Central Europe

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded 52 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded three ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and one in Luhansk region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. The SMM saw again a white container truck with “JCCC” written on its sides inside the disengagement area near Zolote and, in the evening hours, people inside the latter two areas.
• 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 the entry-exit checkpoint (EECP) in Stanytsia Luhanska, Luhansk region. It noted the EECP remained closed.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

Communication and Media Relations Section

Strengthening the capacity of government officials from Kazakhstan to counter terrorism financing was the aim of an online training course that took place from 3 to 6 November. The event was organized by the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department, the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime's Global Programme against Money Laundering (UNODC/GPML), the UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia and the Monitoring Team of the UN Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups undertakings and entities.

Fourteen participants from governmental agencies of Kazakhstan, such as the General Prosecutor’s Office, the Academy of Law Enforcement Agencies under the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market, the Financial Monitoring Committee of the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Internal Affairs and other law enforcement agencies took part in the training course. 

The training course focused on applying targeted financial sanctions to terrorists and terrorist organizations, pursuant to UN Security Council resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1988 (2011), to disrupt terrorist networks. During the course, participants were actively engaged through a range of interactive exercises and knowledge tests.

The event aimed at enhancing the capacity of Kazakhstan to combat terrorist financing and strengthen compliance with international standards in this area. In particular, UN Security Council Resolutions, the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF)’s standards, UN norms and OSCE commitments to promote human rights-based approaches in countering terrorist financing.  

The course is part of an OSCE-UNODC comprehensive capacity-building programme on countering terrorist financing for Central Asia. It helped the participants to understand the key role of inter-agency co-operation, international co-operation and of multi-stakeholders approaches in identifying and disrupting terrorist financial networks. 

469323

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) held a three-week capacity-building training course to help re-integrate returning labour migrants, which concluded on 6 November 2020. The event was organized in co-operation with the Agency for External Labour Migration under the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations of the Republic of Uzbekistan (the Agency), and took place at Westminster International University in Tashkent (WIUT).

Some 75 returned labour migrants and 75 officers of the Agency from across Uzbekistan attended the course.

During the three-week course, which started on 26 October, the returned labor migrants developed their entrepreneurship skills, while the officers of the Agency worked on methodological skills to strengthen the reintegration of the returned migrants into the domestic labour market.

Faculty members of the WIUT lectured participants on business management and business idea generation, fundamental marketing concepts and marketing strategies, and financial management. The course also included a train-the-trainer component for Agency officers who learned how to pass on the knowledge they gained to others.

PCUz Senior Project Officer Hans-Ullrich Ihm underlined the importance of the OSCE’s priorities to improve economic development through job creation, growth opportunities and strengthened skills of the returned migrants. “The PCUz acknowledges the increasing importance of effective labour migration management and the benefits it can provide for all countries involved, including those of origin, transit and destination. Labour migration has the potential to foster economic growth and sustainable development, if managed and regulated properly,” said Ihm.

All the participants were awarded certificates of completion.

The training course was organized under the extra-budgetary project “Support to the improvement of labour migration policies in Uzbekistan” funded by Germany.

469536 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

On 6 November 2020, journalists, representatives of the Bar Association and the Supreme Court of Turkmenistan, as well as representatives of the Institute of State, Law and Democracy successfully completed an OSCE-organized advanced online train-the-trainer course on the rights and duties of journalists.

The event was held in two parts from 29 October to 6 November. Nine participants were selected from among the participants of the basic train-the-trainer course on the same topic that was organized by the Centre in Ashgabat two years ago.

“The OSCE participating States are committed to undertaking steps to ensure the freedom of journalistic profession. As Turkmenistan included training courses on the rights and duties of journalists in the National Human Rights Action Plan of Turkmenistan (NHRAP) for 2016-2020, the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat offered its support in introducing such trainings in practice” said Natalya Drozd, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

The course aimed to prepare a pool of national experts to be able to deliver training courses on the rights and duties of journalists for court workers, lawyers and journalists as envisaged by the NHRAP.

