OSCE

VIENNA, 12 July 2017 – Strategic and innovative approaches to reducing the supply and demand of illicit drugs is the focus of this year’s annual OSCE-wide Conference on Combating the Threat of Illicit Drugs and the Diversion of Chemical Precursors, which takes place on 16 and 17 July at the Hofburg, Vienna. The meeting will bring together experts of OSCE participating States, Partners for Co-operation, international organizations and civil society.

The Conference is organized by the Italian OSCE Chairmanship and the Strategic Police Matters Unit of the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department.

During the Conference, participants will look at integrated and mutually reinforcing programmes to reduce supply and demand of illicit drugs; the relationship between drug control policy, security and development; prevention, early intervention and education as alternative strategies for today’s current practices; and the workings and possible shortcomings of the international drug control system.

The conference will be opened by Permanent Representative of Italy to the OSCE and Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council Alessandro Azzoni, UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov, OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger, and Director for Anti-drug Services at Italy’s Interior Ministry Giuseppe Cucchiara.

Representatives of the media are invited to cover the opening of the conference from 10:30 to 11:00 on Monday, 16 July 2017 in the Neuer Saal of the Hofburg Conference Centre. Please send an e-mail to press@osce.org by 09:00, Monday 16 July to confirm attendance.

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UDINE, Italy, 12 July 2018 – How to address concerns related to national minorities between states while promoting peaceful and good neighbourly relations will be the focus of a conference organized by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) and the Italian 2018 OSCE Ch­airmanship in Udine, Italy on Monday, 16 July.

The conferenceis being held to mark ten years since the launch of the HCNM’s Bolzano/Bozen Recommendations on National Minorities in Inter-State Relations: New Challenges and Lessons Learned.

Introductory remarks will be made by the OSCE High Commissioner, Lamberto Zannier, the Italian OSCE Chairmanship Co-ordinator, Vinicio Mati, the President of Italy’s Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Massimiliano Fedriga, and the Mayor of Udine, Pietro Fontanini. Following the keynote speech by the former President of Slovenia, Danilo Türk, representatives of participating States and experts will engage in discussion.

The event will be open to the media from 9:00 to 10:30 and there will be an opportunity for media representatives to meet the key speakers from 10:30 to 11:00. Journalists are invited to Sala Ajace, Palazzo D’Aronco, entrance from Piazza della Libertà 10, Udine. Media representatives should register by Sunday, 15 July, 18:00, by sending their name, contact details and the name of the media outlet they represent to Elisabetta Pozzetto, elisabetta.pozzetto@regione.fvg.it.

Further information and the agenda are available here.

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This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, compared with the previous reporting period, and no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it again observed military presence inside the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas.* Its access was also restricted near Khrustalnyi, Zaichenko and Kozatske, as well as near Izvaryne and Sievernyi, near the border with the Russian Federation, and near Druzheliubivka in Kherson region.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Starolaspa, Novooleksandrivka and Khrustalnyi. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station, as well as repairs and maintenance works to other essential civilian infrastructure near Zalizne, Artema, Stanytsia Luhanska, Novotoshkivske and Raivka. The SMM monitored two gatherings in Kyiv, a gathering in Dnipro and followed up on court cases in Kharkiv region related to the fishing ship Nord.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations[1], including about 25 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 90 explosions).

On the evening and night of 10-11 July, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, an illumination flare in vertical flight, three projectiles in flight from east to west and five undetermined explosions, all 2-6km south.

On the evening and night of 10-11 July, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, 16 projectiles in flight from south-east to north-west and five projectiles from north-west to south-east, followed by totals of eight undetermined explosions and 134 projectiles (82 from south-east to north-west and 52 from north-west to south-east), all 6-10km north-east.

On the evening of 10 July, while in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 14 shots of small-arms fire 1-1.5km west. During the day on 11 July, while at the same location, the SMM heard about 75 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 1-1.5km north-west. Positioned in the north-western outskirts of Horlivka, the SMM heard about 100 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire 0.2-3km north-west.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded no ceasefire violations. In the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded ceasefire violations, including about 50 explosions.

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk)[2], as foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016. The SMM’s access remained restricted, but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.*

Positioned in the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM saw a van with military licence plates, a red cross on a white background on both sides of the vehicle, and three people in military clothing inside enter the disengagement area from its northern edge and travel south-west in the direction of Katerynivka (government-controlled, 64km west of Luhansk). About 15 minutes later, the SMM saw the same vehicle with three people in military clothing inside travel back along the same route and exit the disengagement area.

Positioned in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM observed a calm situation.

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

In violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, on 10 July, an SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted four probable self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Starolaspa (51km south of Donetsk) (see SMM Daily Report 6 July 2018). On 11 July, the SMM saw 13 stationary towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) west of Novooleksandrivka (75km south-east of Donetsk) and three stationary multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) near Khrustalnyi (formerly Krasnyi Luch, 56km south-west of Luhansk).*

The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage did not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification from the SMM to the signatories of the Package of Measures on effective monitoring and verification of the withdrawal of heavy weapons. In non-government-controlled areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines in Donetsk region, the SMM noted that a towed howitzer (D-30) and 15 mortars (PM-38, 120mm) were again missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles (ACVs) and anti-aircraft guns[3] in the security zone. In government-controlled-areas, on 10 July, an SMM mini-UAV spotted an infantry fighthing vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) and two anti-aircraft guns (ZU-23-2), one of which was mounted on an armoured personel carrier (APC) (MT-LB), near a residential area of Trokhizbenka (32km north-west of Luhansk). On the same day, an SMM long-range UAV spotted two IFVs (BMP variants) near Pivnichne (formerly Kirove, 44km north-east of Donetsk), three IFVs (a BMP-2 and two BMP variants), an APC (BTR-80), an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRM-1K) and an artillery reconnaissance vehicle (PRP-4 Nard) near Novhorodske (35km north of Donetsk), as well as an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRM-1K), an IFV (BMP variant) near Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk), two APCs (BTR-80) near Verkhnotoretske (23km north-east of Donetsk) and an ACV near Pisky (11km north-west of Donetsk).

In non-government-controlled areas, on 10 July, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted two IFVs (BMP-2) near Starolaspa and three IFVs (BMP-1) near Bila Kamianka (51km south of Donetsk).

The SMM continued to observe mines. On 10 July, an SMM mid-range UAV again spotted 12 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid in two rows on a road about 800m north-west of Bila Kamianka (see SMM Daily Report 2 July 2018) and again spotted eight anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid across a road about 2km east of Starohnativka (government-controlled, 51km south of Donetsk) (see SMM Daily Report 4 April 2018).

The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS, including through monitoring adherence to the ceasefire. Positioned in areas near the DFS, the SMM heard ceasefire violations, despite explicit security guarantees (see above and table below for details). The SMM also continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne (formerly Artemove, government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk), to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), a water channel in Stanytsia Luhanska, a water pipeline in Novotoshkivske (government-controlled, 53km west of Luhansk) and a power line near Raivka (non-government-controlled, 16km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians living close to the contact line. In Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM saw about 15 people (11 women and four men, aged 55-70) waiting to collect water from a plastic reservoir in the centre of the village. A man (aged 60-70) told the SMM that many residents rely on public reservoirs for potable water.

The SMM also noted 15 Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel repairing a broken bridge south-west of Popasna on road T0504. (See SMM Daily Report 15 June 2018.)

The SMM visited two border areas not under government control. While at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw 30 cars (14 with Ukrainian and 13 with Russian Federation licence plates, and three with “LPR” plates), two covered cargo trucks (with Ukrainian licence plates) and 16 pedestrians in a queue to exit Ukraine. The SMM also saw three cars (one with Ukrainian and two with Russian Federation licence plates), a bus (with Ukrainian licence plates) and 13 pedestrians entering Ukraine. After ten minutes, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

While at a border crossing point near Sievernyi (50km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw eight pedestrians entering Ukraine. After about 15 minutes, an armed member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

The SMM monitored two gatherings in Kyiv. It saw a group of about 4,000 people (mostly men, mixed ages) and about 700 cars (all with foreign licence plates, mostly Polish and Lithuanian) blocking the street between the Parliament building at 5 Mykhaila Hrushevskoho Street and the Cabinet of Ministers building at 12/2 Mykhaila Hrushevskoho Street, as well as about 500 yellow-and-blue and black-and-white “Auto Euro Power” flags and posters related to a “lack of affordable cars in Ukraine”. In the area, the SMM saw about 360 police and 90 National Guard officers, nine military trucks, a police van, an ambulance, a fire truck, as well as ten police and National Guard buses parked nearby. In front of the Cabinet of Ministers building, the SMM saw a group of male protestors burning flares and a smoke-canister and, later in the day, the SMM observed that some of the protesters threw smoke flares in the direction of the National Guard officers. Around 14:00, the SMM noted that many people had started to disperse. No further incidents were observed while the SMM was present.

