Central Europe

558441 Communication and Media Relations Section David Dadge

The OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan brought together twenty-five senior representatives from all the major Central Asian law enforcement educational institutions and the staff from the regional OSCE field operations to discuss best practices in training criminal justice practitioners on the investigation of cybercrimes and other crimes involving electronic evidence.

During the two-day regional workshop held on 21 and 22 November in Tashkent, the participants discussed professional development of police officers and prosecutors, adaptation and modernization of training and educational programmes, integration of e-learning, and strategic approaches to identifying needs and priorities for further training and education of criminal justice practitioners.

“All countries in Central Asia are undergoing significant digital transformation, albeit at different speeds. While this brings a lot of opportunities and benefits for our people and economies, it also brings new security risks and challenges. For example, in Kazakhstan we have seen a ten-fold increase in Internet-related crimes in the last five years. Training our law enforcement on how to investigate such crimes is thus a priority for us,” said Rashida Kadyrova, Head of the Department for Cybersecurity and Information Technologies at the Almaty Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

“Identifying and collecting electronic evidence or conducting investigations online are not any more the domain of specialists. Such skills are becoming more and more necessary for any law enforcement practitioner investigating all types of crime. Our educational institutions need to adapt to this reality,” stressed Gayrat Musavev, Head of Scientific and Methodological Centre for Digital Forensics at the Law Enforcement Academy of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The workshop included representatives from all major law enforcement educational bodies in the region, namely from:  

• Kazakhstan’s Almaty and Karaganda Academies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and from Law Enforcement Academy under the Prosecutor General’s Office
• Kyrgyzstan’s Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, from the Training Centre of the Prosecutor General’s Office and from the Institute of State Committee of National Security
• Tajikistan’s Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and from the Institute for Professional Development of the Prosecutor General’s Office
• Turkmenistan’s Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and from the Training Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office
• Uzbekistan’s Law Enforcement Academy, and from the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

The workshop was organized under the extra-budgetary project “Capacity Building on Combating Cybercrime in Central Asia” funded by the United States, Germany and the Republic of Korea.

558369

On 21-22 November, the two-day training on preventing trafficking in human beings the hospitality sector was conducted by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) in co-operation with the National Commission on Combatting Trafficking in Persons and Forced Labour.

Thirty-two (seven women and twenty-five men) representatives from the business community, including hotel, tourism, and event management companies, gained specific knowledge on the ways in which trafficking in human beings affects the current business landscape and how the expansion of services in the hospitality sector is likely to have an effect on trafficking. Private sector initiatives in the tourism sector related to child protection was also a focus at this event. 

Participants acquired additional insight into national referral mechanisms and trafficking in human beings risks in supply chains in order to further support the prevention of trafficking in human beings in this sector. Silke Kloever, Senior Project Officer, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, emphasized “We are encouraging the private sector, trade unions and relevant civil society institutions to join our efforts and support government measures in the field of combating and preventing trafficking in persons. Your support is indispensable!”.

This training program was organized within the PCUz UB project "Promoting Gender Equality and Combating Human Trafficking”.

558306 Chyngyz Zhanybekov Aida Almazbekova

On 21 November 2023, the State Financial Intelligence Service of the Kyrgyz Republic presented the Unified Financial Intelligence Information and Analytical System (UFIAS) with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek (POiB). This innovative system aims to combat financial crimes and terrorism financing.

The UFIAS significantly increases the efficiency of collecting, processing, and analyzing information related to suspicious financial activities. By streamlining the information management process, it facilitates the prompt identification of indicators of money laundering and terrorism financing.

The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek reiterates its commitment to providing ongoing assistance in the digitalization of state services. The adoption of state-of-the-art digital tools underscores our dedication to supporting the Kyrgyz Republic's efforts in maintaining financial security.

558297 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz

The 2023 early parliamentary elections in Greece took place in a competitive and pluralistic environment, and fundamental freedoms were respected. Voters were provided with ample information to make an informed choice. While some technical aspects could be improved, the election was effectively administered and election management bodies enjoyed a high level of public trust. Issues related to transparency and accountability of political party and campaign financing, candidacy rights and criminalization of insult and defamation remain to be addressed, as noted in prior ODIHR recommendations.