“To be able to protect their rights, journalists need to have a good understanding of different aspects of media law and relevant practices, and it is important to address issues of journalists’ rights and duties that involve not only media professionals but other parties such as court workers and lawyers,” added Drozd. “This is why we invited both journalists and representatives of the court and bar association as future trainers.”

Two international experts from the United Kingdom and Kyrgyzstan provided in-depth information on professional standards in journalists’ work, legal and social status of a journalist, access to information and the concept of public interest. Participants analyzed cases of defamation and libel in the legal practice as well as legal and ethical standards of using sources of information in journalists’ work. Special emphasis was put on hate speech and discriminatory language in the media and the relevant legal regulations and solutions in the digital age.

The second phase of the course focused on training methodology, planning and selection of training materials and instruments. Future trainers learned about specific features of training versus teaching and discussed the theory of change and how to apply it to training courses.

International experts also presented a module of a training course they designed on the rights and duties of journalists for use by newly trained trainers. The module includes the structure of the training course, comprehensive theoretical materials and practical assignments as well as recommended methodology and handouts.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded three ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and one in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 27 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and seven in Luhansk region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. The SMM saw again a white container truck with “JCCC” written on its sides inside the disengagement area near Zolote and, in the evening hours, people inside the disengagement area near 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 an entry-exit checkpoint in Luhansk region.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

Communication and Media Relations Section OSCE Rapporteur’s Report under the Moscow Mechanism on Alleged Human Rights Violations related to the Presidential Elections of 9 August 2020 in Belarus

The OSCE Moscow Mechanism rapporteur Wolfgang Benedek presented his report to the OSCE Permanent Council on 5 November 2020 concerning alleged human rights violations related to the 9 August presidential elections in Belarus.

Benedek, a professor of international law at the University of Graz, was appointed rapporteur by the 17 OSCE participating States that invoked the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism in September following the presidential election in Belarus and widespread claims of a subsequent deterioration in the human rights situation there.

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

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

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

VIENNA, 5 November 2020 - Leaders of anti-trafficking efforts from over 50 countries across Europe, North America and Central Asia met online on 3 and 4 November 2020 for the largest annual meeting of its kind focused on human trafficking at the international level. The event, jointly organized by the OSCE and the Council of Europe, focused on challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to anti-trafficking responses.

Participants shared promising practices in the prevention of human trafficking, the protection of victims, and the prosecution of traffickers amid the pandemic. They highlighted the need for enhanced anti-trafficking action across all sectors.

“This is not the time to turn our back on trafficking and its victims; it is time to double-down on our investments and efforts,” said Valiant Richey, OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings.

Participants underscored how the COVID-19 pandemic has created more favorable conditions for traffickers by exacerbating pre-existing vulnerabilities and creating new ones, pushing people in difficult economic circumstances into risky and exploitative situations.

“COVID-19 is testing our capacity to protect victims but will not break our resolve to combat human trafficking. In many countries, national anti-trafficking co-ordinators, in partnership with civil society, are taking inspiring initiatives to overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic,” said Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings and Head of the Anti-trafficking Division of the Council of Europe.

Experts noted high-risk sectors included agriculture and food-processing industries, where opaque recruitment procedures, low-qualification requirements and low-wages created favorable conditions for traffickers. Industries characterized by long supply chains with several sub-contractors were also considered as potentially at risk for exploitation.

Lockdown measures and movement restrictions contributed to a surge in some forms of exploitation, particularly online child exploitation and so-called “webcam exploitation”. Participants recognized that these forms of exploitation made victims increasingly ‘invisible’ to the law enforcement systems and harder to reach with support services.

The meeting also focused on solutions to these challenges, including some promising national practices that have emerged in recent months. Broader use of trafficking hotlines, an increase in law enforcement presence online, and more on-site labour inspections in high-risk sectors were highlighted as positive anti-trafficking responses.

“Meetings like this, where governments can share their best practices and experiences, are a key component of what in the OSCE we call ‘co-operative security’”, said Richey. “Common challenges are tackled more effectively together and taking inspiration from peer actions adds to our common efficiency in eradicating human trafficking.”

