Central Europe

KYIV, 11 November  2020 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Heidi Grau, made the following statement to the press after the regular meetings of the TCG ‎and its Working Groups held through video conferencing:

“According to the assessments of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, the ceasefire continues to be generally respected.

On the other hand, its repeated violations are alarming, especially in the area around the Donetsk Filtering Station (DFS) being the hot spot with the highest level of kinetic activity in the conflict zone. It accounts for about 44% of all ceasefire violations recorded by the SMM OSCE since 27 July.

This poses a serious danger to the civilian population and calls into question the operation of the station that provides water supplies to about 380,000 people on both sides of the contact line.

These issues were raised by the Security Working Group. Different aspects of the coordination mechanism for responding to ceasefire violations were also discussed.

The Working Group on Political Issues started developing a draft action plan in full compliance with the Minsk Agreements. Participants in the Working Group presented their proposals, but certain work still remains to be done to bring the positions closer.

The discussions of the Humanitarian Working Group focused on the simultaneous opening of the new entry-exit checkpoints (EECPs) in Zolote and Shchastya of the Luhansk region that was scheduled for 10 November 2020.

On both sides of the contact line, the infrastructure necessary to open the EECPs was prepared in time. However, it was not possible to agree on the order of EECPs’ operation before the scheduled opening date.

The participants of the TCG meeting showed readiness to urgently resolve the remaining issues with a view to opening both checkpoints as soon as possible. This is very important for freedom of movement.

The Economic Working Group focused on water supplies across the contact line in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The discussion also touched upon environmental issues and questions of the payment of overdue salaries to former employees of “Ukrainian Railways” residing in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine”.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded no ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and 14 in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded eight ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and 24 in Luhansk region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and spotted people in the latter area in the daytime, and mines inside and near the area.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
• It saw that the entry-exit checkpoint (EECP) near Stanytsia Luhanska and its corresponding checkpoint of the armed formations were operational. 
• The Mission saw that the EECPs near Zolote and Shchastia had opened and that the corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations and the checkpoint of the armed formations near Olenivka were closed.
• The SMM saw for the first time anti-tank mines near Zaichenko, Donetsk region.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a border crossing point outside government control near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk), Luhansk region.*

SARAJEVO, 11 November 2020- As citizens prepare to exercise their right to vote in the 2020 local elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) this Sunday, 15 November 2020, the OSCE Mission to BiH wishes to share a few important messages in the interests of free, fair and safe elections in BiH.  

We welcome and support the efforts of the Central Election Commission (CEC) to ensure full transparency in its work and to identify and respond to possible attempts of election fraud.  We encourage voters to view the informational videos on voting provided by the CEC before they head to the polls.  To help protect the integrity of the elections, citizens should report any cases of suspected fraud to the CEC and relevant law enforcement authorities. We also welcome the measures taken by the CEC to ensure that the COVID-19 positive or isolated cases have been granted an opportunity to vote via a special mobile team.

We call on all political parties and candidates to uphold the principles of free and fair elections, show respect both for their competitors and for voters before, during and after the elections and accept officially-confirmed electoral results.  We hope there will be no inflammatory rhetoric or provocative incidents on election day and we call for peaceful celebrations after the announcement of results.

Election observers, both independent and from political parties, should be allowed to perform their duties without hindrance. This year, 'Pod Lupom' a coalition of NGOs, will deploy independent observers to monitor elections across the country. This is a fundamental safeguard for the integrity of elections.

We urge authorities to provide the necessary personal protective equipment to all election personnel and to ensure all epidemiological measures are respected in the polling stations.  In cases where schools are used as polling stations, authorities should ensure that disinfection takes place immediately after voting is completed.  It is important that children and school staff in the country are able to resume their activities without undue health risks.

Elections are an important cornerstone of a democracy.  We hope that all eligible voters will use this opportunity to strengthen democracy in BiH by exercising their right to vote for the candidates they believe can best serve the interests of their communities.  In this difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic, we encourage all voters to protect both themselves and polling station workers by wearing masks and respecting all required epidemiological measures while voting.

The OSCE Mission to BiH wishes all citizens a safe and peaceful election day, which contributes to a stronger and more prosperous future.  