These are some of the main conclusions of the final report on the 21 May elections published today by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

The report offers 21 recommendations to improve the conduct of elections and to support efforts to bring them in line with OSCE commitments, as well as other international obligations and standards for democratic elections.

Key recommendations include:

• To adjust for the changes in population in each constituency to ensure that they are equal in size, in line with international good practice;

• Undertaking efforts to make the independent participation of all voters possible, including through alternative voting methods;

• Reviewing political parties’ internal policies to promote women’s participation as candidates and give them prominence in the party’s campaign;

• Requiring financial reports are made public in a timely, comprehensive and easy-to-understand manner, comparable with interim reporting on campaign finance before election day;

• Replacing criminal provisions for defamation and insult with proportional civil remedies.

ODIHR deployed an Election Assessment Mission for these elections from 8 to 25 May 2023.  All 57 countries across the OSCE region have formally committed to follow up promptly on ODIHR’s election assessments and recommendations.

VIENNA, 21 November 2023 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, has concluded her visit to Uzbekistan which took place from 15 to 17 November. The visit included a series of high-level meetings with Uzbekistan’s officials, including Deputy Foreign Minister, Gairat Fazilov, Assistant to the President, Saida Mirziyoyeva, Chair of the Committee of the Legislative Chamber for Innovations, Information Policy and Information Technologies, Ilhom Abdullayev, and the Director of the Agency for Information and Mass Communications, Asadjon Khodjaev.

The Representative and her counterparts discussed a range of media freedom issues, including the safety of female journalists and Uzbekistan's draft Information Code. They discussed the possibility of future assistance in assessing this draft law in order to align it with OSCE commitments and international legal standards.

“I look forward to continuing the very constructive dialogue I had with the Uzbek authorities to further our common goal of media freedom as an inseparable part of peace and security,” Ribeiro said.

A highlight of the visit was the Roundtable on Gender Sensitive Journalism on 17 November, jointly opened by Ribeiro, Abdullayev, the Chair of the Public Foundation for Support and Development of National Mass Media, Nozima Davletova, and the Acting Head of the OSCE Project Coordinator in Uzbekistan, Silke Kloever. This event, co-organized by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, and the Public Foundation for Support and Development of National Mass Media, furthered progress in the realm of gender-sensitive journalism and the building of a pluralistic media landscape.

"In an era where the integrity of media is under scrutiny, it’s imperative that our media landscape mirrors the diversity of our societies – enabling a broad range of voices to resonate, a spectrum of viewpoints to be acknowledged, and a breadth of experience to be recognized," Ribeiro underlined. The RFoM also presented the new Guidelines on Monitoring Online Violence against Female Journalists, which provided further guidance to participating States on safeguarding the work of female journalists.

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

Communication and Media Relations Section David Dadge

The OSCE Transnational Threats Department, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, the Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Youth of the Canton of Sarajevo and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina delivered the second multi-stakeholder event to discuss the draft of the 2024-2028 Canton of Sarajevo youth strategy.

Building on the results of the first event in September, the second event, held on 20 November in Sarajevo gathered experts from academia and civil society. The members of thematic working groups discussed the 2024-2028 youth strategy and agreed on the steps to finalize it, aiming to meet the needs and aspirations of young people within the Canton of Sarajevo. Participants particularly focused on learning about international best practices in youth crime prevention, representing an essential part of the strategy.

Final consultations and presentation of the strategy to stakeholders and the Canton Parliament are planned for the beginning of 2024.

These efforts are part of the OSCE-wide multi-year project, Enhancing youth crime and drug use prevention through education on legality and awareness campaigns addressing threats of organized crime and corruption, which is funded by Italy. Other donors supporting this project are Andorra, Germany and Poland.

558279 Marina Živaljević

See for yourself, you’re not small boy – is a title of the campaign the OSCE Mission to Montenegro launched on 21 November in partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, NGO Women’s Safe House and the Football Association of Montenegro.

In the campaign, Stevan Jovetić and Stefan Savić, members of the Montenegrin National Football team challenge stereotypes and seek to break the circle of silence around gender-based violence. The creative author of the campaign is Andrijana Vešović – Zombijana.

The campaign will unfold through a series of social media post and reels published on Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/vidjisam/ and on Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/vidjisam.