The current global health crisis, associated challenges for border agencies in Central Asia and Afghanistan as well as the need to enhance co-ordination in the region, were the focus of the four-day Conference of the Central Asia Border Management Initiative (CABMI) held from 2 to 5 November.  

The Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department with the support of the OSCE Field Missions in Central Asia organized the online conference.

Barbara Schrotter, Head of Unit, International Relations, of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Interior, Liga Jermacane, Political Adviser, European External Action Service, and Alena Kupchyna, Co-ordinator of OSCE Activities to Address Transnational Threats delivered opening remarks.  

“Security threats have dramatically evolved over the last decades to transcend national boundaries and conventional borders. The effects of these threats have similarly expanded beyond security alone. Managing borders during a health crisis became an even more complex and challenging task,” said Kupchyna.

Twenty-five representatives from Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan attending the conference elaborated on the persistent and emerging challenges in national border security and management.

Representatives from the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) as well as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office for Central Asia provided an overview of their responses to the current health crisis.

Representatives from the OSCE Field Offices in the region, the Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA 9), the IOM Sub-regional Coordinator for Central Asia, OSCE’s Border Management Staff College, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) as well as representatives from OSCE’s Border Security and Management Unit, presented ongoing international and bilateral initiatives in support to border security and management in Central Asia and Afghanistan.

During the interactive working groups, officials from border services in the region, together with representatives of international organizations, identified current needs for technical assistance in border security and management and developed recommendations for enhanced co-ordination among international, regional and bilateral actors.

COPENHAGEN, 4 November 2020 – The leaders of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly firmly condemn the terror attack which took place in Vienna on Monday, killing at least four people and injuring 22. “We stand in solidarity with the families of the victims and wish a speedy and full recovery to those injured in these horrific events. Vienna is the home of the OSCE and of international diplomacy, and its citizens have always stood by multiculturalism and tolerance,” stressed OSCE PA President George Tsereteli.

The recent surge in terrorist activities across the OSCE region is worrisome. Appalling attacks in France, Turkey, Afghanistan, Germany, and Croatia, whether Islamic State-, right-wing- or lone-wolf-incited, are only some of the latest stark examples, Tsereteli pointed out. They demonstrate that terrorism and violent extremism remain global security threats affecting all OSCE participating States.

“The OSCE PA stands by belief that the brutal acts of terrorism have no religion, race or nationality, and certainly no place in modern democratic societies. They know no borders, and are never justifiable wherever and by whomsoever committed,” underscored President Tsereteli.

While certainly distressing, terrorist acts tend to sharpen the international community’s resoluteness against terrorism. “Far from dividing us, such dreadful attacks only reinforce our determination to actively defend our shared freedoms and values, including freedom of expression,” noted Reinhold Lopatka, Chair of the OSCE PA Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism. “At the same time, acts which, under the banner of freedom of expression, fuel hate speech, hatred and radicalization should also be avoided and widely condemned as undermining fundamental intercultural and inter-religious relations and dialogue,” Lopatka added.

“The economic and social distress triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic is no reason to shift our attention away from the terrorism threat. On the contrary, this prolonged health crisis provides a particularly fertile ground for terrorist groups to boost their popularity and recruit new sympathizers among vulnerable groups, stigmatize minorities, foment divisions in our societies, spread violent ideologies and prepare new attacks. Thus, countering terrorism and radicalization must always remain a top priority,” concluded Chair Lopatka.

“The OSCE PA, through its Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism and its strong network of partnerships with the OSCE, the United Nations and like-minded inter-parliamentary fora, continues to mobilize parliamentarians on counter-terrorism and to promote co-ordinated responses at international level,” emphasized OSCE PA Secretary General Montella. “At the same time, we call on authorities of all OSCE participating States to strongly denounce all forms of extremist rhetoric, racism and hate speech, as well as to more effectively address the underlying social, economic and political factors conducive to radicalization and violent extremism. National parliaments play a vital role in bridging diverging views and building cohesive societies which reject all forms of terrorism and violent extremism,” concluded Montella.