Communication and Media Relations Section

The 2020 Aarhus Centres Annual Meeting, held online on 10 and 11 November 2020, brought together Aarhus Centres representatives, National Focal Points to the Aarhus Convention, representatives of non-governmental organizations, international organizations and the OSCE field operations.

This year’s focus was on the role of Aarhus Centres in ensuring environmental democracy in times of disaster and post-disaster recovery; gender mainstreaming into Aarhus Centres activities, and contributing to promoting and achieving sustainable development.

“The Aarhus Convention, at the basis of the Aarhus Centres work, is more than an environmental agreement. It is about governments’ accountability, transparency, and environmental human rights”, said Vuk Žugić, Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities. “The linkages between environment, security and sustainable development are at the forefront of the Aarhus Centres’ activities. An example is our project on Stakeholder Engagement in the Uranium Legacy Remediation in Central Asia - one of the OSCE key activities in the field.”

Ivis Noçka, Head of the Economic and Environmental Dimension Unit of 2020 Albania’s Chair, explained how the Aarhus Centres contribute to the OSCE comprehensive approach to security. “The Centers are a unique instrument for promoting community-based efforts to reduce disaster risks and security-related impacts,” said Nocka.

Dr. Marco Keiner, Director of the Environment Division of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), said that UNECE is particularly pleased that Aarhus Centres continue serving as a platform to promote multi-stakeholder dialogue on how to apply the Aarhus Convention and other multilateral environmental agreements for advancing Sustainable Development Goals. “Aarhus Centres are unique neutral entities that can assist authorities to promote public participation in times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic and during the post-pandemic recovery.”

Ambassador Tobias Lorentzson, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Swedish Delegation to the OSCE noted the importance of a relevant contribution of the Aarhus Centers in organizing workshops, public hearings, roundtable discussions on disaster risk reduction. “Where local communities do not have adequate knowledge on how to intervene in times of emergency, Aarhus Centres come into play and make it happen,” he said. .

Organized every year by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, the Aarhus Centres Annual Meeting strengthens discussions on the involvement of Aarhus Centres in fostering good environmental governance, sharing experiences and best practices, and identifying new opportunities.

Anna Vorobeva OSCE Mission to Moldova

In order to build effective national institutions for the protection of national minorities, the OSCE Mission to Moldova organized a series of four online webinars from 2 to 6 November 2020 on conflict resolution for a coalition of public agencies, which promote and protect the rights of national minorities in the country.

The webinars were led by professor Frederick John Packer, Director of the Human Rights Research and Education Centre at the University of Ottawa.  

During the four webinars, participants discussed the roles of human rights institutions in conflict resolution, conflict management and conflict prevention. They tackled strategic planning, as well as advocacy, reporting and communication issues and learned the difference between strategy, tactics and strategic planning. The discussion helped participants understand alternative approaches to their work, such as public interest advocacy, public service reporting, and public information and education.

Participants discussed the possibilities of their institutions in addressing the existing or potential tensions and the ways to become more effective. In the end, participants discussed public information and communications of their respective institutions and were challenged to think about priority goals for their institutions.

More than 30 representatives of the Agency for Interethnic Relations, the Ombudsperson’s office, the Equality Council and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research participated in the webinars. Over the past two years, the Mission has been working with these institutions to improve their co-operation and capacity in protecting the rights of national minorities in the Republic of Moldova – key to promoting tolerance and inclusivity, which are important enabling factors for the Transdniestrian settlement process.

The OSCE Presence in Albania organized an online training course from 4 to 10 November 2020 for ten managers of the country’s public broadcasting service, RTSH, with the aim of enhancing skills in running newsrooms.

The training was delivered by Remy Siegrist, an expert on human resources and management from the European Broadcasting Union, who highlighted the importance of performance evaluation, competency management, delegation, putting human capital at the centre of organizational performance, and job satisfaction.

Discussions focused on how to improve interactions between managers and staff, especially in challenging times, such as the current pandemic.

Melsi Qirici, Editor-in-Chief of RTSH 1 TV Channel, said: “From a human perspective, I found the training very compelling. I would love to follow up the trainings with practical ideas and examples, including tricks about finding solutions in crisis situations, as how to implement innovative, efficient management and human resources ideas and techniques in countries with low-budget public broadcasters.”