In a separate gathering in front of the Cabinet of Ministers building, the SMM saw about 600 people (mostly men, mixed ages), many of whom were wearing orange plastic work helmets and some were holding Ukrainian flags. The SMM heard those gathered expressing their support for the continued operation of a chemical factory in Ukraine. The gathering ended peacefully.

The SMM monitored a gathering in Dnipro of about 70 people (men and women, mixed ages), including representatives of religious communities, in a park near the Regional Council building at 2b Oleksandra Polia Avenue. The SMM heard speakers expressing support for freeing prisoners of war detained in the Russian Federation. The SMM also saw five young men (aged 14-20) wearing clothing with C-14 (Sich) insignia. The SMM did not see any police present and the gathering ended peacefully.

The SMM followed up on court cases related to the fishing ship Nord at a district court in Kharkiv region. According to the district court in Dergachi (16km north-west of Kharkiv) informed the SMM that the court cases related to the eight crew members of the fishing ship Nord had been closed on procedural grounds in accordance with Articles 38(2) and 247(7) of Code of Administrative Offences of Ukraine. (For previous reports, see SMM Daily Report 10 April 2018.)

The SMM continued monitoring in Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi.

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

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

Denial of access:

• At a border crossing point near Izvaryne, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.
• At a border crossing near Sievernyi, an armed member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.
• A member of the armed formations denied the SMM access to a compound near Khrustalnyi. From the outside, the SMM saw three MLRS inside the compound (see above).
• Two armed members of the armed formations at a checkpoint near Zaichenko (nongovernment-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol) again prevented the SMM from accessing Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol) and Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol) citing “security concerns” and an “ongoing anti-terrorist operation”.
• At a checkpoint east of Kozatske (nongovernment-controlled, 36km north-east of Mariupol), two members of the armed formations, one of whom was armed, denied the SMM passage towards Porokhnia (non-government-controlled, 40km north-east of Mariupol), citing that authorization was needed from their “superiors”.
• At a checkpoint south of Druzheliubivka (121km southeast of Kherson), while monitoring the administrative boundary line between Kherson region and Crimea, a member of the Ukrainian Armed Forces prevented the SMM from accessing the dam citing orders “not to allow the OSCE to pass”.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The SMM was prevented from accessing parts of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, with the exception of the main road, due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM by phone that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.[4]
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads in the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM by phone that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. An unarmed formation member positioned on the southern side of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.

[1] Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as a map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report. The SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Marinka was not operational during the reporting period.

[2] Due to presence of mines, including those on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM’s access to its camera in Petrivske remained limited; therefore, the review of the camera footage may take place days later.

[3] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[4] The SMM informed Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC. Russian Federation Armed Forces officers of the JCCC have withdrawn from the JCCC as of 18 December 2017.

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BRUSSELS, 12 July 2018- ‎ The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stephane Visconti of France and Andrew Schofer of the United States of America) hosted an introductory meeting between Foreign Minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov on 11 July in Brussels. Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk also participated in the meeting. This was the first high-level meeting between the sides in this format since elections in Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The Ministers exchanged views regarding the situation on the ground and discussed next steps and parameters for re-engaging in substantive negotiations. The sides considered several issues for future meetings, including a range of possible confidence-building measures.

The Co-Chairs ‎stressed the importance of reducing tensions and avoiding inflammatory rhetoric. The Co-Chairs also reiterated their commitment to helping the sides find a peaceful solution to the conflict based on the core principles of the Helsinki Final Act, including the non-use or threat of force, territorial integrity, and the equal rights and self-determination of peoples.

The Ministers agreed to meet again in the near future under the auspices of the Co-Chairs.

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387659 Liana Khorovytska

More than 500 officials and civil society representatives from across Ukraine were trained on how state-funded social services can be delivered by non-governmental organizations, in a series of eight seminars organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine from May to July. The last workshop in the series, which took place in Poltava, ended on 12 July 2018. The others were held in Kyiv, Odesa, Vinnitsa, Chernivtsi, Lviv, Kramatorsk and Dnipro.

The Project Co-ordinator is supporting Ukrainian partners in contracting out social servicesto NGOs as a way of providing sustainable funding to the organizations and making the services more efficient and innovative. The approach was piloted with the outsourcing of palliative care in Kyiv and Cherkasy. The training seminars were intended to expand the practice to other social services and regions.

The participants included NGOs experienced in providing social services or aspiring to do so. Representatives of social policy and social protection departments at the regional, municipal and districts levels as well as regional territorial social services centres and respective units from amalgamated territorial communities also took part.

Civil society trainers, as well as speakers from the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights and the Kyiv City Administration, focused on international and national legislation in the field. They also discussed effective mechanisms of engaging civil society organizations in the delivery of state-funded social services. Practical exercises helped participants to improve their skills in conducting social procurement procedures, with due regard to risks of potential conflicts of interest, and in calculating the cost of services. Other topics covered good practices in accounting, reporting, monitoring and evaluation.

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan supported a study visit for six representatives of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Russian Federation and France, which took place from 29 June to 6 July 2018. The delegation consisted of judges and experts and was headed by the Deputy Chairperson of the Court, Askar Gafurov.

The purpose of the visit was to provide Uzbek counterparts with a better understanding of the constitutional oversight activities of state bodies in respective countries. The participants held several meetings with representatives of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, the Constitutional Legislation and State Development Committee of the Federation Council and State Duma of the Russian Federation`s Parliament, as well as the Institute of Legislation and Comparative Jurisprudence under the Government of the Russian Federation. They were familiarized with the procedures for submission and consideration of individual complaints to the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation.

During the study visit to France, the delegation took part in meetings organized at the National School of Magistrates, the Constitutional Council, the State Council, the Senate, the National Assembly and the European Court of Human Rights. The study tour participants familiarized themselves with constitutional oversight functions. In addition, special emphasis was put on the interaction between the Constitutional Council and the legislative and other judicial bodies in France.

Uzbek delegation head, Gafurov, informed the Russian and French counterparts about current developments in Uzbekistan and underlined the priority directions of the country's development for 2017-2021, which were set in the Uzbek Government’s the Strategy of Actions on Further Development of Uzbekistan.

The study visit was organized in co-operation with the embassies of the Russian Federation and France in Tashkent. The Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan supported this activity within the framework of its project “Assistance in improving the activities of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan: Phase II”. This study tour is a continuation of joint efforts by the Project Co-ordinator and the Constitutional Court to strengthen the latter’s important role within the judicial system.

387635 Communication and Media Relations Section

A workshop on how to set up an Advance Passenger Information (API) system in Moldova was organized by the Border Security and Management Unit (BSMU) of the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) from 10 to 12 July in Chisinau. The aim of establishing an API system is to better regulate exit, entry, and transit of air passengers.

An API system is an electronic system through which biographic data from a traveller’s passport and flight details are collected by airlines and transmitted to the relevant national authorities at the border before the departure or arrival of a specific flight. By checking the data against law enforcement watch lists, such as those of INTERPOL, border officials can know in advance whether FTFs or other suspicious profiles are attempting to enter their country.

The workshop brought together 30 representatives from all agencies involved in aviation security in the country. They included the General Inspectorate of the Border Police, the Civil Aviation Authority, the Customs Service, the Security and Intelligence Service, the National Centre for Personal Data Protection, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry for Economy and Infrastructure.

The participants drafted a tailored action plan outlining the main steps that Moldova needs to take for setting up an API system. They worked together with border control officers from Hungary, Luxembourg and the United States, as well as experts from some of the OSCE’s international partners, like the European Union (EU), INTERPOL, and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Commercial service providers and representatives from Lufthansa also contributed to the discussion by sharing their experience in transmitting API data to national governments.