WASHINGTON D.C., 4 November 2020 – Yesterday’s vote was hard-fought and competitive with a high degree of engagement by election workers and citizens in the face of great legal uncertainty and a highly polarised political environment fuelled by aggressive campaign rhetoric, international observers to the US general elections said in a statement today.

The observation mission, carried out jointly by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), concluded that the 3 November general elections were competitive and well managed despite the many challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, the campaign was characterised by deeply entrenched political polarisation that often obscured the broader policy debate and included baseless allegations of systematic fraud.

“Nobody – no politician, no elected official – should limit the people’s right to vote. Coming after such a highly dynamic campaign, making sure that every vote is counted is a fundamental obligation for all branches of government,” said Michael Georg Link, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission. “Baseless allegations of systematic deficiencies, notably by the incumbent President, including on election night, harm public trust in democratic institutions.”

The COVID-19 pandemic was an enormous challenge to the organisation of the elections, but it also had a significant impact on the election campaign. Measures taken to ensure that voters were able to cast their ballot during the pandemic triggered drawn-out lawsuits driven by partisan interests, negatively affecting the work of the election administration and confusing voters. Election day itself was peaceful and took place without unrest or intimidation. Health safety measures were generally followed.

Voter identification requirements disproportionately affect certain groups, creating an undue hurdle for them in casting their votes. At the same time, an estimated 5.2 million citizens are disenfranchised due to a criminal conviction, although about half of them have already served their sentences. These voting restrictions contravene the principle of universal suffrage.

“The right to vote and to have that vote counted is among the most fundamental principles of democracy,” said Kari Henriksen, Head of the OSCE PA delegation. “While the United States has taken great strides toward expanding the franchise, concerns remain regarding universal adult suffrage. Women’s participation in politics has also increased, but there should be greater attention paid to this. In the context of COVID-19 and the rise in mail-in voting, I am concerned about attempts to restrict the counting of legally cast ballots.”  

There were also concerns over campaign finance. While this is regulated at the federal level with ceilings on individual donations to campaigns and full disclosure, the regulations on the unrestricted independent spenders effectively reduce transparency and amplify the impact of money in politics. The total expenditure is estimated to reach $14 billion for these elections.

The media landscape in the US is highly polarised, but at the same time pluralistic and diverse. Freedom of expression was respected ahead of the elections, with a wide range of information available that helped voters make an informed choice.

Election officials worked under difficult circumstances due both to the pandemic and the highly politicised environment that accompanied the election process. While emergency funds were distributed to help states overcome challenges caused by the pandemic for the organisation of the elections, these were insufficient to overcome the additional challenge of the massive increase in online voter registration and postal voting. It was nonetheless noted that the public was generally confident in the work of the election administration at all levels.

“The enormous effort made by election workers, supported by many engaged citizens, ensured that voters could cast their votes despite legal and technical challenges and deliberate attempts by the incumbent president to weaken confidence in the election process,” said Urszula Gacek, Head of ODIHR’s election observation mission. “But this election is not over, and we remain here in DC and in key states around the country until it is. It is vital that every properly cast ballot is properly counted.”

The international election observation mission for the general elections in the United States totalled 102 observers from 39 countries, made up of 50 ODIHR-deployed experts and observers, and 52 parliamentarians and staff from the OSCE PA.

For more details, please contact:

Katya Andrusz, ODIHR: +1 310 303 2902 / +48 609 522 266 or katya.andrusz@odihr.pl

Nat Parry, OSCE PA: +45 60 10 81 77 or nat@oscepa.dk

Communication and Media Relations Section

Leaders of anti-trafficking efforts from over 50 countries across Europe, North America and Central Asia met online on 3 and 4 November 2020 for the largest annual meeting of its kind focused on human trafficking at the international level. The event, jointly organized by the OSCE and the Council of Europe, focused on challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to anti-trafficking responses.