Speaking at the launch of the campaign, Siv-Katrine Leirtroe, Deputy Head of the Mission, stressed that gender-based violence is not a problem that can be solved in isolation; it requires a collective effort. “Football, as a universal language, has the unparalleled ability to connect people from all walks of life. Montenegrin football players, Jovetić and Savić’s commitment to this cause goes beyond the pitch, illustrating that influential figures have an important role in fostering societal change,” said Leirtroe, adding that with impactful social media campaign and education for youth we aim to reach every corner of society.

Mersida Aljićević, Director from the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, noted that this was the first time that the Ministry participated in this kind of social media campaign. “Boys and young men were targeted with strong messages to prevent violence against women. Through the campaign, we recognize other forms of violence besides physical, because not all violence leaves bruises and injuries. Violence is persecution, harassment, sexual harassment and psychological and emotional abuse, and it is our duty to recognize it and to do everything in our power to influence every individual and prevent every form of violence against women and girls,” said Aljićević.

Jovana Hajduković, from the NGO Women’s Safe House, stated that the NGO, for 24 years, has been actively protecting women who have experienced violence. “Violence takes on many shapes, from emotional and psychological violence to online and sexual violence. Girls often normalize the first signs of violence, while men often have patterns of violent behaviour that are rooted in our patriarchal culture, which often promotes harmful gender stereotypes. Prevention is key. I am sure that the participation of our most successful footballers, who are role models for young generations, will contribute to changing attitudes and creating a society with zero tolerance for violence,” said Hajduković.

Branko Latinović, from the Football Association of Montenegro, said that the Association was happy to support this campaign. “Our captains Savić and Jovetić were more than willing to participate and set an example to the younger generations that violence in our society is absolutely unacceptable and to draw attention to the problem faced by women and girls. Their involvement is key, they are real examples to the youth of which behaviour models to follow,” said Latinović.

The campaign is launched ahead of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence international campaign that kicks off on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day.

See for yourself, you are not a small boy. Be better than the violence against women.

558243 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

On 21 November 2023, Turkmenistan’s International University for Humanities and Development hosted an OSCE-supported conference on engaging youth in addressing climate change.

The event was initiated to provide a platform for a regional expert-level dialogue to share best practices on raising awareness of young people about issues related to climate change mitigation and adaptation and involving them into decision-making in this important area.

The conference was held in a blended format and brought together students from Turkmenistan’s institutions of higher education, and representatives of the Magtymguly Youth Organization and relevant ministries. Representatives of institutions dealing with environmental and youth issues in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan joined the conference remotely.

“We all know that climate change is the global challenge, which does not respect borders affecting people everywhere,” said John MacGregor, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat in his video message to the conference participants.

“It is our moral obligation to leave the Earth unharmed to today’s children and young people, and to future generations to ensure their sustainable lifestyle,” stressed MacGregor.

An international expert from Italy facilitated the conference and emphasized that tackling climate change can immensely benefit from the engagement of youth as a key stakeholder.

Experts from the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities and representatives of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana and OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek as well as youth parliamentarians from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly presented the work of the OSCE in promoting the role of youth in the climate agenda. 

Representatives from Central Asian countries elaborated on the main issues related to climate change in the region and discussed the role of youth as a driving force in tackling climate change. The conference enabled young participants to explore opportunities for developing national programmes and regional projects to address climate change.

The conference was organized jointly with the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan.

558222 From left to right: Ms. Tansuluu Arstanbekova, entrepreneur from Osh province, Kyrgyz Republic; Mr. Jose Luis Lozano Garcia, Ambassador of Spain to North Macedonia; Ms. Helga Maria Schmid, Secretary General of OSCE; Mr. Akylbek Nasirdin, Programme assistant at OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek; and Mr. Nurgazy Raev, entrepreneur from Jalal-Abad province, Kyrgyz Republic at the Chairmanship in Office’s Youth Forum "Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Creating a Sustainable Future in the OSCE Region". Chyngyz Zhanybekov

Two aspiring entrepreneurs from the Kyrgyz Republic, Mr. Nurgazy Raev and Ms. Tansuluu Arstanbekova participated at the Chairmanship in Office’s (CiO) Youth Forum titled "Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Creating a Sustainable Future in the OSCE Region." This initiative underscores commitments of the OSCE participating states to advancing and nurturing youth entrepreneurship within the OSCE region.