Particular importance was given to ensuring proper communication with airlines and to the adoption of national laws allowing for the collection and storage of passenger data while fully respecting citizens’ right to privacy. Moldova’s Law on the State Border includes certain legal requirements related to API. However, some essential provisions are still missing, namely a reference to the law enforcement agencies that should have access to passenger data.

The path for the establishment of an API system in Moldova was paved by the creation in April 2017 of an inter-agency working group that will be responsible for formulating recommendations on the best way of setting up a passenger

The event in Moldova was the ninth workshop on API organized by TNTD/BSMU since December 2016. The workshops are being followed up with technical and legal consultations aimed at assisting local authorities in implementing API action plans.

MINSK, 11 July 2018 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG ‎and its Working Groups in Minsk on 11 July 2018:

“As you remember, two weeks ago, the Trilateral Contact Group re-affirmed its full commitment to a comprehensive, sustainable and unlimited ceasefire, starting from1 July, 2018.

I am glad that the agreed cessation of fire is bringing results. Since it has entered into force, the number of ceasefire violations has significantly dropped, even though a certain increase could be observed over the past two days.

Also, according to the latest data provided by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM), only one civilian casualty, an injury, has been registered. On behalf of the TCG, I would like to express my gratitude to, and support the efforts of, those committed to the ceasefire. Also, on behalf of the TCG, I call upon strict adherence to the ceasefire in the future.

Despite the reduction in the number of civilian casualties this year – less than half compared to the previous one – the population in the conflict area continues to suffer.

In this regard, the recommitment to the ceasefire needs to be matched by a concrete set of actions, namely the withdrawal of heavy weapons, disengagement, and demining. These particular aspects were addressed by the Co-ordinator of the Security Working Group and Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan.

The Economic Working Group continued its discussion of further steps to restore and improve the mobile communication of Vodafone-Ukraine in certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions (CADR and CALR, respectively). The issue of water deliveries in the "Karbonyt" and "Voda Donbassa" supply systems were also duly considered.

The Working Group on Political Issues further considered the implementation of the so-called ‘Steinmeier formula’, amnesty and modalities of local elections in CADR and CALR.

No meeting of the Working Group on Humanitarian Issues was scheduled for today and, accordingly, it did not convene. The Working Group will meet in the TCG framework on 25 July 2018.”

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KYIV, 11 July 2018 – Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine Alexander Hug will hold his regular news briefing on Thursday, 12 July, in Kyiv.

He will talk about the security situation throughout Ukraine and the Mission’s recent activities.

Journalists are invited to attend the news briefing tomorrow, 12 July, at 14:30 (Kyiv time), at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Centre, at the Ukrainian House, 2 Khreshchatyk Street.

Live streaming of the news briefing will be available at http://uacrisis.org/ru/stream/#eng

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Joana Karapataqi, OSCE Presence in Albania OSCE Presence in Albania

From 4 June to 11 July 2018, the OSCE Presence in Albania, together with the Albanian School of Public Administration, trained 200 public officials on issues of good governance, integrity and anti-corruption. The public officials of mid- and lower management level came from 20 municipalities from the regions of Tirana, Durrës, Elbasan, Gjirokastra and Dibra, with half of them coming from the Tirana Municipality alone.

The two-day training – tailored to the needs of the local municipality staff – was developed by the Presence, in co-operation with the Albanian and the Italian schools of public administration. It focused on the officials’ public responsibility, the need for effective oversight and enforcement of legal and sub-legal acts as a guarantee for preventing corrupt behavior, and the strengthening of the integrity of public officials.

The training sessions were part of the OSCE Presence’s project Support Anti-Corruption Measures in Albania, which is supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Italian Development Co-operation Agency. The Presence’s contribution to anti-corruption efforts in Albania can be grouped under three main components: policy design and monitoring; capacity-building; and, provision of prevention, education and awareness-raising tools.

VIENNA, 11 July 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today expressed his concern about an excessive sentence of 12 years in a penal colony handed down to Khayrullo Mirsaidov by a court in Tajikistan.

Mirsaidov, a former contributor to the Asia Plus news agency and the Deutsche Welle, who also led the satirical comedy show KVN, has been in custody since December 2017. Today he was found guilty of embezzlement of public funds, forgery of documents and dissemination of false information. Mirsaidov admitted to some of the charges, but maintains that his arrest and trial are retribution for an article he wrote on corruption among local authorities in November 2017.

“I am alarmed by the stringent and disproportionate sentence handed down to the journalist, especially given the sum of 124,000 Somoni (approx. 11,521 EUR) he is accused of embezzling,” the Representative stated.

“I call on the authorities to immediately release Khayrullo Mirsaidov and to ensure that journalists in Tajikistan are free to report on all matters of public interest without fear of reprisal,” Désir said.

The Representative previously intervened in the case of Khayrullo Mirsaidov in a letter to the authorities of Tajikistan in March 2018 and in a public statement in April 2018 (https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/377761) expressing concern that the journalist's detention is a result of his professional activities.

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

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The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission followed up on reports that a 14-year-old boy had been injured by the explosion of an object, which he had picked up in Zlatoustivka. It also followed up on reports of recent damage caused by shelling in a residential area of Zolote-4/Rodina. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote disengagement areas and again observed military presence inside the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas, as well as near Markyne, Nova Marivka and Bezimenne.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station, as well as repairs and maintenance works to other essential civilian infrastructure near Zalizne, Artema, Novotoshkivske and Raivka.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including more explosions (about 90), compared with the previous reporting period (15 explosions).

On the evening and night of 9-10 July, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, 11 projectiles in flight from north-north-west to south-south-east, three projectiles from west to east and ten projectiles from east-north-east to west-south-west, followed by totals of 11 undetermined explosions, about 190 projectiles (60 from west to east, 60 from east to west, 50 from west-north-west to east-south-east, 20 from north-west to south-east) and an illumination flare in vertical flight, all 1-3km south.

On the evening of 9 July, the SMM camera in Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, 28 projectiles in flight from south-west to north-east, two undetermined explosions, four projectiles from south-west to north-east and seven projectiles from north-east to south-west, followed by a total of 20 projectiles (16 from south-west to north-east and four from south-east to north-west), all 6-8km south-east. The following day, positioned on the south-eastern edge of Avdiivka, the SMM heard three undetermined explosions and about 60 shots of small-arms fire, all 0.5-3km at directions ranging from north-east to south-east.

On the evening of 9 July, the SMM camera at the Oktiabr mine (non-government-controlled, 9km north-west of Donetsk city centre) recorded four projectiles in flight from south-east to north-west, followed by 11 projectiles from north-west to south-east, all 3-5km north-east.

On the night of 9-10 July, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, four projectiles in flight from south to north, 15 projectiles from south-south-east to north-north-west, an illumination flare in vertical flight and six undetermined explosions, all 2-5km east-north-east and east.

On the evening and night of 9-10 July, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, a projectile in flight from west to east, eight undetermined explosions and two projectiles from east-north-east to west-south-west, followed by about 30 projectiles (20 from east to west and ten from west to east), all 2.5-7km south.

During the day on 10 July, positioned in the north-western outskirts of Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard an undetermined explosion and 35 shots and bursts of small-arms fire 100-800m west, north-west and west, as well as about 20 undetermined explosions 5-6km north.

On the evening of 9 July, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 30 undetermined explosions, about 40 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, as well as about 20 minutes of uncountable and overlapping shots and bursts of small-arms fire, all 2-5km south and south-east.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including 50 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (four explosions).

During the day on 10 July, positioned 3.5km west of Orikhove-Donetske (government-controlled, 44km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard about 140 bursts of small-arms fire, assessed as live-fire training inside the security zone, in violation of the decision of the Trilateral Contact Group as of 3 March 2016 that prohibits the conduct of live-fire training in the security zone.

The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian injured by the explosion of an object in Zlatoustivka (government-controlled, 66km south-west of Donetsk). On 3 July, medical staff at a hospital in Mariupol (government-controlled, 102km south of Donetsk) told the SMM that on 2 July a 14-year-old boy had been admitted after having been injured by the explosion of an object and had undergone surgery. At the same hospital, the mother of the boy told the SMM that on 2 July, the boy had picked up an object in Zlatoustivka and brought it to their house on Tsentralna Street. She added that the object had exploded while he had been handling it in the yard of the house. On 4 July, staff at the village council in Zlatoustivka and local police in Volnovakha (government-controlled, 53km south of Donetsk) told the Mission that a boy had been admitted to the abovementioned hospital after having been injured by the explosion of an object in Zlatoustivka.

