Central Europe

VIENNA, 5 October 2020  - How to address organized crime through strategic partnerships among law enforcement agencies, national institutions, civil society organizations and the private sector, was the focus of an OSCE conference held in Vienna and online today. Over 250 representatives of government institutions from the OSCE participating States, the OSCE’s Partners for Co-operation, and experts from academia, civil society, the UN and other international and regional organizations, took part.

Speakers at the conference, which was organized by Albania’s 2020 OSCE Chairmanship and the Strategic Police Matters Unit of the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department, said that transnational organized crime continues to represent one of the most serious global threats to security and stability across the OSCE and Mediterranean regions. Moreover, having witnessed the rapid adaptability of the organized crime to any situation and exploitation of even the global pandemic by criminal groups, there is an urgency to further enhance multi-layered strategic co-operation, they said.

“A holistic, comprehensive and international approach to the complexities of organized crime has become an imperative,” said Albania’s Deputy Minister of Interior, Besfort Lamallari, as he opened the conference. “Albania is convinced that an effective approach requires concerted whole-of-government and multi-stakeholder action, including strong partnerships between criminal justice institutions, civil society and the private sector. This threat needs a multifaceted response – from prevention, through investigations and criminal justice, to rehabilitation – led by democratic institutions that respect human rights and the rule of law.”

OSCE Co-ordinator of Activities to Address Transnational Threats, Ambassador Alena Kupchyna reiterated the need to “enhance the capabilities along the entire criminal justice chain, increase the collaboration with financial institutions and anti-corruption bodies, strengthen international co-operation and make full use of available international legal instruments.” She also highlighted the importance of inclusion of all relevant stakeholders: civil society organizations, academia and the private sector.

Over the course of the conference, the participants highlighted main trends and challenges in the fight against organized crime and presented concrete examples of responses developed by OSCE participating States. There was also a discussion about what more the OSCE participating States and the Mediterranean Partners could do to counter organized crime and illicit finance, such as  improving financial crime investigations and the recovery of criminal assets.

The conference’s final session explored the link between organized crime and cyber-enabled crime. The participants examined the extent to which organized crime groups use cyberspace to commit crimes such as fraud and the trafficking of illicit drugs or weapons on the dark web.

Concluding the conference, OSCE Officer-in-Charge/Secretary General, Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre, Tuula Yrjölä, said: “There is much scope for intensifying our efforts to foster strategic co-operation at all levels in the wider OSCE region, including among and between the OSCE participating States and the Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation. The  Mediterranean Partners are particularly exposed to similar challenges and have elaborated tailored responses based on their local realities and needs. Information exchanges and best practices bring mutually-beneficial results.”

The Head of the Task Force for Albania’s OSCE Chairmanship, Inid Milo, concluded: “OSCE participating States, should work together even more closely and intensively so that our commitments in the area of combating organized crime be implemented and translated into concrete actions on the ground. We must not forget that, as in many other crises, the most vulnerable demographics are facing the largest threats. This is why we must commit to have an inclusive approach that will invest not only in repression but also in prevention as well, through work with the youth and education institutions. This is an investment in the future. If we fail to make it today, the cost for our societies of tomorrow will be immense.”

The outcomes of the discussions will help the Transnational Threats Department identify the main and common challenges in combating organized crime, and outline possible joint initiatives with OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Between the evenings of 2 and 4 October, the SMM recorded 20 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 18 ceasefire violations in the region.
• Between the evenings of 2 and 4 October, the Mission recorded three ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded six ceasefire violations in the region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. During evening hours, an SMM long-range UAV spotted people inside the disengagement area near Zolote.
• The SMM noted that the entry-exit checkpoint in Stanytsia Luhanska and the corresponding checkpoint of the armed formations remained closed due to the wildfires.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The SMM monitored border areas in the south-eastern and southern parts of Donetsk region and a border crossing point in Luhansk region.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a border crossing point outside government control near Dovzhanske, Luhansk region. *

Željka Šulc

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) organized an online peer-to-peer meeting on trial management in complex corruption cases on 5 October 2020. The meeting gathered 25 judges and prosecutors from different jurisdictions in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as partners from different international organizations working with judiciary. The meeting was organized as a follow-up to its report “Trial Monitoring of Corruption Cases in BiH: Second Assessment”.

The aim of the meeting was to discuss the identified trends and practices hindering judicial response to corruption, with a particular focus on the management of trials.  

“The judicial response to corruption in BiH is far from adequate. This is especially true when it comes to tackling medium and high-level cases. Problems in the management of trials have been seriously undermining the efficient and effective processing of corruption cases. Serious delays were observed in most courts dealing with serious corruption cases”, said Michael Schuetz, Head of Rule of Law of the OSCE Mission to BiH. “Not just in BiH, but across the region, changing the culture of impunity requires a resolute, impartial and consistent response by the criminal justice system,” he added.  

The experiences and challenges faced by the Sarajevo Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office and Cantonal Court, which have the largest number of corruption cases, were presented by Sabina Sarajlija, Chief Prosecutor of the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office Sarajevo, Adisa Zahiragić, Head of Criminal Division of the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo and Sanela Rondić, Judge at the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo.  