This course is part of the training programme within the EU-funded Media in Focus project, which has been implemented by the OSCE Presence in Albania since January 2019. Through this project, the Presence aims at strengthening the Albanian public broadcaster through capacity-building for journalists and the production of new flagship programmes. It also aims at improving and modernizing the curricula of the Albanian Public School of Journalism. Future training courses envisaged in the project will focus on editorial judgement and principles of public service media, as well as using social media and social networks for news-gathering purposes.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded eight ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and 24 in Luhansk region. In the previous 24 hours, it recorded three ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians amid the COVID-19 pandemic, including at entry-exit checkpoints and the corresponding checkpoints in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM visited three border crossing points in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The Mission followed up on reports of an attack on the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Kharkiv city.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a border crossing point outside government control near Voznesenivka, Luhansk region.*

COPENHAGEN, 10 November 2020 – Following the signature of a trilateral statement between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the Russian Federation to end fighting in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, OSCE PA President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) issued the following statement:

“I hope the signature of the agreement that puts a stop to the war in the Nagorno-Karabakh region will finally protect the lives of civilians trapped in the conflict zone. I deeply regret the many lives lost in recent weeks, and, as guns fall silent, I encourage the sides to proceed without delay with exchanges of prisoners of war, detainees, and the bodies of fallen combatants.

“The road to lasting peace is often harder than war. I therefore urge all sides to recommit themselves to peaceful negotiations, in good faith, to allow the safe return of internally displaced persons and refugees, reach a long-term and comprehensive settlement of this conflict, and at long last build a future together.”

News of the agreement was followed by demonstrations in Yerevan, with protesters forcing their way into the main government building and parliament, as well as assaulting the President of the National Assembly of Armenia. In response, Tsereteli said:

“I am outraged at the violence deployed by some protesters during the events of last night and firmly condemn the attack against President Mirzoyan. No doubt, this is a painful and emotional day for the Armenian people, but I urge them to maintain confidence in their democratically-elected institutions to steer Armenia in these challenging times.”

469833 Marina Živaljević

As part of the “Leaders against Intolerance and Violent Extremism – LIVE” programme, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, together with Forum MNE, conducted two online training workshops for seven young participants from several Montenegrin cities from 7 to 11 September and 2 to 6 November 2020.

“Leaders against Intolerance and Violent Extremism – LIVE” is a multi-sectoral programme of the OSCE aimed at building the capacity of civil society – youth, women and community leaders – to support the community in preventing terrorism and countering violent extremism leading to terrorism (P/C VERLT).

During the first online training course in September, participants acquired necessary knowledge and skills to develop project ideas related to P/C VERLT. Over the two-month interim period, the participants, in consultation with the trainers, defined their project ideas, which they finalized in project proposals at the second workshop in November.

These young leaders now have the skills to effectively and safely promote and undertake local P/CVERLT projects to raise their community’s awareness and promote peace and tolerance. They will implement their projects with the support of the Mission

By using a multi-dimensional and cross-sectoral approach, the LIVE initiative promotes grassroots awareness-raising to build resilience and promote alternative narratives and opportunities for positive change. Nikola B. Šaranović, the Mission's National Project Officer for LIVE Programme, who was a co-facilitator with Elvira Hadžibegović Bubanja, Executive Director of Forum MNE, pointed out that “in Montenegrin CVE Strategy and Action plan, young people are recognized as a particular target group and their activism as a special contribution in this field."

Speaking at the November workshop, Dragan Pejanović, National Co-ordinator for P/CVERLT, said that although the threats from violent extremism and terrorism are at the low level in Montenegro, the country has been building capacity for facing this challenge continuously. “Montenegro has a systematic approach to the problem of radicalization and violent extremism, establishing a quality strategic, legislative and institutional framework for recognizing, preventing and combating these global phenomena. The 2019 and 2020 European Commission Progress Reports recognized these results.”

Presenters at the workshops included Dragan Koprivica, executive director of the Centre for Democratic Transition, Dragica Rajković, head of the Treatment Department in the Directorate for Execution of Criminal Sanctions, Milica Bogdanović, director of the “Road without Return” movie and Anđelija Lučić, manager at the Youth Forum for Non-Formal Education.