The SMM followed up on reports of damage caused by shelling in a residential area of Zolote-4/Rodina (government-controlled, 59km west of Luhansk). Accompanied by military-civil administration staff from the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the SMM observed a fresh hole in the north-facing roof of a single-storey house at 5-2 Zlatoustivska Street, assessed as caused by a recoilless gun (SPG-9) round fired from an undetermined direction. Inside the house, the SMM saw a fresh hole in the ceiling and shrapnel damage to the wall and floor. The owner of the house (man in his forties) told the SMM that the damage had occurred at around 02:00 on 10 July when his wife and his son had been in a room 1m away from the abovementioned damage to the floor.

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote and Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk)[2], as foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016. The SMM’s access remained restricted, but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.*

On the evening and night of 9-10 July, the SMM camera in Stanytsia Luhanska recorded 17 undetermined explosions 1.8-4km at directions ranging from south-south-east to south-west (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area), as well as 15 undetermined explosions 2-8km at directions ranging from east-south-east to south (assessed as outside the disengagement area). On the night of 9-10 July, the SMM camera near the Prince Ihor monument south-east of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk) recorded seven undetermined explosions 4-8km south (assessed as outside the disengagement area). The same night, while on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard four shots of small-arms fire 1-1.5km south (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

On the evening and night of 9-10 July, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded, in sequence, two projectiles in flight from north-north-west to south-south-east, an undetermined explosion, seven projectiles from east to west and ten undetermined explosions, all 4-10km at directions ranging from east-south-east to south (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

During the day on 10 July, positioned on the north-western edge of Katerynivka (government-controlled, 64km west of Luhansk) inside the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM observed a black car with military licence plates and a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier inside drive out of the disengagement area and travel east towards Zolote-4/Rodina.

During the day on 10 July, positioned in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and near the Petrivske disengagement area, the SMM observed calm situations.

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

In violation of withdrawal lines in a government-controlled area, on 9 July, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted again a surface-to-air missile system (9K35, Strela-10) parked in the yard of a house in Zolote-3/Stakhanovets (61km west of Luhansk) (see SMM Daily Report 21 June 2018).

In violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, on 9 July, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted again a tank (T-72) in the south-eastern residential area of Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 23km north-east of Mariupol) (see SMM Daily Report 7 July 2018). The same day, an SMM long-range UAV spotted four towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) in Sofiivka (formerly Karlo‑Marksove,40km north-east of Donetsk). On 10 July, an SMM mini-UAV spotted three tanks (T-64) about 1km north-west of Lobacheve (13km east of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in non-government-controlled areas, aerial imagery revealed the presence on 8 July of 53 tanks (type undetermined) in a training area about 3km west of Manuilivka (65km east of Donetsk), where on 21 June the SMM had observed 49 tanks (type undetermined) (see SMM Daily Report 27 June 2018). On 10 July, the SMM observed three towed howitzers (D-30) and three tanks (T-72), all stationary at a training area in Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk).

The SMM revisited a permanent storage site whose location was beyond the respective withdrawal lines in areas of Luhansk region outside government control and noted that four tanks (three T-64 and one T-72) were again missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles (ACV)[3] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 9 July, an SMM long-range UAV spotted two infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-2) parked in the yard of a house in Zolote-3/Stakhanovets (see above), seven IFVs (two BMP-1, two BMP-2, and three BMP variants) near Zolote, three IFVs (one BMP-2 and two BMP variants) near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk) and five IFVs (BMP variants) near Troitske (69km west of Luhansk). The same day, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted an ACV (type undetermined) near Vodiane (94km south of Donetsk). On 10 July, the SMM saw an IFV (BTR-4) near Vesele (21km north of Donetsk), an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB variant) near Trokhizbenka (32km north-west of Luhansk) and a probable IFV (BMP variant) on the south-western edge of Zolote-4/Rodina.

In non-government-controlled-areas, aerial imagery revelead the presence on 8 July of an ACV (type undetermined) north of Oleksandrivka (20km south-west of Donetsk). On 9 July, an SMM long-range UAV spotted eight APCs (MT-LB) and an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) in Kalynove-Borshchuvate (61km west of Luhansk), an APC (MT-LB variant) near Veselohorivka (64km west of Luhansk) and an APC (MT-LB) in Stare (formerly Chervonyi Prapor, 58km west of Luhansk). The same day, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted five IFVs (BMP-1) and an APC (BTR-80) in the Kirpoty neighbourhood of eastern Pikuzy. On 10 July, an SMM mini-UAV spotted four IFVs (BMP-1), an APC (MT-LB) and an ACV (type undetermined) near Lobacheve (see above).

The SMM continued to observe mines and mine hazard signs. On 9 July, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted for the first time 51 anti-tank mines (TM-62) on the south-eastern edge of Vodiane. The same day, an SMM mini-UAV spotted again 41 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid out in three rows across road H-21 about 200m east-south-east of the bridge south of Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk). (See SMM Daily Report 19 March 2018.)

The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS, including through monitoring adherence to the ceasefire. Positioned in areas near the DFS, the SMM heard ceasefire violations, despite explicit security guarantees (see above and table below for details). The SMM also continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne (formerly Artemove, government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk), to the Petrivske pumping station in Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), a water pipeline in Novotoshkivske (government-controlled, 53km west of Luhansk) and a power line in Raivka (non-government-controlled, 16km north-west of Luhansk).

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

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

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (see, for example, SMM Daily Report 7 July 2018). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

• Two armed members of the armed formations again stopped the SMM at a checkpoint east of Oleksandrivske (formerly Rozy Liuksemburh, nongovernment controlled, 90km south of Donetsk) and prevented it from travelling further west in the direction of Markyne (non-government-controlled, 94km south of Donetsk), where a training area is located. They said that they had orders not to allow the SMM to pass through the checkpoint. (The SMM’s freedom of movement had been recently restricted in the same area. See SMM Daily Report 4 July 2018.)

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The SMM was prevented from accessing parts of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, with the exception of the main road, due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM by phone that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.[4]
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads in the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM by phone that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.5
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. An unarmed formation member positioned on the southern side of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.
• The SMM was again prevented from accessing Nova Marivka (nongovernment-controlled, 64km south of Donetsk) due to the presence of three visible UXOs near a tree which was lying across the road about 3km east of the village. (See SMM Daily Report 25 June 2018.)

Other impediments:

• On three occasions, the SMM temporarily lost communication with its miniUAV flying over the centre of Bezimenne (non-government-controlled, 30km east of Mariupol), assessed as due to jamming. The SMM landed the UAV safely.[5]
• On the evening of 9 July, the SMM temporarily lost communication with its longrange UAV flying over an area near Sofiivka, assessed as due to jamming. The SMM landed the UAV safely.6

[1] Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as a map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report. The SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Marinka was not operational during the reporting period.

[2] Due to presence of mines, including those on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM’s access to its camera in Petrivske remained limited; therefore, the review of the camera footage may take place days later.

[3] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[4] The SMM informed Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC. Russian Federation Armed Forces officers of the JCCC have withdrawn from the JCCC as of 18 December 2017.

[5] The interference could have originated from anywhere within a radius of several kilometres of the UAV’s position.

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BERLIN, 11 July 2018 – OSCE parliamentarians should spare no effort in conveying OSCE values to parliamentary colleagues and to enact legislation that promotes full implementation of international commitments, the Parliamentary Assembly stated in the Berlin Declaration adopted at the German Bundestag today. (Download the Declaration in English, French or Russian.)

The current global geopolitical landscape, characterized by tensions, a deterioration of respect for human rights and ongoing economic and environmental challenges, underlines the urgency of fully implementing these commitments, OSCE parliamentarians said. Parliaments across the 57-nation OSCE area must strengthen the oversight of commitments and enhance co-operation, the Declaration says.