Mr. Nurgazy Raev and Ms. Tansuluu Arstanbekova are pioneers in sustainable business practices, specializing in the production of environmentally friendly goods and services in Jalal-Abad and Osh provinces of the Kyrgyz Republic. Tansuluu specializes in the packaging and manufacturing of dehydrated fruit products intended both for local markets as well as for exporting. Nurgazy oversees a chain of coffee establishments that additionally offer a selection of freshly squeezed juices. Both Tansulu and Nurgazy are graduates of the Entrepreneurship Support Centres, established by the OSCE Porgramme Office in Bishkek in five provinces of the Kyrgyz Republic. The centres have played a pivotal role in providing comprehensive support for the development of youth entrepreneurship, offering comprehensive consulting services in areas such as business development, legal aspects of doing business, finance, and marketing.

Over the course of two years, the Entrepreneurship Support Centres have provided guidance to more than 358 young entrepreneurs, empowering them with the knowledge and skills necessary for navigating the complexities of business. This robust support system aligns with our overarching objective of fostering a conducive environment for youth entrepreneurship to thrive, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of the Kyrgyz Republic and the wider OSCE region.

The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek remains steadfast in its commitment to nurturing the potential of young entrepreneurs, recognizing them as key contributors to economic growth, innovation, and a sustainable future. The participation of Mr. Nurgazy Raev and Ms. Tansuluu Arstanbekova in the CiO Youth Forum served as a dynamic platform to showcase their accomplishments and foster the exchange of knowledge and best practices with fellow aspiring entrepreneurs from the OSCE region.

World Children's Day - Say no to discrimination in education

OSCE Mission to BiH marks World Children’s Day

On the occasion of World Children's Day, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina would like to remind all institutions and individuals of their responsibility to protect children from any and all forms of discrimination. Although BiH has ratified and endorsed multiple treaties and commitments that protect the rights of children, 13% of parents responding to a 2023 public perception survey commissioned by the Mission stated that their child feels uncomfortable in school because of their gender, ethnicity, social background, language, religious beliefs, economic status or disability.

We must continue working together to protect all children from discrimination and ensure that their educational experiences are inclusive, inspiring and motivating. 

Please see the video prepared for this occassion: Ujedinjeni protiv diskriminacije! - YouTube 

558144 Marina Živaljević

Crafting project applications on youth mobility, co-operation, activism and intercultural learning was the focus of a three-day capacity building training course, the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) Local Branch Office in Montenegro organized with the support of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro from 14 to 17 November in Bar.

Fourteen NGO representatives from different parts of Montenegro strengthened their capacities in project proposal writing. Participants acquired information on how to develop project proposals and budgets, conduct youth exchanges, establish regional partnerships and ensure project visibility.

In her opening remarks, Siv-Katrine Leirtroe, Deputy Head of Mission, emphasized that the OSCE Mission is proud to be one of the first institutional supporters of RYCO, recognizing the importance of youth engagement and youth connections in the region as a key factor to peace and stability. “Among many joint activities that the Mission and RYCO Local Branch Office have implemented, I would underline seven capacity building trainings for potential grant applicants from Montenegro, gathering 160 participants, representatives of secondary schools and CSOs, some of whom later were shortlisted or awarded RYCO grants”, said Leirtroe.

Bojana Lalatović, Program Officer of RYCO Local Branch Office stated: “Our goal extends beyond the training room. It is about empowering NGOs across Montenegro, nurturing their potential to drive meaningful change. The high number of participants in the training course, coupled with positive evaluations, demonstrates the success of their workshops”.

Together with RYCO, the Mission recognizes the role of youth in Montenegro, and will continue to promote the spirit of reconciliation, dialogue and co-operation between them, enhancing youth participation and mobility.

558138 Communication and Media Relations Section David Dadge

From 15 to 17 November 2023, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department (TNTD), the OSCE Mission to Serbia, and the Serbian Ministry of the Interior delivered a National Table-Top Exercise (TTX) in Belgrade on countering the use of the internet for terrorist purposes.