Analysis of the complex security challenges, currently being faced, as well as sharing best practices and innovative approaches was the focus of the OSCE roundtable discussion. The event titled “Leveraging innovation and technology to address 21st century security challenges and crises across the OSCE and Asian Partners for Co-operation” was held on 09 and 10 November 2020 online and in Vienna.

Organized by the OSCE Border Security and Management Unit/Transnational Threats Department, the Slovak Chair of the OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation Group, the OSCE Border Management Staff College, and the OSCE External Co-operation Section, the discussion gathered some 180 participants from the OSCE region and beyond.

“The COVID-19 health crisis illustrates the complex nature of security. The repercussions of this pandemic will affect and have an impact, directly or indirectly, on most sectors of our society,” said Alena Kupchyna, OSCE Co-ordinator of Activities to Address Transnational Threats. “A co-ordinated response, co-operation and concerted efforts across the OSCE and its Asian Partners for Co-operation is expected, sought and feasible.”

The event provided a platform to share innovative practices in preventing and combating Human Trafficking across the OSCE and Asian Partners for Co-operation. Experts from Australia’s Department of Home Affairs, EUROPOL, the International Organization for Migration Japan, Border Services of Afghanistan as well as the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings shared their expertise.

Together with the Head of OSCE’s Action Against Terrorism Unit, representatives from the EU, as well as of state agencies and international organisation of Afghanistan, Australia, Japan and the Republic of Korea, and Thailand have elaborated on good practices and innovative tools in enhancing international co-operation against terrorism.

Combining existing and new technologies such as biometrics, API/PNR systems, e-passports and automated border gates to facilitate cross-border movement and prevent transnational crimes and terrorism, were also discussed.

This roundtable discussion was the first of its kind and was held in the context of the 25th anniversary of the OSCE Asian Partnership for Co-operation.

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

The Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media published today the third edition of its Safety of Journalists Guidebook.

The Guidebook contains recommendations on how to better protect the media and create an enabling environment for unhindered press freedom in the OSCE region.

The Guidebook also takes into account good practices and events undertaken by international organizations, governments and non-governmental organizations to create a safer environment for members of the media since the second edition of the Guidebook was published in 2014.

The guidebook is available in English and Russian here: https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/469758

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 by persons slightly increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week.

OPERATIONAL REMARKS

The OM is currently operating with 22 permanent international Mission members, including the Chief Observer (CO) and one first responder[1]. The Mission is supported administratively by a staff member and the Chief of Fund Administration based in Vienna.

Update on COVID-19 measures

Activities have been impacted by COVID-19 and measures undertaken by the OM to ensure the safety and duty of care of its Mission members and compliance with measures set by the host country authorities. The Mission is continuing to keep the situation under review, in close contact with the OSCE Secretariat and the Chairmanship. Following the host country recommendations, the observers are adhering to social distancing. Due to the preventive measures taken by the central and regional authorities, the OM is faced with certain difficulties, but is still able to continue to fulfil its mandate without any limitations in its observation and reporting activities.

OBSERVATIONS AT THE BORDER CROSSING POINTS

Persons crossing the border                                                                                                                                                                              

The profile of persons 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 persons and/or children) travelling on foot or by car with a significant amount of luggage.

The average number of entries/exits slightly increased from 7,076 to 7,118 per day at both BCPs compared to last week[2].

During the reporting period, the majority of border crossings were to the Russian Federation, with an average net flow of 133 per day for both BCPs. The Donetsk BCP continued to experience much more traffic than the Gukovo BCP.

Responding to the COVID-19 situation, the host country has closed its borders for the majority of foreigners starting from 18 March. Among the exceptions of persons allowed to cross the border (which entered into force on 19 March), are Ukrainian citizens and stateless persons holding passports or identification documents proving permanent residence in certain areas of Luhansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine. In addition, reportedly, due to the threat of the spread of COVID-19, starting from 10 April, the organized passenger transport commuting between the non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region of Ukraine and the Russian Federation was temporarily suspended and restored from 25 June.

Persons in military-style outfits

During the reporting period, the number of persons in military-style outfits crossing the border was nine, compared to five last week. Five persons crossed into the Russian Federation while another four persons crossed into Ukraine. These individuals crossed the border on foot.

Families with a significant amount of luggage

The OTs continued to report on families, sometimes with elderly persons and/or children, crossing the border at both BCPs with a significant amount of luggage, or travelling in heavily loaded cars. During this reporting week, three families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and four families were observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when no families were observed crossing into both directions.  

