry that strengthens local cultural economies, with IT and digital solutions boosting the potential for regional cooperation.

As an example, the e-commerce market in Uzbekistan is developing rapidly, thanks to the active participation of businesswomen and the support of state policies, programmes and strategies in this area. In particular, bordering three countries the Surkhandarya province – whose capital is Termez – offers great opportunities for regional trade, connectivity and business co-operation.

"Helping women acquire the digital knowledge and skills needed to develop entrepreneurship is an integral part of OSCE programmes aimed at women's economic empowerment," said Sergei Sizov, Acting OSCE Project Co-ordinator.

For many years, the OSCE PCUz has been supporting initiatives to strengthen business capacities of women, to improve their employment opportunities, and to promote their economic participation through digital technologies. Concrete examples include the support to the start-up Coozin – a digital platform helping women to run an online cooking business, training courses on computer literacy and digital marketing for women in cooperation with IT Park, and long-term fruitful cooperation with the IBWA to develop communities of businesswomen in different regions of Uzbekistan.

Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe Farhod Nabiyulloev

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (Office) celebrated the World Press Freedom Day together with its national and international partners on 3 May 2023 in Dushanbe. This year’s theme "Shaping a Future of Rights. Freedom of Expression as a driver for all other human rights" created a platform for participants to re-engage, establish network, exchange experience, raise the awareness and discuss the current state of the media affairs in Tajikistan.

High-level representatives from Tajikistan's government, as well as international organizations, embassies, civil society and media outlets attended the conference. The Office organized the conference in cooperation with the Government of Tajikistan, Tajik Media Council, INTERNEWS, the US Embassy, the UK Embassy, the EU Delegation, German Embassy, French Embassy, the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office and UNESCO.

The event featured a series of panel discussions, keynote speeches and workshops. The participants also discussed the challenges and opportunities facing the media industry in Tajikistan. A follow-up workshops on media development, journalism education and reporting, aimed at equipping journalists with the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing media landscape, were also among the focus of the conference.

Representative of Tajikistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ms Zarrina Ismoilzoda said that in a democratic and law-abiding society, the press is one of the main means of influencing public opinion, and its role in the process of democratization and formation of public opinion is very important. She added that the activity of the mass media is based on the Constitution, legislation of the Republic of Tajikistan and other international regulatory legal documents recognized by Tajikistan.

“In the OSCE, we firmly believe that freedom of expression and freedom of the media constitutes basic human rights. Implementation of these principles further serves the stability, development and prosperity,” stated Acting Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe Tea Jaliashvili in her opening speech.

“In Tajikistan, and around the world, an independent press is a key element of building democracy. We will continue to support the professional development of journalists in Tajikistan through exchange programmes, English classes, reporting tours, and technical support for media outlets. We will also continue to urge the Government of Tajikistan to support the rights of journalists and to respect their freedom of expression. We stand ready as friends and partners to assist,” said the U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan H.E. Mr Manuel P., Micaller while delivering his speech during the World Press Freedom Day Conference in Dushanbe.

Ambassador of the French Republic to Tajikistan H.E. Mr Eric Lebédel-Delumeau stated that the EU Member States remain fully committed to engage with governments, media and civil society to strengthen press freedom in Tajikistan and globally. He added that in Dushanbe the EU Ambassadors aligned themselves with the statement.

“Freedom of expression is the right to express our opinion and our right to participate in political, social, economic, cultural life and to find and disseminate accurate and quality information, which is considered one of the basic and fundamental rights for us journalists,” said Ms Hurinisso Alizoda, Chairperson of Tajik Media Council. “Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the World Press Freedom Day by Tajik journalists means that our country respects this right as a member of the UN,” added Ms Alizoda.

542889 Marina Živaljević

In support of an ongoing transformation of the national public service broadcaster – Radio Television Montenegro (RTCG), the OSCE Mission to Montenegro supported the development of the RTCG’s Development Strategy and Digital Transformation Strategy for the period 2023-2027, presented on 5 May in Podgorica.