Participants shared promising practices in the prevention of human trafficking, the protection of victims, and the prosecution of traffickers amid the pandemic. They highlighted the need for enhanced anti-trafficking action across all sectors.

“This is not the time to turn our back on trafficking and its victims; it is time to double-down on our investments and efforts,” said Valiant Richey, OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings.

Participants underscored how the COVID-19 pandemic has created more favorable conditions for traffickers by exacerbating pre-existing vulnerabilities and creating new ones, pushing people in difficult economic circumstances into risky and exploitative situations.

“COVID-19 is testing our capacity to protect victims but will not break our resolve to combat human trafficking. In many countries, national anti-trafficking co-ordinators, in partnership with civil society, are taking inspiring initiatives to overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic,” said Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings and Head of the Anti-trafficking Division of the Council of Europe.

Experts noted high-risk sectors included agriculture and food-processing industries, where opaque recruitment procedures, low-qualification requirements and low-wages created favorable conditions for traffickers. Industries characterized by long supply chains with several sub-contractors were also considered as potentially at risk for exploitation.

Lockdown measures and movement restrictions contributed to a surge in some forms of exploitation, particularly online child exploitation and so-called “webcam exploitation”. Participants recognized that these forms of exploitation made victims increasingly ‘invisible’ to the law enforcement systems and harder to reach with support services.

The meeting also focused on solutions to these challenges, including some promising national practices that have emerged in recent months. Broader use of trafficking hotlines, an increase in law enforcement presence online, and more on-site labour inspections in high-risk sectors were highlighted as positive anti-trafficking responses.

“Meetings like this, where governments can share their best practices and experiences, are a key component of what in the OSCE we call ‘co-operative security’”, said Richey. “Common challenges are tackled more effectively together and taking inspiration from peer actions adds to our common efficiency in eradicating human trafficking.”

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded 27 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and seven in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded seven ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Inside the area near Zolote, it saw for the first time a white container placed next to road T-1316, about 200m north of the railway bridge.
• The SMM saw two weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region and ten weapons beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in a government-controlled area of Donetsk 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, including at an entry-exit checkpoint and the corresponding checkpoint of the armed formations in Luhansk region.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

SARAJEVO, 4 November 2020 - Ambassadors Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), and Matt Field, British Ambassador to BiH, strongly condemn all attacks and undue pressure on the media in the country, including the most recent attack on a BNTV female journalist, threats against columnists Dragan Bursać and Srđan Puhalo and web portals such as klix.ba and inforadar.ba.

Any and all threats and attacks against journalists should be thoroughly investigated, including in particular when perpetrated by public officials, who are expected to serve as role models for respectful and accountable behaviour.  

The British Embassy in BiH and the OSCE Mission to BiH will continue to closely monitor and call attention to violations of journalists’ rights, in particular those committed against female journalists, as they carry out their vital roles to inform the public in a free and democratic environment.

Twenty young people from the National Forum of Youth with Visual Impairments participated in an event organized by the OSCE Presence in Albania aimed at enhancing their organizational and strategic planning skills. The event was held from 31 October to 4 November 2020 in Tirana.

The Forum is a national association of young people with visual impairments established to help them work together to defend their rights, overcome social exclusion, and represent their interests in the fields of public participation, education and access to the labour market.

The training addressed the need for a well-established structural configuration and methods for assessing objectives against achievements. Through group work and participatory learning, the Forum members were encouraged to define their organization’s mission and vision, differentiate between long-term and short-term objectives, and share a common understanding of advantages and challenges of their youth organization.

“Full participation of youth with visual impairments in all aspects of public and political life is possible only if they are fully aware of their personal skills, and their joint capacities to get organized and act as one. Good organization and proper planning are crucial for enabling people with disabilities take control of their lives,” said the head of the Forum, Jonit Ferhati.

The OSCE Presence has been supporting the National Forum of Youth with Visual Impairments since 2017 to raise awareness on the rights of people with disabilities and to empower its members to participate in elections.