Bus connections                                         

Regular local and long-distance bus connections continued to operate between Ukraine (mostly from/to the Luhansk region) and the Russian Federation. During the reporting period, the OTs observed a slight increase in the overall number of buses crossing the border at both BCPs (276 compared to 272 observed during the previous week). There were 139 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 137 bound for Ukraine.

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

Trucks

During the reporting period, the OTs observed a decrease in the overall number of trucks crossing the border at both BCPs (822 compared to 896 during the previous reporting week); 474 at the Gukovo BCP and 348 at the Donetsk BCP, 506 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 316 crossed into Ukraine. Most of the trucks observed by the OTs had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region; however, on a daily basis, the OTs also noted trucks registered in the Russian Federation, Belarus, Lithuania and trucks with “LPR” plates.

The OTs also continued to observe tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions. During the reporting period, the OTs observed a decrease in the overall number of tanker trucks crossing the border at both BCPs (38 compared to 52 during the previous reporting week). 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 underwent systematic inspection by the Russian Federation officials, which could 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 slightly decreased from 162 to 159. Of the total number of trucks scanned, 130 trucks (82 per cent) were bound for Ukraine, the remaining 29 trucks (18 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 saw minivans registered in the Russian Federation. During the reporting period, the OTs observed a decrease in the overall number of minivans crossing the border at both BCPs (137 compared to 170 observed during the previous week); 66 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 71 into Ukraine.

Trains

The OTs continued to pick up the sound of trains on the railway tracks located approximately 150m south-west of the Gukovo BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on 18 occasions; the OTs assessed that nine trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and the remaining nine trains were travelling to Ukraine (more details are provided in the sections “trends and figures at a glance” below).

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. The OTs also observed vehicles with Georgian and Lithuanian licence plates.

On 3 November at 12:40, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed a black funeral minivan, with Russian Federation licence plates towing a black trailer, entering the BCP from Ukraine. The vehicle had an inscription “Funeral Services” (in Russian) on the side. The OT noticed only the driver on board. After undergoing customs control procedures, the minivan crossed the border into the Russian Federation.

For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 6 October to 10 November 2020, please see the attachment here.

[1]                      First responders are OSCE staff or Mission members deployed for a short period of time.

[2]              Based on data received from the Regional Representation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

[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 750 kg (small cargo vehicles which correspond to driving licence C1).

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

The follow-up to the recommendations of election observation missions in the Western Balkans topped the agenda of an online conference organized by the OSCE Office Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on 10 November 2020.

The conference focused on the extent and modalities of the follow-up of ODIHR’s electoral recommendations in the process of bringing the conduct of elections closer in line with OSCE commitments, and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections. Participants shared ideas on different methods, identified good practices from across the region and proposed recommendations for future follow-up.

“The concrete support of ODIHR for the continuous improvement of the Montenegro electoral legislation has been very productive and we are grateful for that. Now, additional support is needed for the implementation of legal regulations,” said Branimir Gvozdenović, Member of Montenegrin Parliament, former Vice President of the Parliament and Chairperson of the Committee on Comprehensive Reform of Electoral and Other Legislation. “I hope that ODIHR will continue cooperation will our recently elected parliament, with the aim of further improving the election legislation in accordance with international election standards.”

Key topics included cooperation and partnership between ODIHR, local authorities, civil society and other organizations. Discussions also centred on sharing good practices, challenges and recommendations; and on the inclusion of national minorities, women, and people with disabilities in electoral processes.

Renata Deskoska, Professor of Constitutional Law and Political System at the Law Faculty in Skopje, former Minister of Justice of North Macedonia, and former Chairperson of the Working Group on Electoral Code, said:

“The first step toward free, fair and credible elections is consensus on the legislative frame that implements international standards for democratic elections. The recent changes of the Electoral Code of North Macedonia were prepared by an inclusive working group, which consisted of representatives of political parties, state institutions, civil society organizations and experts. The proficient support offered by ODIHR, including via its Electoral Recommendations Database, in the process of implementing the recommendations and improving our legislative framework was significant for the progress we have achieved.”  