Nearly 300 parliamentarians from 53 OSCE participating States and four Partners for Co-operation participated in the 27th Annual Session, which took place 7-11 July at the Reichstag building in Berlin under the theme “Implementing OSCE Commitments: The Role of Parliaments.”

The Declaration, adopted following an amendment process carried out over several days of committee meetings, calls essential the “commitment to the fundamental principles of international law, human rights and the rule of law enshrined in the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act.” It urges renewed efforts to resolve conflicts, with a particular focus on Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"We have just adopted a very strong Berlin Declaration that we hope will serve to guide our work in the weeks, months and years ahead,” OSCE PA President George Tsereteli (Georgia) said in a speech after the adoption of the Declaration. “We should all work to strengthen the OSCE, including by implementing its principles and communicating its messages to our governments and the people of our home countries. We must let people know the value of this organization and why it matters.”

In a speech to the plenary session today, OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger said: “In today’s world, multilateralism and multilateral institutions are targets of acute criticism. Many of our citizens share this view. To ensure that the OSCE is sensitive to the aspirations and needs of our citizens, we need you, the Parliamentary Assembly, to represent their voices. The OSCE PA is by definition the most diverse and pluralistic of our structures. You represent a great variety of perspectives and interests.”

Roberto Montella, the Secretary General of the OSCE PA, commended the commitment of OSCE parliamentarians and assured them that they would have the full support of the International Secretariat in turning their recommendations into concrete actions.

In the Declaration, OSCE parliamentarians called for greater commitment from governments to the OSCE’s principles of dialogue and détente, including through the strengthening of arms control regimes, security sector reform, the development of confidence- and security-building measures, and the good-faith implementation of agreements.

The Declaration further calls on governments to ensure that human rights are respected by all security and intelligence services, both public and private, and urges parliaments to establish bodies for scrutinizing these services’ activities. Parliaments should also support the OSCE’s “structured dialogue” process, the Declaration says.

In the economic and environmental dimension, the Declaration stresses the unique role of parliaments in promoting reforms to implement OSCE commitments, in particular by fighting corruption, increasing transparency and cracking down on organized crime, money laundering and the financing of terrorism.

Recalling the nexus between the environment and security, the Declaration calls on parliaments “to promote universal ratification of the Paris Agreement on climate change and to boost the implementation of the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions to strengthen the global response to climate change.” It also urges parliaments to implement policies that promote environmental good governance.

International humanitarian and human rights law must be upheld during armed conflicts and the right of safe return of refugees and internally displaced persons must be respected, the Declaration says. It further calls for investigations into the serious human rights violations of people in conflict zones and occupied territories, including in the South Caucasus, Ukraine, and Cyprus.

All OSCE countries should “protect the rights of migrants and refugees, especially their freedom from arbitrary detention, and to actively work on the integration of refugees and protect their right to family reunification, with particular consideration for unaccompanied minors.” The Declaration also recalls the commitment of non-refoulement as a principle of customary international law, emphasizing that refugees and asylum seekers must not be forcibly returned to countries where the could face torture or inhumane treatment.

In addition to the three main resolutions, 16 supplementary items were adopted by the Assembly dealing with topics including counter-terrorism, human rights in Crimea (Ukraine), building communities free of human trafficking, building an effective protection framework for migrant children, security sector governance and reform, and combating gender-based violence.

OSCE PA Special Representative on Gender Issues Hedy Fry (Canada) spoke at the plenary session on Tuesday, focusing on violence against women as well as the need to include men in discussions about gender equality. The Special Representative noted that women contribute to economic productivity and competitiveness, so everyone benefits from their full participation in society.

In today’s plenary session, election results were also announced for the 2018-2019 term.

OSCE PA President George Tsereteli was re-elected. Peter Bowness (United Kingdom), Kari Henriksen (Norway), Kristian Vigenin (Bulgaria), and Pascal Allizard (France) were elected Vice-Presidents.

Elections to the OSCE PA’s general committees were held on Tuesday.

In the political and security committee, Filippo Lombardi (Switzerland) was elected Chair, Sofio Katsarava (Georgia) Vice-Chair, and Alan Farrell (Ireland) Rapporteur. In the economic and environmental committee, Nilza de Sena (Portugal) was elected Chair, Artur Gerasymov (Ukraine) Vice-Chair, and Elona Hoxha Gjebrea (Albania) Rapporteur. In the human rights committee, Margareta Kiener Nellen (Switzerland) was elected Chair, Michael Georg Link (Germany) Vice-Chair, and Kyriakos Kyriakou-Hadjiyianni (Cyprus) Rapporteur.

Download the Declaration in English, French or Russian. For more information, please visit http://www.oscepa.org/meetings/annual-sessions/2018-berlin-annual-session. Photos can be found on the OSCE PA's Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/oscepa Videos from the past several days of meetings are on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/oscepa/

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VIENNA, 11 July 2018 –The security situation in the Mediterranean region was a key area of focus at today's joint meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation and the Permanent Council in light of large movements of refugees and migrants.

Opening the meeting, Ambassador Andrej Benedejčič, the Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the OSCE and Chairperson of the Forum for Security Co-operation, said that the aim of the joint meeting was to bring greater attention to challenges emanating from the Mediterranean basin. "The OSCE has a unique capability to address such challenges with its cross-dimensional approach to security. This kind of holistic strategy was already approved by the OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on Migration in Ljubljana in 2005, during the Slovenian OSCE Chairmanship."

Ambassador Alessandro Azzoni, the Permanent Representative of Italy to the OSCE and Chairperson of the Permanent Council, underlined that the topic could not be more fitting for the 2018 Italian OSCE Chairmanship. He said that recent challenges have once again highlighted the interconnected nature of security in Europe and the need to amplify contacts and dialogue among all the states of the Mediterranean.

“The fight against human trafficking and smuggling of migrants is an important element in shaping a co-ordinated and comprehensive response to the broader challenge of migration,” said Azzoni. He also noted that this is one area where the OSCE contributes, for example, by organizing the simulation training programme jointly conducted by the OSCE and the Carabinieri of the Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units in Vicenza.

Captain Ettore Socci, the Military Adviser to the Commander of EUNAVFOR MED, explained that EUNAVFOR MED – Operation Sophia, the biggest operation under the EU Common Security and Defence Policy, is one part of the EU’s efforts to address migration and support the return of stability to Libya. The operation's main goal is to disrupt the business model of human trafficking, he said.

“Since July 2017, irregular migration from Libya to Europe has been reduced. The situation needs monitoring, but it shows that through an integrated approach the smugglers’ business model can be broken,” said Socci, adding that EUNAVFOR MED is working toward enhancing the exchange information with a number of organizations, including the African Union, the International Criminal Court, INTERPOL, EUROPOL, UNODC and the OSCE.

Slovenia is one of the original contributing states to Operation Sophia. Captain Boris Geršak, Commander of the Slovenian Naval Force, said: “The Mediterranean has become an area of extreme insecurity, with potentially far-reaching consequences for the states in the region." He emphasized the need for strengthening regional co-operation and highlighted the example of the Adriatic–Ionian Initiative (ADRION), which unites navies from Italy, Greece, Albania, Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia.

The joint meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation and Permanent Council was also addressed by Assia Bensalah Alaoui, Ambassador-at-Large of his Majesty Mohamed VI, the King of Morocco. She said that “polarized societies are an obstacle to dialogue and inclusion, and that women are often the first victims of insecurity.”

Bensalah Alaoui emphasized that a balanced approach and attracting the badly needed investments remain of key importance for the stabilization of the region. She said that the security approach or one-size-fits-all solution alone to such complex issues cannot address properly the question of migration. “Root factors, such as ill development, corruption, bad governance and massive unemployment have to be addressed, in order to offer to Maghreb and African youth other choices than joining organized crime networks and jihadist groups or emigrating to survive,” she said. She concluded by emphasizing the need for a new paradigm and a comprehensive approach when it comes to the security of the Mediterranean region.

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387644 Anna Vorobeva OSCE Mission to Moldova

Seventeen civil society professionals from the left bank of the Dniester/Nistru River successfully completed a two-day capacity-building training course on best practices in identifying and assisting victims of trafficking in human beings. The event was organized by the OSCE Mission to Moldova in partnership with the Transdniestrian NGO Women’s Initiatives from 10 to 11 July 2018 in Tiraspol.