“This year’s focus was to enable the Forum to develop an outline of its strategic and operational plan. This will help the Forum improve its local- and central-level activism. A new strategy with shared goals and objectives, covering public outreach, new enrolments, and member retention will enable the Forum to become the voice of the youth with visual impairments throughout Albania in the near future,” said Sihana Nebiu, Head of the Democratization Department at the OSCE Presence.

The support that the Presence gives to young people with visual impairments is part of its larger efforts to nurture active citizenship and empower civil society and youth in Albania.

STOCKHOLM/VIENNA, 3 November 2020 – In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and numerous other challenges, high-level political representatives of the OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation addressed today the complex link between sustainable development and security at the 2020 OSCE Mediterranean Conference fully held online.

Chaired by Sweden, 2020 Chair of the OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation Group, over 200 participants, eight foreign Ministers, eight deputy foreign Ministers, representatives of the 57 OSCE participating States, the six OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia), and international organizations reviewed the security situation in the Mediterranean region by focusing on development-related aspects.

“Our post-COVID-19 recovery strategies should be used as an opportunity to take on important reforms towards fulfilling the sustainable development goals, as well as the goals of the Paris agreement,” said Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ann Linde. “We need to ensure that the recovery is based on the green transition. Lack of action towards climate neutrality will bring about consequences and costs that by far exceed the transition costs.”

“We also need a democratic approach towards recovery,” said Linde. This would include good governance, strengthening civil society and the respect for human rights, including freedom of expression and information – online and offline – and everyone’s freedom of religion or belief. It also includes reducing inequalities and gender inequalities. We must not leave the most vulnerable behind as we tackle this crisis,” said Linde.

Agron Tare, Albania’s Deputy Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs said that the Mediterranean dimension is fundamental to the architecture of European security. “The global challenges we face are shared with both shores of the Mediterranean - from terrorism to climate change, to hybrid threats, to irregular immigration - and can only be tackled when we co-operate effectively. In these uncertain times, it is more important than ever to have friends, to build partnerships, to co-ordinate our responses. We need a broad cross-regional approach to face these challenges together. Side by side.”

“Recovery will require change,” said Tuula Yrjölä, OSCE Officer-in-Charge/Secretary General and Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre. “The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has only further underscored the interdependence between OSCE participating States and the wider Mediterranean region. As we strive to overcome the pandemic and its negative impact on peace and security, contributions from our Mediterranean Partners, their ideas and perspectives will be even more crucial in the months to come,” she said. “We must focus on what needs to improve for our development models to become more sustainable.”

The OSCE Mediterranean Partnership discussions have often revolved around the correlation between more equitable development and lasting security. The 2020 discussion focused on the current dire human costs on both shores of Mediterranean, as well as the vast economic and social consequences. The Conference focused on women’s economic empowerment and their contribution to development as well as on the need to strengthen international environmental co-operation.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded seven ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region. In the previous 24 hours, it recorded no ceasefire violations in either region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Inside the disengagement area near Zolote, an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle spotted mines.
• 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 both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a checkpoint of the armed formations near Olenivka, Donetsk region.*

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 7,067 to 7,076 per day at both BCPs compared to last week[2].

During the reporting period, the majority of border crossings were to Ukraine, with an average net flow of 82 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 five, just as during the last week. No persons crossed into the Russian Federation while another five 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, no families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and no families were observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when no families were observed crossing to the Russian Federation, while three families crossed into Ukraine.

Bus connections                                         

Regular local and long-distance bus connections continued to operate between Ukraine (mostly from/to the Luhansk region) and the Russian Federation. During the reporting period, the OTs observed an increase in the overall number of buses crossing the border at both BCPs (272 compared to 245 observed during the previous week). There were 140 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 132 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 slight increase in the overall number of trucks crossing the border at both BCPs (896 compared to 885 during the previous reporting week); 498 at the Gukovo BCP and 398 at the Donetsk BCP, 502 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 394 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 an increase in the overall number of tanker trucks crossing the border at both BCPs (52 compared to 36 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.