The TTX gathered over fifty participants from Serbian governmental agencies, civil society, the media, and international organizations. It was facilitated by local and international experts, including experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, UNOCT, Europol, and the UN-led Tech against Terrorism initiative. The participants were introduced to best practices in addressing challenges related to the use of the internet by terrorists while respecting the right to privacy and the freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly, and religion or belief.

The TTX scenario directed participants' discussion towards generating actionable recommendations at both policy and operational levels within the context of Serbia's national security priorities and aimed at enhancing the co-ordination of national efforts and combating the threats arising from the misuse of the internet by violent extremists and terrorist groups. Participants engaged in interactive, scenario-based exchanges, enhancing their expertise on countering terrorism-related online threats prevalent in Serbia, and ways to tackle these based on practical human rights-centred approaches.

“The implementation of the national table-top exercise on countering the use of the internet for terrorist purposes will be an open opportunity for practical simulation and performing the exercise in the field of preventing the abuse of the internet. Moreover, it serves the purpose of achieving its primary objective, that is strengthening the efficiency of the institutions in Serbia in the field of preventing and countering violent extremism and terrorism, while exercising maximum respect for human rights and freedoms,” said Police Colonel Ivan Brandic, Assistant Head of the Criminal Investigations Directorate at the Serbian Ministry of the Interior in his opening remarks.

“Our experiences have illustrated that collaboration between the government and civil society is absolutely crucial for effectively countering the use of the internet for terrorist purposes while respecting human rights. Non-governmental organizations, the media, local communities, and individuals, as concerned citizens, can play an important role in this,” emphasized Irfan Saeed, Head of the TNTD Action against Terrorism Unit.

Ambassador of Norway to Serbia, Kristin Melsom, and Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Germany in Serbia, Carsten Meyer-Wiefhausen, also delivered opening remarks.

The event was organized in the framework of TNTD’s extra-budgetary project “Preventing and countering the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes in Central Asia” with the financial support of Germany and Poland, as well as the OSCE Mission to Serbia’s extra-budgetary project “Strengthening national capacities to counter misuse of the Internet for terrorist purposes”, funded by Norway.

Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

An OSCE-organized five-day train-the-trainers course (ToT) for facilitators of Women’s Resource Centres (WRCs) concluded on 17 November 2023 in Dushanbe. A one-week course brought together 26 participants to strengthen the knowledge of WRC facilitators on the Zindagii Shoista (Life with Dignity) methodology.

The training encouraged reflection on values and attitudes towards gender and relationships within the family. Participants gained knowledge about family health and built awareness about violence against women. During the training, WRC facilitators developed skills to help family members better communicate with each other.

Zindagii Shoista consists of 11 modules such as: Let’s Communicate; Men and Women – Expectations versus Reality; Relationships; Peer Group Meetings; Family Health; Violence in Relationships; Supporting Women Experiencing Violence in Relationships; Changing Behaviours; Being Assertive and Showing Appreciation and other modules.

Nargiza Mukhtorova, Facilitator of the WRC “Umed” in Isfara of the Sughd region said: “The skills and knowledge that I acquired in this training will help me to conduct information sessions among those families who have experienced violence and help them reduce the tensions, improve communications and relations, and live their lives with dignity and in harmony.”

“I learned communication skills, role-playing, and experience sharing in the ToT,” said Aysifat Norbekova, Facilitator of “Darmonbakhsh” WRC in the Dusti district of the Khatlon region. She added that she will use her new knowledge in her practical work with women who have gone through violence and women living in unhealthy families.

The training course is being implemented within the OSCE’s Women’s Resource Centres project funded by the United States of America, Finland, Norway, Germany, and Andorra.  The training is part of the Office’s ongoing support to the Government of Tajikistan and civil society organizations in preventing and combatting domestic violence including by improving professional support services to survivors.

558105 Communication and Media Relations Section David Dadge

The OSCE delivered a national training course on gender-responsive policing of violence against women and girls from 13 to 17 November in Riviera Golem, Albania.

The course – organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, the OSCE Presence in Albania and the Albanian Security Academy – was delivered by national police officers and prosecutors who had previously benefited from the OSCE train-the-trainers course in Warsaw, as well as by other national experts engaged with the OSCE. Twenty police officers and eight prosecutors from various municipalities in Albania - twenty women and eight men – learned to respond to cases of violence against women and girls while maintaining a victim-centred approach.