The training workshop aimed to improve the participants’ understanding of the fundamental aspects of combating trafficking in human beings, including the difference between trafficking and migration and the legal framework defining the status of victims of trafficking. The event also served as a platform to familiarize the participants with the role of the information communication technologies in the recruiting and exploiting human beings, and ways to fight online exploitation and abuse. The inter-agency mechanism for the protection of trafficking victims, which exists in Moldova, was also among the topics discussed.

“Participation in such events encourages our local professionals to improve their services to victims of human trafficking. It also helps to bridge the gap between theory and practice in victim identification and assistance,” commented Natalia Savcina, Director of the NGO Women’s Initiatives.

This two-day training course marked the beginning of a series of capacity-building events on combating trafficking in human beings which will be conducted by the Mission on both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River in 2018. The Mission’s work in the field of human rights is in line with the priorities of the Human Rights sub-Working Group, reconvened by Moldova and Transdniestria this year. By supporting these activities, the Mission brings together professional communities from both banks to address issues of common concern.

On 10 July 2018, the 88th Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) meeting was held in Ergneti. Mr. Erik Høeg, Head of the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), and Mr. James C. O’Shea, representative of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), co-facilitated the meeting.

Mr. Høeg provided a brief overview of events since the last IPRM meeting on 7 June 2018. He stated that the security situation remained relatively stable over the period and encouraged continued active use of the hotline. He highlighted the positive sharing of information about demining activities by both the South Ossetian and Georgian participants. Mr. Høeg also underlined the importance of transparent and thorough investigations in cases of concern.

There was some discussion about the risks the local population continue to face at the administrative boundary line (ABL), which at times results in detentions. The co-facilitators stressed that any increase in borderisation would further hinder freedom of movement and deepen the divide between local communities in the area.

The cases of the late Mr. Basharuli and the late Mr. Tatunashvili were discussed at length and cooperation and sharing of information urged in order to ensure justice in these cases. Recent detentions were also discussed and a humanitarian approach was encouraged by the co-facilitators, particularly in those cases involving minors or individuals with health issues.

Flights close to the ABL - such as the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) - were discussed. Participants were asked to share information about such flights or other activities by security actors over the hotline. This would assist increased transparency and reduce risks to stability along the ABL.

Unresolved cases of missing persons were discussed. Mr. O’Shea stated that the issue was an important humanitarian one in any post-conflict situation and stressed the need for co-operation by all participants to clarify the fate of all missing persons.

Lastly, the case of civil activist Tamara Mearakishvili was considered, with participants and co-facilitators enquiring about her present conditions and freedom of movement.

The next meeting will take place on 14 September 2018.

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This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded a ceasefire violation near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area and continued to observe military presence inside the Zolote and Petrivske disengagement areas. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and was restricted near Starolaspa in Donetsk region and at a military-type compound in Luhansk region. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Kreminna, Krasnorichenske and Chervonopopivka. The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station, including through monitoring the security situation around the station, as well as repairs and maintenance works to other essential civilian infrastructure near Artema, Novotoshkivske, Novoselivka, Stanytsia Luhanska and Bolotene. In Kyiv, the SMM observed a public gathering.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including, however, fewer explosions (15), compared with the previous reporting period (about 20 explosions).

On the evening and night of 8-9 July, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, an undetermined explosion, seven projectiles in flight from west to east and a projectile from south-west to north-east, followed by totals of 26 projectiles (20 from west to east, four from east to west and two from north-north-west to south-south-east), an illumination flare in vertical flight and an undetermined explosion, all 0.3-3km south and south-south-west.

On the evening and night of 8-9 July, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, an undetermined explosion, four projectiles and a burst in vertical flight and 15 projectiles from south to north, followed by totals of 22 projectiles (12 from north to south and ten from south to north) and an undetermined explosion, all 2-3km east.

On the evening and night of 8-9 July, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, six projectiles in flight from north-east to south-west, an undetermined explosion and two illumination flares in vertical flight, followed by totals of 31 projectiles (including 14 projectiles from south-west to north-east and 13 from west to east), an illumination flare from east to west and two muzzle flashes, all 2-3km east.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including, however, more explosions (four), compared with the previous reporting period (one explosion).

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote and Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk)[2], as foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016. The SMM’s access remained restricted, but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.*

While on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard a shot of small-arms fire 1-1.5km south, assessed as outside the disengagement area.

Positioned near Katerynivka (government-controlled, 64km west of Luhansk), the SMM observed a black car with military licence plates and uniformed Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel inside entering the Zolote disengagement area from the north before heading west.

On 7 July, an SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) again spotted 25 anti-tank mines (TM-62) on the road between Bohdanivka (government-controlled, 41km south-west of Donetsk) and Viktorivka (42km south-west of Donetsk), about 170m north of the Petrivske disengagement area (see SMM Daily Report 28 February 2018). The same UAV spotted two infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) inside the Petrivske disengagement area: a BMP-1 in a tree line about 500m north of the disengagement area’s southern edge and 1km from its western edge and a BMP-2 900m of its southern edge and 1.6km from its eastern edge. The same UAV also spotted trenches, including one being fortified about 800m south of Viktorivka, inside the Petrivske disengagement area, as well as three recent impacts of mortar rounds on the south-eastern edge of the disengagement area.

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

In violation of withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas, the SMM saw 12 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-27 Uragan, 220mm) near Kreminna (97km north-west of Luhansk), seven MLRS (BM-27) near Krasnorichenske (109km north-west of Luhansk) and an MLRS (BM-27) near Chervonopopivka (106km north-west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in a non-government-controlled area, the SMM saw four tanks (type undetermined) near Ternove (57km east of Donetsk).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles and an anti-aircraft gun[3] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 7 July, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted two IFV (BMP-2) in a residential area in Bohdanivka, an IFV (BMP-2) south-east of Bohdanivka, an IFV (BMP-1) near Mykolaivka (40km south of Donetsk) and two IFVs (a BMP-1 and a BMP-2) inside the Petrivske disengagement area (see above). On the same day, an SMM long-range UAV spotted three armoured personnel carriers (APC) (type undetermined) near Zaitseve (62km north-east of Donetsk), an APC (type undetermined) near Vidrodzhennia (formerly Dymytrova, 58km north-east of Donetsk) and an armoured combat vehicle (type undetermined) near Novoluhanske (53km north-east of Donetsk). On 8 July, an SMM mini-UAV spotted an IFV (BMP variant) near a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint north of the Zolote disengagement area, as well as three IFVs (two BMP-1 and a BMP-2) east of the abovementioned checkpoint (outside the disengagement area), an IFV (BMP-1) in a residential area near Katerynivka, three APCs (MT-LB), an armoured recovery vehicle (BREM-2) and a fire control vehicle (1VXX series) near Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) and two APCs (a BTR-70 and a BTR-80) and two IFVs (a BMP-1 and a BMP variant) near Artema (26km north of Luhansk).

In non-government-controlled-areas, an SMM long-range UAV spotted, on 7 July, two armoured combat vehicles (type undetermined) near Lozove (52km north-east of Donetsk). On 9 July, an SMM mini-UAV spotted an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) mounted on an APC (MT-LB), an IFV (BMP-2) and two APCs (BTR-80) on the north-western edge of Luhansk city, as well as an IFV (BMP-2) and an APC (BTR-80) near Pryvitne (11km north of Luhansk).

The SMM monitored the situation of civilians living close to the contact line. Accompanied by Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), the SMM reached Pisky (government-controlled, 11km north-west of Donetsk) for the first time since August 2017, as well as Opytne (government-controlled, 12km north-west of Donetsk) and Vodiane (government-controlled, 15km north-west of Donetsk) for the first time since 2016.[4] In Pisky, the SMM saw two Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers exiting a house. In Pisky and Opytne, the SMM observed that the electricity was not functioning. Residents of the two settlements told the SMM that there has been no electricity since the beginning of the conflict. In Pisky, the SMM observed a one-meter-wide metal sign with the words “Red Zone” written on it in English in red letters.

The SMM observed that the Vodafone mobile phone network was disrupted from 09:00 until 17:00 on 9 July in areas outside government control in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. In Luhansk region, the Lugakom mobile phone network was also disrupted during the same period.