During the reporting period, the reconstruction work at the Donetsk BCP was complete and X-ray vehicle restored its activities. The total number of X-ray checks is 162. Of the total number of trucks scanned, 140 trucks (86 per cent) were bound for Ukraine, the remaining 22 trucks (14 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 an increase in the overall number of minivans crossing the border at both BCPs (170 compared to 154 observed during the previous week); 94 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 76 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 28 occasions; the OTs assessed that 14 trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and the remaining 14 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 29 October at 06:20, the ninety-seventh[4] Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of seven vehicles were checked by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers prior to their crossing into Ukraine. All seven vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 13:23 on 29 October. (See OM Spot Report of 29 October 2020: https://www.osce.org/observer-mission-at-russian-checkpoints-gukovo-and-... 468783).

For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 29 September to 3 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).                   

[4]              Based on the Observer Mission’s counting, this convoy is considered the ninety-seventh convoy that has crossed into Ukraine through the “Donetsk” or “Gukovo” BCPs. However, so far all these convoys crossed through the “Donetsk” BCP.

469329 Marina Živaljević

With the support of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, Montenegrin Ministry of Sports and Youth organized a two-day workshop on strengthening the capacities of municipal youth focal points on 2 and 3 November 2020 in Budva.

The aim of the workshop was to strengthen capacities of managers in local self-governments to create and implement youth policy, with a focus on developing local youth action plans, which define new mechanisms for the implementation of youth policy at both national and local levels.

Nenad Koprivica, General Director of the Youth Directorate at the Ministry, thanked the Mission for its continuous support and partnership. “Since its establishment in 2016, the Ministry has been implementing activities aimed at the effective implementation of youth policy at both national and local levels, as well as strengthening the synergy of all entities relevant to this area,” said Koprivica.

Ivana Vujović, the Mission’s Democratization National Programme Officer, said that the national youth policy encompasses cross-cutting issues and involves inter-sectoral co-operation. “The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all our lives, especially young people. Involving them in the implementation of local youth policy is even more challenging now. But, we urge you to involve young people in all stages of local youth policy development and implementation, and support the local youth services in setting the path to their full functionality and sustainability,” said Vujović.

Vujović announced that in a few weeks’ time, the Mission would initiate support to the youth local services in their capacity-building and networking.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Between the evenings of 30 October and 1 November, the SMM recorded nine ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded no ceasefire violations in the region.
• Between the evenings of 30 October and 1 November, the Mission 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. During night-time, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle spotted people inside the disengagement area near Zolote.
• 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 an entry-exit checkpoint in Luhansk region.
• The SMM observed a calm situation in south-east Kherson region.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

WASHINGTON, 2 November 2020 – Observing today’s International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Secretary General Roberto Montella emphasized the vital role that journalists play bringing information to the public and stressed that much more must be done to ensure justice for the perpetrators of violence against journalists.

He highlighted in particular the case of slain ethnic Albanian journalist Shevki Popova, whose killers remain at large, and referred to a letter that he sent two months ago to Popova’s family on the 20th anniversary of his assassination on 10 September 2000 in Vushtrri/Vučitrn.

“We met in what were very challenging times,” Montella wrote to Popova’s widow and children. “In your father, I saw first of all a man of strong principles who wanted peace for his land and his people. I had the opportunity to admire his professional skills, which made him a respected journalist, reliable and careful to reporting the truth.”

“When a journalist is killed,” Montella continued, “it is not only his or her soul to perish, but also the freedom of expression of all of us.”

Montella noted that too many of Shevki’s colleagues continue to suffer from violence and intimidations because of what they report. “We are witnessing this even today, including in the OSCE region,” he wrote. “The OSCE has always been at the forefront in the fight for the protection of journalists.”

He emphasized in particular the work of the Representative on Freedom of the Media, which has a unique mandate in the vast spectrum of international bodies and organizations. “It is a topic that is central to the comprehensive concept of security which the Organization promotes, a concept focused on human security, in which freedom of expression is a milestone for peace and security,” said Montella.

According to the UN, since 2006, some 1,200 journalists have been killed for reporting the news but only one in ten cases results in a conviction.