The event marked the final stages of ODIHR’s project Support to Elections in the Western Balkans, funded by the European Union and the Austrian Development Agency. Between 2017 and 2020, the project actively supported the process of political reform, legal review activities and sustainable electoral-management capacities through public consultation and inclusion.

The online conference brought together participants from the Balkans representing election management bodies, government structures, working groups on electoral legal reform, media regulators, public broadcasters, journalists associations and civil society organizations and people with disabilities.

When the project closes at the end of 2020, ODIHR looks forward to continuing to support OSCE participating States in their follow-up efforts to electoral recommendations.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Between the evenings of 6 and 8 November, the SMM recorded six ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 55 ceasefire violations in the region.
• Between the evenings of 6 and 8 November, the SMM recorded no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it also recorded no ceasefire violations in the region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.
• The SMM saw mines near Dolomitne and Holmivskyi, Donetsk region, some for the first time. It also again saw mines near Vesela Hora, Luhansk region.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians amid the COVID-19 pandemic at the entry-exit checkpoint (EECP) in Stanytsia Luhanska, Luhansk region. It noted the EECP remained closed.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a checkpoint near Kreminets, Donetsk region, where members of the armed formations delayed the SMM’s passage by more than three hours on 7 November.*

COPENHAGEN, 9 November 2020 – Following reports of protests against the results of the 31 October parliamentary elections and clashes with the police in recent days in Tbilisi, Georgia, OSCE Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE election mission Elona Gjebrea Hoxha (MP, Albania) and Head of the OSCE PA Delegation Pia Kauma (MP, Finland) called on the protesters to refrain from violence and on the authorities to respect the fundamental freedoms of assembly and expression.

“While reiterating that the 31 October parliamentary elections were competitive and, overall, fundamental freedoms were respected, I have been following the recent protests taking place in Georgia with concern,” Hoxha said. “I welcome people exercising their right to freedom of expression but acts of violence cannot be tolerated. I call for the protests to be peaceful. At the same time, while I emphasize that the police have a duty to exercise restraint in responding to demonstrators, it is important for the authorities to listen to the voices of the protesters and to respect fundamental freedoms.”

“I urge all actors to engage in a constructive dialogue, to overcome the current polarization and to work together for stable political framework, while paying attention to the messages recently received by the international stakeholders” said Pia Kauma. "I would like to express my support to the Central Election Commission for an inclusive process in addressing alleged electoral violations," she added.

Secretary General Roberto Montella also stated: “Having observed elections in Georgia and followed the political developments in the country in the last two decades, I am confident that all stakeholders will exercise maximum restraint and demonstrate high sense of responsibility and their commitment to the common good, with the goal of building stronger democratic institutions and enhance public confidence.”

The OSCE PA deployed an election observation mission to Georgia for the 31 October parliamentary elections. The observation mission, a joint undertaking of the OSCE/ ODIHR, the OSCE PA, PACE, and the NATO PA, said that the technical aspects of the elections were managed efficiently, despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the dominance of the ruling party in the election commissions negatively affected the perception of their impartiality and independence, especially at the lower levels.

The elections were conducted under a substantially revised legal framework, following broad public consultations that brought some improvements for the holding of democratic elections, but further efforts to address shortcomings are needed, the statement says.

According to the Central Election Commission, the recount process is underway to verify and clarify the precinct summary protocols’ data. As of 8 November 2020, results of 24 polling stations are already recounted in the District Election Commissions.

For the full statement of preliminary findings and conclusions, please click here.

Information for Google Short title:  OSCE-ODIHR meeting on freedom of religion or belief

VIENNA/WARSAW, 9 November 2020 – As freedom of religion or belief comes increasingly under pressure, the need to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by digital technologies and at the same time minimize the dangers they pose is becoming ever more important. This topic is the focus of the OSCE’s final human rights conference of the year, beginning today.

“We are experiencing grave threats to peace and security across the OSCE area, with people being targeted for their religious beliefs or simply for their way of life,” said Inid Milo, Head of the 2020 Albanian OSCE Chairmanship Task Force. “We are therefore delighted to see so many participants today. We look forward to an open dialogue on ways of furthering the right to freedom of religion for all, sharing good practices and providing concrete recommendations that we can all learn from and emulate.”