The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS, including through monitoring adherence to the ceasefire. Positioned in areas near the DFS, the SMM heard ceasefire violations, despite explicit security guarantees (see above and table below for details). The SMM also continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Petrivske pumping station in Artema, a water pipeline in Novotoshkivske (government-controlled, 53km west of Luhansk), a power line in Novoselivka (non-government-controlled, 17km north-west of Luhansk), a water channel in Stanytsia Luhanska and wells near Bolotene (government-controlled, 22km north-east of Luhansk). In addition, in Luhansk region, the Mission monitored and facilitated a transfer of funds from non-government to government-controlled areas; the funds were reportedly in relation to a water utility debt.

The SMM visited a border area not under government control. While at a border crossing point near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk) for about 75 minutes, the SMM saw 48 cars (19 with Russian Federation, 18 with Ukrainian and one with Lithuanian licence plates, ten with “DPR” plates), three covered cargo trucks (two with Ukrainian licence plates and one with “DPR” plates) and a van (with “DPR” plates) exiting Ukraine, as well as 15 cars (six with Ukrainian, four with Russian Federation and one with Polish licence plates and four with “DPR” plates), five vans (with Ukrainian licence plates) and a bus (with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine.

On 8 July, in Kyiv, the SMM monitored a pre-announced gathering in support of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov and Mykola Karpiuk, both being held in detention in the Russian Federation. The SMM saw 60-70 people (men and women, mostly 30-60 years old) gathered on Independence Square, where a stage had been set up. Some of the participants were holding banners with messages about freeing Sentsov and Karpiuk. The SMM then saw a group of about 30 people beginning to walk up Mikhailivska and Velyka Zhytomyrska Streets, followed by a procession of 11 cars. Two police cars escorted the procession. The group gathered in front of the French and German embassies where it continued to express its support for Oleh Sentsov and Mykola Karpiuk. The gathering ended peacefully. (For similar observations in other cities, see SMM Daily Report 9 July 2018.)

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

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

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the JCCC should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (see, for example, SMM Daily Report 7 July 2018). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

• At a checkpoint near Starolaspa (nongovernment-controlled, 51km south of Donetsk), three armed members of the armed formations denied the SMM access to the village. The SMM saw cars crossing the checkpoint without any restrictions.
• An armed member of the armed formations denied the SMM access to a militarytype compound in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The SMM was prevented from accessing parts of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, with the exception of the main road, due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.[5]
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads in the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM by phone that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.6
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. An armed formation member positioned on the southern side of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.

Delay:

• At a checkpoint near Zaichenko (nongovernment-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), two armed members of the armed formations first prevented the SMM from accessing Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol) and Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol), citing “security concerns”, before allowing the patrol to proceed after 30 minutes.

[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. The SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Marinka was not operational during the reporting period.

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

[2] Due to presence of mines, including those on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM’s access to its camera in Petrivske remained limited; therefore, the review of the camera footage may take place days later.

[3] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[4] The SMM had not been able to access Pisky, Opytne and Vodiane due to security considerations.

[5] The SMM informed Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC. Russian Federation Armed Forces officers of the JCCC have withdrawn from the JCCC as of 18 December 2017.

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This report is for the media and the general public.

SUMMARY

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings has increased by only one person at both BCPs.

OPERATIONAL REMARKS

The OM is currently operating with 21 permanent international staff members, including the Chief Observer (CO) and one first-responder[1]. The Mission is supported administratively by a Vienna-based staff member.

OBSERVATIONS AT THE BORDER CROSSING POINTS

Persons crossing the border

The profile of the people crossing the border can be categorized as follows:

1. Adults travelling on foot or by car with little or no luggage;
2. Persons in military-style outfits;
3. Families (often including elderly people and/or children) travelling on foot or by car with a significant amount of luggage.

The average number of entries/exits increased very slightly from 11,605 to 11,606 per day at both BCPs compared to last week.

During the reporting period, the majority of border crossing occurred into the Russian Federation, with an average net flow of plus 120 for both BCPs.

The Donetsk BCP continued to experience more traffic than the Gukovo BCP. The cross-border movements registered at both BCPs accounted for 34.4 per cent of all entries/exits in Rostov region[2].

Persons in military-style outfits

During the reporting period, the number of persons in military-style outfits crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs decreased around 46 per cent (16 persons compared to 30 last week); 11 of them crossed into the Russian Federation, five into Ukraine. Ten of these crossings occurred at the Donetsk BCP, while the other six occurred at the Gukovo BCP. They continued to cross the border individually or in groups. Most individuals crossed by foot, however, some made use of private vehicles, buses or minivans, making it more difficult for the observer teams (OTs) to observe their movement across the border, especially since some of the private vehicles have tinted windows, and buses and minivans have drawn curtains.

Families with a significant amount of luggage

The OTs continued to report on families crossing the border, sometimes with elderly people and/or children at both BCPs with a significant amount of luggage, or travelling in heavily loaded cars. During this reporting week, OTs noted a decrease in the number of families crossing. One family was observed crossing into the Russian Federation and seven into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when five families were observed crossing the border into the Russian Federation and another six into Ukraine.

Bus connections

Regular local and long-distance bus connections continued to operate between Ukraine (mostly from/to the Luhansk region) and the Russian Federation. In addition to regular bus connections, the OTs continued to observe bus connections on irregular routes. Often the buses do not state their route; instead they have a sign on the windshield stating “irregular”.

During the reporting period the OTs observed a decrease in the number of buses crossing the border at both BCPs (366 compared to 429 observed during the previous week). There were 185 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 181 bound for Ukraine.

Among the bus connections observed by the OTs, the following “irregular” routes or destinations were noted: Stahanov-Sevastopol; Alchevsk-Kyiv; Luhansk-Simferopol; Luhansk-Yalta; Luhansk-Yevpatoria; Rovenky-Kyiv; and Kyiv.

On some occasions, the OTs noticed the bus drivers removing the itinerary signs from the windshields of their buses, while some buses do not display their route at all. The majority of long-distance buses commuting between the Luhansk region and cities in the Russian Federation have Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region.

Trucks

During the reporting period the OM observed a decrease in the overall number of trucks crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs. Compared to the previous week, the total number of trucks went from 820 to 745 (242 at the Gukovo BCP and 503 at the Donetsk BCP); 424 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 321 crossed into Ukraine. Most of the trucks observed by the OTs had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region.

Among them, the OTs continued to also observe tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions. During the reporting week, the number of tanker trucks decreased by 7.8 per cent compared to the previous reporting period (from 72 to 66). These trucks were observed crossing the border at both BCPs. The trucks had the words “Propane” and “Flammable” written across the tanks in either Russian or Ukrainian. The majority of tanker trucks had hazard signs, indicating that they were transporting propane or a mix of propane and butane.

All trucks undergo systematic inspection by Russian Federation officials, which may include an X-ray check. Due to the unfavourable observation position at the Gukovo BCP, the OTs continued to be unable to observe any X-ray checks.

Compared to the previous week, the total number of X-ray checks at the Donetsk BCP went from 111 to 123: out of the total number of trucks scanned, 96 trucks (78 per cent) were bound for Ukraine; the remaining 27 trucks (22 per cent) crossed into the Russian Federation.

Minivans

The OM continued to observe passenger and cargo minivans[3] crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs. The OTs observed minivans predominantly with Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region; however, the OTs also frequently saw minivans registered in the Russian Federation. As compared to the previous week, the number of cargo minivans decreased by around 26 per cent (from 166 to 123 vehicles); 66 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 57 into Ukraine.

Trains

The OTs continued to pick up the sound of trains running on the railway tracks located approximately 150 metres south-west of the Gukovo BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on 33 occasions, compared to 32 last week; the OTs assessed that 16 trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and 17 to Ukraine. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine was regularly informed about the trains bound for Ukraine.

Visual observation was not possible because of the line of trees located between the train tracks and the BCP.

Other observations

The majority of vehicles crossing the border had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region or Russian Federation licence plates. A significant number of vehicles with “LPR” plates were also observed crossing the border in both directions on a daily basis, as were vehicles with Belarusian and Lithuanian licence plates; vehicles with “DPR” plates were also observed crossing the border.

On 5 July, the OTs at the Donetsk BCP observed two ambulances crossing the border in different directions. The first ambulance was observed at 08:39 entering the BCP area from Ukraine. While undergoing border formalities, two medical staff and two women in civilian clothes and two children were observed. At 08:59 the ambulance left towards the Russian Federation.