“Gender-based violence is not a mere statistic. It is an unfortunate and underreported phenomenon that permeates the fabric of society, impacting the security and well-being of every individual residing in Albania,” said Ambassador Bruce Berton, Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania.

“Gender-based violence is a concern nowadays, representing a violation of human rights and freedoms and leading to long-term consequences for the community. Since the Albanian State Police is the first point of contact for the victims of gender-based violence, there is a need to develop an effective approach to preventing this phenomenon. Therefore, the Albanian Security Academy has integrated gender-based violence in its curriculum,” said Professor Ilirjan Mandro, rector of the Security Academy.

“Let us not forget the rising number of teenagers and young people who are experiencing online gender-based violence. Threats, abuse and exploitation on social media platforms often result in stigma, shame and serious trauma. The police have to respond to these crimes, and support the victims,” underlined Bjorn Tore Saltvik, project manager and OSCE Adviser on Police Development and Reform.

“In Albania, prosecutors and police officers tend to prefer dealing with major crimes like corruption or organized crime. What is the point, however, in fighting against such phenomena, if we do not address crimes within the family in the first place, considering such crime destroys families and the entire society?,” stressed Albert Kuliçi, public prosecutor at the Prosecutor’s Office in Tirana.

OSCE will continue to support the criminal justice practitioners from South-Eastern Europe in their fight against violence against women and girls and deliver similar training course to law enforcement also in Serbia at the end of November 2023, in addition to the ones already organized in North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro.

These activities contribute to the implementation of the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. They are organized in the framework of the OSCE project Enhancing Criminal Justice Capacities for Combating Gender-based Violence in South-Eastern Europe, funded by Germany, Norway, Finland, Austria, France and Italy.

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an election observation mission for the 17 December early parliamentary elections in Serbia, following an official invitation from the national authorities.

The mission is headed by Ambassador Albert Jónsson and consists of a core team of 11 international experts based in Belgrade and 30 long-term observers, who will be deployed throughout the country from 21 November. ODIHR will request 250 short-term observers, to arrive several days before election day. 

The mission will assess the conduct of the elections for its compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation.

Observers will closely monitor all aspects of the elections, including pre- and post-election developments. Specific areas of focus include the implementation of the legal framework, the conduct of the campaign, including on social networks, as well as the work of the election administration at all levels, election dispute resolution and media coverage. They will also assess the implementation of previous ODIHR election recommendations.

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

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

The day after the elections, the mission’s preliminary findings and conclusions will be presented at a press conference. A final report with an assessment of the entire election process and containing recommendations, will be published some months after the process.

Media contacts:

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

Kira Kalinina, Media Analyst with the Election Observation Mission: Kira.Kalinina@odihr-serbia.org or +381 61 616 77 31

558081 Chyngyz Zhanybekov Aida Almazbekova

On 16 November, the Green Economy Forum 2023: Common Goals for Sustainable Development of the Central Asian Region took place in Bishkek. The Forum brought together representatives from Central Asian countries and international experts in the field of sustainable business and management to discuss common challenges and find solutions for scaling green initiatives. 

This year, the Forum delved into best international practices of interaction between the public and private sectors and tools to stimulate the “greening” of the private sector to promote global integration, as well as recognize potential sectorial initiatives in Central Asia for their coordinated promotion at the global level. 

First Deputy Chair of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymaliev emphasized the Kyrgyz Republic's commitment to the gradual decrease of the greenhouse emissions by 2050. “SDGs are the basis of state policy of the Kyrgyz Republic, and we will accelerate the progress in achieving the SDGs where green economy is the core of our commitment. We are working on the current economy's transformation to the green economy through attracting green investment, developing renewable energy sources and introducing "clean" transportation”. 

“The OSCE is diligently promoting the development of the green economy by supporting the improvement of the legislative framework, the implementation of key measures and plans in accordance with the Green Economy Development Programme. We also provide ongoing support to the Kyrgyz Republic in the implementation of strategic legal, economic and institutional reforms," noted Alexander Eliseev, Acting Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek. 

With its development partners the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek is committed to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and will continue to provide multilateral support to the Kyrgyz Republic on transitioning to the green economy and enhancing regional co-operation.