The Development Strategy lays a five-year foundation for RTCG to preserve the fundamental principles of public service media, its reliability and pluralism, while looking for an increased audience. The Digital Transformation Strategy aims to increase RTCG’s internal communication efficiency and facilitate its external accountability.

Speaking at the event, attended by decision-makers, representatives of Montenegrin and international institutions, and civil society, Dominique Waag, Head of Mission, said that while supporting RTCG in drafting the two strategies, the OSCE Mission focused on RTCG’s transformation into a contemporary and attractive public service broadcaster.

“OSCE principles recognize that independent and pluralistic media are critical in enabling and sustaining democratic societies. Governments should ensure that Public Service Media are politically, editorially, and financially independent to build a well-informed and engaged citizenry, fight unverified information, and make public institutions accountable. As a national public broadcaster, RTCG has a unique and vital role as a source of information aligning with the public interest,” said Ambassador Waag. She recalled the importance of investigative journalism and added that RTCG has to be a service of diverse content in observation of high quality and ethical standards and a factor of social cohesion and integration while giving a voice to everyone.

Boris Raonić, RTCG General Director, stated that RTCG has recognized that the media scene has undergone a transformation. “The way citizens look for information has changed dramatically. The digital age, in which Montenegro is late, is on the scene, but I am happy that we are ready for the challenge. Next year we celebrate 80 years of existence. We have been a companion for the citizens of our country for so long, we are part of the routine and witnesses of the most important and historical events. We will inject energy into a public service that is ready to tackle all challenges,” said Raonić, thanking for the Mission’s support in the development of the strategies.

The Mission engaged two external consultants, Professor Mirjana Nikolić and Dragana Janinović, who, together with RTCG, worked to develop Development and Digital Transformation Strategies for Montenegro’s national public broadcaster.

In 2022, the Mission supported RTCG’s journalists through training sessions and provision of technical equipment for their work, but also commissioned two opinion polls to help RTCG strengthen its brand and programming. OSCE will continue to support RTCG’s transformation into a contemporary public service broadcaster.

PODGORICA, 5 May 2023 - The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an observation mission for the 11 June early parliamentary elections in Montenegro, following an invitation from the national authorities.

The mission is led by Nina Suomalainen and consists of a core team of 11 experts based in Podgorica. Twelve long-term observers seconded by the OSCE participating States will be deployed throughout the country from 13 May. ODIHR also plans to request 100 short-term observers, to arrive several days before election day.

The mission will assess the early parliamentary elections for their compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation.

Observers will closely monitor the work of the election administration and relevant government bodies, campaign activities, including in the media and on social networks, election-related legislation and its implementation, and the resolution of election-related disputes. They will also assess the implementation of previous ODIHR election recommendations.

To assess the pre-election activities, the ODIHR mission will hold meetings with representatives of state authorities, political parties and candidates, civil society, the media and the international community.

On election day, the ODIHR mission will join efforts with delegations from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament to observe the opening of polling stations, voting, the counting of ballots and the tabulation of results.

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

The ODIHR Election Observation Mission and the OSCE Mission to Montenegro operate independently under separate mandates. For further information on ODIHR’s election observation activities in the country, please visit: https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/montenegro

For further information, please contact: 

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

Pietro Tesfamariam, Media Analyst for Election Observation Mission:  pietro.tesfamariam@odihr.me or +382 68 860 873

542850 Željka Šulc

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina has recently published a report analyzing 433 domestic court decisions in anti-discrimination cases rendered between mid-2018 and mid-2021. The Mission report shows an increase in lawsuits and judgments under the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination. This suggests a growing awareness of this vital legal instrument.

While there have been significant institutional and legislative developments to address discrimination in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is still a long way to go. The implementation and consistent application of the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination, as well as addressing the practical issues identified in the Mission’s report, are crucial to addressing this ongoing challenge.

Practices between courts remain inconsistent, particularly in mobbing cases, and when awarding non-pecuniary damages. In addition, the inconsistent approaches to the question of the burden of proof continue.