The online meeting, organized by the OSCE’s 2020 Albanian Chairmanship together with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), brings together more than 300 participants from governments, civil society, religious or belief communities and international organizations from across the OSCE region. As well as discussing recent trends in national legal frameworks and government policies, they will debate the role of civil society both in promoting and protecting this right and helping to build more tolerant societies.

A particular focus of the meeting will be on the challenges brought by the insidious spread of hatred over digital platforms, but also the opportunities of rapid technological development for creating a culture of mutual respect and breaking down the inequalities and barriers that have stood in the way of faith communities in the past.

“We don’t often associate freedom of religion or belief with the digital world, but in fact digitization offers many opportunities, particularly during the difficult circumstances caused by the pandemic when communities are unable to meet in person,” said ODIHR’s First Deputy Director Katarzyna Gardapkhadze. “However, greater effort is needed to combat the use of digital tools as a platform for intolerance and hatred against people simply because of their religion or belief.”

With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, emergency measures were imposed in many countries that have sped up digitization in many spheres of life. At the same time, they have contributed to growing restrictions on freedom of religion or belief in some places, often introduced in the name of ‘national security’ and beyond the limitations stipulated in international law. This has intensified prejudices against members of faith communities, which in some places has spilled over into hate crime. 

“The lockdowns have not only enhanced the status of the internet as the premier global public forum, offering many solutions including to religious and belief communities, but also highlighted many forms of digital divides,” said Dr Ahmed Shaheed, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief. “These divides are imposed not only due issues of access, but are also driven by hate mongers and cyberbullies, and call for a multi-stakeholder response to guarantee digital inclusion to all.”

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The OSCE-supported international conference "Contemporary military conflicts and ways to prevent them" was held on 4 and 5 November 2020 in a blended format at the Academy of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The conference provided a platform for exchanging views and experiences on international and regional security issues. New forms of modern military conflicts and effective mechanisms to combat transnational threats were studied and discussed, as well as the possibility of expanding co-operation between foreign universities and research centers.

Materials and proposals of the academic conference will contribute to the study of best practices and new trends in the development of military art in modern military conflicts, the study of innovative methods and approaches in the educational process and the expansion of knowledge and personal enrichment of military personnel.

“The adoption of the defense doctrine of the Republic of Uzbekistan in December 2017 will make a significant contribution to the future of Uzbekistan. Fifty-seven OSCE participating States have recognized the need for supporting reform priorities and have shown a historical level of interest in events and actions in Uzbekistan. Today's event is a vivid example of effective co-operation between the Academy of the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan and the OSCE,” noted John MacGregor, Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan.

Over 300 participants and experts from international organizations attended the event, including experts from the OSCE, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, as well as educational institutions from the Russian Federation, Turkey, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, India, Italy, China, Republic of Korea, Pakistan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.

Seventeen women councillors from all across Albania successfully finalized the two-day final module of the OSCE Presence’s Women Municipal Excellence Programme (WoMEP) held in person with strict adherence to the COVID-19 safety rules and protocols from 6 to 7 November 2020. The module aimed at linking capacity-building and local development with gender equality. The programme combined on-the-job advice and direct training. This was the third module of the programme with two previous ones taking place in December 2019 and October 2020.

WoMEP assisted women councillors in identifying challenges and setbacks in their daily work and setting individual targets and advance their performance in the councils. Participants learned to strategically link gender-sensitive policies with municipal budgets as a primary source for funding initiatives with a direct impact on the different needs of women and men at the local level.

The councillors learned how to develop individual projects to be presented to the municipal councils, as part of a practical training exercise to complement theory with proposals that can be used in their day-to-day-work.

“WoMEP helped me get acquainted with how local development works. It helped me bridge the gap between long-term planning and my regular engagement at the council,” said Edlira Kapllanaj from the Vlora Municipal Council. Using skills acquired during the module, Kapllanaj has started a project on tackling violent extremism by establishing contacts with the municipal administration and showcasing the importance of her initiative with the head of the council and council members.

The councillors’ individual proposals seek to address important areas of municipal development, ranging from monitoring post-earthquake relief efforts in Durrës to establishing social grant schemes for women in need in Selenica. There are also projects supporting transparency initiatives, anti-bullying programmes and environmental education in Tirana and initiatives aimed at fundraising for the construction of a new kindergarten in Cërrik.