558051

Fourteen supervisory and law enforcement officials from Ukraine enhanced their knowledge and skills in identifying and investigating financial crimes conducted with cryptocurrencies and other virtual assets in a training course held from 14 to 17 November 2023 in Vienna. The course was organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

“With the growing use of virtual assets and cryptocurrencies in Ukraine, there is a pressing need to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement and supervisory bodies. This is essential for effective investigations, enhancing Ukraine's resilience against money laundering and other financial crimes,” said Ralf Ernst, Acting Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental activities. “This is the second training on investigation of virtual assets for Ukrainian officials, and the OSCE will continue to support Ukraine’s efforts to combat money laundering, particularly through virtual assets and cryptocurrencies.”

During the course, participants learned about advanced techniques and practical tools to investigate financial crimes committed with virtual assets. The course also equipped participants with knowledge on advanced tracing of criminal transactions on different blockchains through case studies and best practices, and provided an opportunity for participants to familiarize themselves with specialized analytics software.

This course is part of an OSCE-led extra-budgetary project on “Innovative policy solutions to mitigate money-laundering risks of virtual assets”. The project is designed to support the governments of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine in building the capacity of national authorities to mitigate criminal risks related to virtual assets and cryptocurrencies with the help of analytical tracing software. The project is funded by the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Romania and Poland.

Observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will hold a press conference on the opening of the observation mission to the early parliamentary elections in Serbia on Friday, 17 November.

What:

• An introduction to the role of the ODIHR election observation mission and its planned activities
• The press conference will take place on Zoom only (details below)

Who:

• Ambassador Albert Jónsson, Head of the ODIHR election observation mission

When:

• 16.00 local time (GMT +1) on Friday, 17 November 2023

Registration:

Please register by 13:00 local time (GMT +1) on 17 November using the following link.

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

Media Contact:

Kira Kalinina, EOM Media Analyst: kira.kalinina@odihr-serbia.org or +381 61 616 77 31

558072 A session from the anti-corruption masterclasses series, organized in cooperation with four national universities. Mirvete Islam, OSCE Mission to Skopje

Open to: students attending Bachelor and Master studies at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Goce Delcev University - Shtip, University St. Kliment Ohridski Bitola and South East European University

Submission deadline: 5 December

Awards: the three best essays will receive vouchers for IT equipment

The Project Strengthening the Rule of Law and Human Rights in North Macedonia III aims to advance the rule of law and human rights by implementing applicable international standards and OSCE commitments in the judiciary and fundamental rights areas, in line with North Macedonia's strategic priorities. The project addresses various challenges in the domains of judicial independence and impartiality, criminal justice, anti-corruption, anti-discrimination, gender equality and fundamental rights in North Macedonia as identified in various governmental policy documents and international expert assessments.

Following the successful completion of the anti-corruption masterclasses series, organized in cooperation with four national universities (Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Goce Delcev University - Shtip, University St. Kliment Ohridski Bitola and South East European University), the expressed enthusiasm by the students and in order to further encourage active anti-corruption engagement, OSCE Mission to Skopje is organising an essay writing competition for students. The essay competition was inspired by the enthusiasm of the students that attended the anticorruption masterclass activity which provided them with inspiring lectures from a dozen of anti-corruption professionals, scholars and activists.

Authors of the three best essays will receive vouchers for the purchase of IT equipment. The competition will be open until 5 December 2023.

Essays shall demonstrate a well-informed understanding of the complex nature of corruption and the need to provide realistic ideas on how to reduce corruption. Authors shall provide one or few arguments related to the chosen topic of analysis that need to be elaborated and backed with some credible sources from the academic, legal or policy literature. Thus, authors are encouraged to present their own opinion but need to make sure such opinion is based on credible and convincing evidence. Essays shall be written in a well-structured and clear manner, with adequate use of language.

Essays shall be based one of the following general topics:

•            Corruption: a problem of culture or institutions

•            Corruption and elections

•            Corruption and public expenditures

•            Corruption and gender

These topics serve as a general direction and authors are free to develop their own essays in a more specific manner as long as they stay in line with one of the four general topics.