During the same day, at 15:50 another ambulance entered the BCP from the Russian Federation. Russian border officials performed visual checking of the inside before letting it cross.The OT observed only the driver, not the patient or paramedics.The ambulance bore the inscriptions “ambulance” (in English) and “453” on the back side.At 16:25, the ambulance crossed the border into Ukraine.

Both medical vehicles bore “LPR” plates.

For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 5 June to 10 July 2018, please see the attachment here.

[1] First-responders are OSCE staff or mission members deployed to another mission for a short period of time.

[2] Based on data received from the Rostov-on-Don Regional Administration.

[3] Cargo minivans: light commercial vehicles with a maximum authorized mass of more than 3.5 t and not more than 7.5 t; with or without a trailer with a maximum mass of less than 750kg (small cargo vehicles which correspond to driving licence C1).

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BERLIN, 10 July 2018 – The three general committees of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly – the political and security committee, the economic and environmental committee and the human rights and humanitarian affairs committee – have wrapped up their work at the 27th Annual Session in Berlin.

Dealing with topics including the crisis in and around Ukraine, rising populism in Europe, protracted conflicts, the environmental impacts of war, rebuilding trust in the OSCE area, and human trafficking, the draft resolutions submitted by committee rapporteurs have been amended and adopted, along with additional resolutions introduced by OSCE PA members, and will now be included in the Berlin Declaration to be voted on in the closing plenary session Wednesday.

Introducing the resolution to the Committee on Political and Security Affairs on Sunday, Rapporteur Kristian Vigenin (Bulgaria) emphasized that security challenges such as terrorism, cyber threats and protracted conflicts require greater multilateral engagement.

“The level of dialogue and trust across the area spanning the 57 participating States of the OSCE has reached historic lows, which some might call a failure of multilateral organizations for falling short in managing the challenges we face,” Vigenin said. “In light of these developments and the declining trust across the OSCE region, it is now more than ever of greatest importance for multilateral organizations to bridge divides and enable dialogue between States and their parliaments and their civil societies in security matters.”

Chaired by Filippo Lombardi (Switzerland), the committee debated issues related to nuclear disarmament, the OSCE’s structured dialogue, gender aspects of security, and the crisis in and around Ukraine. Vigenin’s resolution was agreed to by a vote of 50-5, with one abstention.

In the Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment, chaired by Nilza Sena (Portugal), Rapporteur Sofio Katsarava (Georgia) identified reducing corruption, environmental good governance, climate change, sustainable energy and energy efficiency, environmental migration, and internal displacement as the most urgent challenges facing OSCE participating States in the economic and environmental dimension.

“Corruption and organized crime distort good governance and negatively affect the management of public funds and competitive markets,” she said. “Having a comprehensive legal framework is not enough. What is required is the effective implementation of anti-corruption provisions.”

She also stressed that climate change has pushed the earth into uncharted territory, contributing to extreme weather and migration. She emphasized, however, that migration and internal displacement caused by conflicts must remain in focus as well.

In the debate, members highlighted the importance of cities taking local action against climate change, the need for energy diversity with a focus on renewable energy, carbon pricing, and the possible impacts of the Nord Stream II gas pipeline project. The resolution was adopted unanimously.

The Third Committee was chaired by Isabel Santos (Portugal) and heard a report by Committee Rapporteur Kyriakos Kyriakou-Hadjiyianni (Cyprus).

“Today all of us MPs in our national parliaments need to confirm our commitment to human rights,” he said. “Human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and inter-related. The promotion and protection of human rights is a matter of priority for the OSCE community and furthermore for the national parliaments.”

In the debate, issues were raised such as “fake news,” political prisoners, freedom of religion, and the rights of migrants and refugees. The draft resolution was adopted by a vote of 47-0 with two abstentions.

Today, committees elected new leaders for the 2018-2019 term. In the political and security committee, Filippo Lombardi (Switzerland) was re-elected chair, Sofio Katsarava (Georgia), was elected vice-chair, and Alan Farrell (Ireland) was elected rapporteur. In the economic and environmental committee,Nilza de Sena (Portugal) was elected chair,Artur Gerasymov (Ukraine) vice-chair, andElona Hoxha Gjebrea (Albania) rapporteur. In the human rights committee,Margareta Kiener Nellen(Switzerland) was elected chair,Michael Georg Link (Germany) vice-chair, andKyriakos Kyriakou-Hadjiyianni (Cyprus) rapporteur.An informal working lunch on Monday focused on the theme of “Combating Violence Against Women.” Keynote speakers at the event included Dr. Franziska Giffey, Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youthof Germany; and OSCE Senior Advisor on Gender Issues Amarsanaa Darisuren.

The lunch was opened by OSCE PA Special Representative on Gender Issues Hedy Fry (Canada), who commended the OSCE’s work on combating violence against women, and by OSCE PA Treasurer and Head of the German Delegation Doris Barnett, who stressed how essential it is to promote gender equality. OSCE PA President George Tsereteli (Georgia) also spoke on the issue of gender-based violence, highlighting the indispensable role of parliaments and the OSCE PA, which can help promote best practices and better information-sharing between governments.

The Annual Session has featured many side events organized by national delegations dealing with a wide range of topics, including corruption, propaganda, the state of journalism, environmental impacts of armed conflict, the Boris Nemtsov assassination, the Nord Stream II pipeline project, and election observation.

President Tsereteli has also held a series of bilateral meetings over the past several days, including with Bundestag President Wolfgang Schäuble, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation for Italy Guglielmo Picchi, Luxembourg Speaker of Parliament Mars Di Bartolomeo, Montenegro Speaker Ivan Brajovic, and Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Ingibjorg Gisladottir. He has also met with OSCE PA delegations from Slovakia, Israel, Morocco, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Norway, Romania, Spain, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.

The Annual Session is being held under the theme “Implementing OSCE Commitments: The Role of Parliaments” and continues today with plenary debates. It concludes Wednesday with the adoption of the Berlin Declaration and elections of Assembly officers.

For schedules, resolutions, speeches, news updates, press releases and other information, please visit http://www.oscepa.org/meetings/annual-sessions/2018-berlin-annual-session. Photos can be found on the OSCE PA's Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/oscepaLivestreaming is available in German and the floor language here: https://www.bundestag.de/mediathek

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Joana Karapataqi, OSCE Presence in Albania OSCE Presence in Albania

A one-week summer school on communism and the communist legacy in Albania started on 9 July 2018 in Tirana. The event is being held for the second consecutive year and is organized by the OSCE Presence in Albania, in co-operation with the Faculty and the Institute for the Studies of Communist Crimes and Consequences in Albania.

Sixty participants selected out of 330 applicants will attend lectures on various topics concerning the totalitarian past, discuss documentaries featured during the course and listen to stories of people who were persecuted by the communist authorities. The purpose is to further engage future professionals - historians, journalists, lawyers and teachers - in a discussion on human rights violations during the totalitarian regime and how the communist legacy can be addressed.

Speaking at the opening of the summer school, the Deputy Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Robert Wilton, said that he was glad to see that there are many Albanian institutions that are now dealing with the totalitarian past. They include the Authority of the Opening of Sigurimi Files, universities, the public broadcaster and civil society associations.

Wilton noted that only through an open, sincere, well-balanced and respectful dialogue the communist past can be better understood. “There is a cliché that, if we forget the past, we are doomed to make the same mistakes, but there is truth in it. Albania has developed unimaginably and very positively over the last three decades, but we cannot escape history. And our only possible achievement is to get a perspective on the past, not escape,” Wilton said.

The rector of the University of Tirana, Mynyr Koni, said that post-communist generations must be informed about the past and it is the task of historians to identify it with objectivity. “This school is a window to deepen studies into the historical reality as it has happened,” he said.

The dean of the Faculty of History and Philology, Sabri Laçi, said that history needs to be revised and re-written, because new facts continue to emerge every day from research as well as Albanian and foreign archives. “In this school, you will learn some truths and we expect from you – future scholars and youth – to discover even more historical truths of that period so difficult to explore,” Laçi said.

The summer school is part of the Presence’s efforts to encourage a dialogue in the Albanian society on human rights violations during the totalitarian regime.