“The analysis identifies weaknesses and inconsistencies in case law while also accounting for the totality of judicial output in these cases,” said Ambassador Brian Aggeler, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH. “We hope this analysis will help judges in BiH apply and interpret anti-discrimination legislation properly and consistently.“

NEW YORK CITY, 4 May 2023 – The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, addressed the United Nations (UN) Security Council today to reflect on 30 years of co-operation between the two organizations.

“Both the UN and the OSCE should stand together and resolutely work on ways to promote and safeguard peace because no organization can do it alone. Only through collaboration and mutual support can we create a world that is safe, secure, and prosperous for all,” said Osmani.

“As security challenges continue to evolve, the nature of OSCE co-operation with the UN must evolve as well. We must become more pragmatic and action oriented. In the 30 years that have elapsed, the UN and the OSCE have built a significant relationship and coordinated very closely in operational terms. We need to tighten those relations even more now,” he added.

“Peace is the driving force of multilateralism and is the most precious ideal of humankind.  Therefore, we must join forces around our joint pursuit for peace. After all, it’s about people,” concluded Osmani.

The OSCE will mark the 30th Anniversary of its Framework for Co-operation and Co-ordination with the UN on 26 May 2023. This 1993 Framework has been reinforced over the decades by a host of agreements between the OSCE and various UN bodies, strengthening the co-operation between the organizations from high-level political collaboration to technical co-operation on the ground.

542820 Communication and Media Relations Section

The future of security in the Black Sea region was the focus of the first Security Dialogue organized by the Bulgarian Chairpersonship of the Forum for Security Co-operation, held on 3 May. Drawing on the gravity and long-term consequences of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the meeting provided an opportunity for in-depth discussions about the state of play of security in the wider Black Sea region and its role as an integral part of European security.

During the session, two distinct approaches were highlighted: outlining the critical factors that influence the security environment and surveying the varying perceptions of the challenges, threats and possible opportunities. 

The key messages in the discussion stressed that Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine had fundamentally changed the European security environment, leading to a less co-operative and multilateral international system. With regional co-operation mechanisms, such as those established under OSCE auspices, also being affected. The war further evidenced the significant impact of the security challenges in the wider Black Sea region and beyond.

The forum was addressed by Yordan Bozhilov, Director of the Sofia Security Forum, Gheorghe Magheru, Member of the Scientific Council, New Strategy Center, Romania, Tacan Ildem, Chairman of the Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies in Türkiye and Dr. Deborah Sanders, Reader in Defence and Security Studies at King`s College London.

The OSCE Moscow Mechanism mission of experts undertaken by Professor Veronika Bílková, Dr. Cecilie Hellestveit and Dr. Elīna Šteinerte presented their findings to the OSCE Permanent Council on 4 May 2023, collected in the report entitled ‘Report on Violations and Abuses of International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law, War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity, related to the Forcible Transfer and/or Deportation of Ukrainian Children to the Russian Federation’.

The three experts were selected after 45 OSCE participating States, following consultation with Ukraine, invoked the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism on 30 March to “build upon previous findings and establish the facts and circumstances surrounding possible contraventions of relevant OSCE commitments, violations and abuses of human rights, and violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as well as possible cases of war crimes and crimes against humanity, associated with or resulting from the forcible transfer of children within parts of Ukraine’s territory temporarily controlled or occupied by Russia and/or their deportation to the Russian Federation; and to collect, consolidate, and analyze this information with a view to offer recommendations, as well as provide the information to relevant accountability mechanisms, as well as national, regional, or international courts or tribunals that have, or may in future have, jurisdiction”.

The Mechanism, agreed by all OSCE participating States, allows for one or more participating States to request ODIHR to “inquire of another participating State whether it would agree to invite a mission of experts to address a particular, clearly defined question on its territory relating to the human dimension”.

The Permanent Council is one of the OSCE’s main decision-making bodies, and convenes each week in Vienna to discuss developments in the OSCE area and make decisions on future activities.

The observations of the mission of experts are available here.