Essays will be anonymously evaluated by an evaluation committee of three professors, who will evaluate the essays according to the following criteria:                  

•            Essay topic and relevance (max. 25 points)

•            Creativeness and originality of proposed argument(s) and solution(s) (max. 25 points)

•            Argumentation and use of evidence and sources (max. 25 points)

•            Language, structure and clarity (max. 25 points)

Essays shall be written in English, using Times New Roman, font size 12 and 1.5 line spacing, and should be 1400 and 1600 words long (3 pages). Longer essays will not be taken into consideration.

Essays shall be original work of the authors. Any sign of plagiarism (including the use of Chat GTP) will be sanctioned with disqualification from the competition.

Info session

For interested students, the OSCE Mission to Skopje will organise an online info session, with more precise guidelines on how to prepare a competitive essay, one week before the end date for sending the essays. In order to obtain information on the exact time and date for the session and a zoom link, please send an email to Svetlana.Crvenkovska@osce.org and provide your contact information.

Application process

Instructions for the essay competition are accessible in Macedonian and Albanian languages as well.

Authors shall send their essays to Svetlana.Crvenkovska@osce.org by 5 December 2023 as an attached PDF file. In order to help the process of anonymous evaluation, authors shall state their full name and surname and the name of the university in the email body text, but should not put their name in the essay document.

558009 OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities OSCE and UN promote socio-economic inclusion of minorities as a strategy for conflict prevention Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Social and Economic Life Thematic Recommendations and Guidelines OSCE celebrates 30th anniversary of High Commissioner on National Minorities Supporting the social and economic participation of national minorities Roundtable on Promoting Conflict Prevention through the Socio-Economic Inclusion of Minorities

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Kairat Abdrakhmanov and Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) Tatiana Valovaya organized a roundtable on Promoting Conflict Prevention through the Socio-Economic Inclusion of Minorities on 15 November 2023 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

“Leaving no one behind is the central promise of the 2030 Agenda. This promise means that all the 17 Sustainable Development Goals should be met for everyone, including those who are the poorest, most vulnerable and furthest behind. Halfway through the 2030 Agenda, we must recognize that keeping this promise remains a distant goal for too many persons belonging to national, ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities who continue to endure discrimination, marginalization and exclusion. Furthermore, persons belonging to minority groups feel much more discriminated and excluded from society if they are stateless,” said Director-General Valovaya.

“I welcome the valuable guidance on the participation of national minorities in social and economic life published last month by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities. Over the last three decades, the OSCE has provided crucial expertise and support to states to secure the dignity and inclusion of minorities. You have worked to ensure respect for their language, culture, religion or belief, and for their full participation in decisions of relevance to them and their communities,” said Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif.

“When minority rights are firmly anchored in national legislation, including policy documents, and when they are implemented through electoral, legal, educational and regional development systems before a conflict has the opportunity to fester, then there is a good chance that a conflict might be prevented from happening. This is precisely why I encourage national authorities to invest in promoting and enabling the active participation of minorities in their country’s social and economic development:  making this a priority will support and sustain integration, peace and stability in the long term,” said High Commissioner Abdrakhmanov.

The roundtable discussed the measures and policy approaches set out in a new set of HCNM thematic Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Social and Economic Life in the context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other UN frameworks that could prevent the escalation of social and inter-ethnic tensions.

The participants discussed the challenges and reflected on how to achieve a more inclusive socio-economic-cultural balance, leaving no one behind. They paid specific attention to the socio-economic inclusion of minority youth and women.

The panel was comprised of Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Tatiana Molcean; UNHCR Deputy Director in the Division of International Protection Patrick Eba; Ambassador, Director, DCAF – Geneva Center for Security Sector Governance Nathalie Chuard; Chief, Indigenous Peoples and Minorities Section, OHCHR Hernan Vales; former UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues (2017-2023) Fernand de Varennes; and Associate Professor in Nationalism, European Institute of the London School of Economics and Political Science Jennifer Jackson-Preece. It was moderated by HCNM Senior Legal Adviser Elzbieta Kuzborska-Pacha.

The roundtable was organized as a follow up to an event on the Effective Participation of Minorities in Economic Life as a Strategy for Conflict Prevention, which was held on 21 November 2021 at the UN Office at Geneva. It also marks one of a series of events organized throughout 2023 to mark the 30th anniversary since the institution of the OSCE HCNM began operations in The Hague in 1993.