Over the last weeks, participants worked on preparing their projects and initiatives to be presented to the Municipal Councils to be considered for financial support in the 2021 community budgets.

Following the success of its first Women Municipal Excellence Programme, the OSCE Presence in Albania will launch a call for the second WoMEP generation in mid-November looking for 25 more motivated, creative and proactive women councillors from all over Albania.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded 55 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 52 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians amid the COVID-19 pandemic, including at a checkpoint of the armed formations near Olenivka, Donetsk region and the entry-exit checkpoint (EECP) in Stanytsia Luhanska, Luhansk region. It noted the EECP remained closed.
• The SMM observed a public gathering in front of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine in Kyiv.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including during ten SMM unmanned aerial vehicle flights over areas on both sides of the contact line in Donetsk region and government-controlled areas of Luhansk region.*

SARAJEVO, 6 November 2020 – The Agency for Gender Equality of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) of the BiH Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees, the OSCE Mission to BiH, the Office of the European Union in BiH and the UN Women BiH marked the 20th anniversary of the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security by organizing an online conference today.

The conference provided key actors with an opportunity to take stock of the progress achieved and recommit to the accelerated implementation of the Resolution in the future, which is to further build and preserve peace and security in BiH.  

“The UN Secretary-General recently presented the vision for women, peace and security for the new decade, with clear future priorities - tangible results in women’s equal and meaningful participation in peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding; non-conditional defense of women’s rights and standing with women human rights defenders; and dedicated investment in gender equality in post-conflict recovery,” said Ingrid Macdonald, UN Resident Co-ordinator in BiH.  “A critical aspect of realizing sustainable peace and development around the world, including in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), is the need to succeed in achieving gender equality.  We face numerous challenges in BiH, but we are also presented with a once-in-a-generation opportunity: with women making up 51% of BiH’s population, they have a fundamental right to participate in decisions affecting their future. Women must not just be consulted: their voices must be reflected in emerging policies and political decisions. They should not simply be invited; they should be included; not just engaged but ensured a co-lead in the country’s political processes,” she continued.   

Miloš Lučić, BiH Minister of Human Rights and Refugees, highlighted the importance of the Women, Peace and Security agenda in BiH stating: “UNSCR 1325 is a special resolution that, for the first time, highlights the special impact, needs, interests and contribution of women in and following armed conflicts. By adopting this resolution in 2000, the UN Security Council confirmed the changed nature of the contemporary armed conflicts, in which civilians are a more frequent target and women are still excluded from peace negotiations and decision-making in relation to the post-conflict society building. This resolution highlights that the efforts aimed towards peace,  reconciliation and security are more sustainable when women are equal partners in prevention of violent conflicts, protection and provision of assistance, as well as in recovery from the conflict and building a permanent peace. Higher participation of women is not only about fulfilling their human rights, but it is also a key to sustainable development. Bosnia and Herzegovina already adopted its third Action Plan for the implementation of the UNSCR 1325 for the period 2018–2022, which demonstrates our commitment to its continuous and systemic implementation.”   

“The European Union has a long practice of promoting gender equality, advocating for a society in which women and girls claim their rights and are active participants rather than bystanders in peace-building processes. Gender equality, as such, is an indispensable part of the European Union’s legal and political framework. However, global and local challenges remain. Ensuring that national budgets for the implementation for Women, Peace and Security National Action Plans are adequately funded and putting in place well-designed monitoring and accountability systems co-ordinating the activities of government bodies at all levels to a greater extent, remain priorities,” said Ekaterina Dorodnova, Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation to BiH.

Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH stressed the importance of ensuring that COVID-19 related responses are reflecting principles set in UNSCR 1325: “Today we are celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the UNSCR 1325, yet we are faced with a new challenge. COVID-19 is a humanitarian crisis that has accelerated security threats across the globe whilst exposing deep societal inequalities. Women, among other groups, have been disproportionately affected in the wake of the fight against this virus.​ We have to fully understand and address the gendered aspects of the pandemic and apply a gender lens when analyzing interventions. The women, peace, and security framework should be fully integrated into our COVID-19 responses. Furthermore, women need to be involved in the highest levels of decision-making to ensure their needs are taken seriously”.

Organizers of the conference remain committed to promoting gender equality and women’s role in peace and security for all, in their daily activities and strategies.