To support BiH in tackling corruption, the OSCE Mission to BiH has been monitoring corruption-related criminal trials since 2017. This work is part of the project “Assessing Needs of Judicial Response to Corruption through Monitoring of Criminal Cases”, made possible with the support of the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. The third report on the monitoring of corruption cases before courts in BiH, produced within this project, is expected to be presented by the end of 2020.

465798 Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan

An OSCE-supported online training-seminar concluded on 3 October 2020. The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan organized the three-day event to build capacity of Kazakh-speaking journalists on data management.

National experts introduced new approaches to big data and data visualization for media production, analysis and advocacy. They also presented methodologies for working with various open-source materials and their processing for media reporting. Participants learned best practices on data-journalism and critical thinking in using big data. Attendees had the opportunity to apply the gained knowledge using practical exercises aimed at strengthening their skills in data collection and curation. They were also familiarized with data visualization applications.

Some 15 representatives of the media community attended the event.

The event is part of the Programme Office’s activities aimed at promoting media development and freedom of expression in line with OSCE principles and commitments.

BISHKEK, 5 October 2020 – Kyrgyzstan’s parliamentary elections were generally well run and candidates could campaign freely, but credible allegations of vote buying remain a serious concern, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a statement today.

“We saw a lively campaign in elections that were held in very challenging circumstances, but the tone was at times harsh,” said Thomas Boserup, head of ODIHR’s limited election observation mission. “It was disappointing to see the lack of critical reporting in the media, with most campaign coverage amounting to no more than paid advertising. This lowered both the quality and variety of information available to voters.”

Some 3.5 million people were eligible to vote in yesterday’s parliamentary elections. The election administration carried out its work efficiently and took care to provide comprehensive health safety measures. At the same time, controversies following a number of its decisions aroused misgivings over the administration’s impartiality. Election day went smoothly and was generally well organized, although health protocols were not always implemented consistently.​ Preliminary results were posted on the election administration’s website shortly after the end of voting, ensuring transparency.

Kyrgyzstan’s legal framework forms a good basis for democratic elections, with positive changes to electoral legislation since the last parliamentary elections. However, a number of recent legislative changes have failed to address other limitations. Campaign financing is lacking in transparency, while a ban on some forms of donation disadvantaged parties with greater funding constraints.

Although candidates could generally campaign freely, there were a number of concerns, including reports of candidate intimidation and disruption of campaign events. While public media provided free airtime to all contestants, the fact that campaign coverage was often produced and paid for by the contestants themselves resulted in a lack of journalistic reporting, with coverage reflecting the financial resources of the parties and candidates rather than providing an objective analysis of their programmes.  

ODIHR’s Limited Election Observation Mission to Kyrgyzstan took up its work on 4 September and will end on 15 October. The mission is assessing the extent to which the elections were held in line with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation.

For further information, please contact:

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

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded 18 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and six in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded one ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and four in Luhansk region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.
• The SMM noted that the entry-exit checkpoint in Stanytsia Luhanska remained closed because of the wildfire.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The SMM 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 Donetsk region.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a non-government controlled checkpoint near Olenivka, Donetsk region. *

MOSCOW / PARIS / WASHINGTON, D.C., October 2, 2020 - The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stéphane Visconti of France, and Andrew Schofer of the United States of America) released the following statement today:

The Co-Chairs strongly condemn the continued violence in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone as well as against targets in the territory of Armenia and Azerbaijan away from the Line of Contact, and express our alarm at reports of increasing civilian casualties.  Targeting or threatening civilians is never acceptable under any circumstances.  The Co-Chairs call on the sides to observe fully their international obligations to protect civilian populations.  

The Co-Chairs also stress that participation in the escalating violence by external parties undermines efforts to achieve lasting peace in the region. 

Recalling the October 1 statement of the Presidents of the three Co-Chair countries, the Co-Chairs once again call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the resumption of substantive negotiations, in good faith and without preconditions.   

The Co-Chairs also call urgently for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to enable the repatriation of remains of fallen servicemen in coordination with the OSCE and ICRC.

VIENNA, 2 October 2020 – How to address organized crime through strategic partnerships among law enforcement agencies, national institutions, civil society organizations and private sector, will be the focus of an OSCE conference opening on Monday, 5 October in Vienna’s Hofburg for OSCE delegations and online via Zoom for other participants.

The conference will bring together representatives from relevant government institutions (such as the Ministries of Justice, Interior and Finance, the judiciary, among others), and experts from academia, civil society, the United Nations and other relevant international and regional organizations.

Over the course of the one-day conference, participants will assess the threat that organized crime poses within the OSCE region as well as responses. They will also discuss what the OSCE participating States and Mediterranean Partners can do to counter organized crime and illicit finance, and discuss the challenges posed by cyber-enabled crime and COVID-19.

The conference is organized by Albania’s 2020 OSCE Chairmanship, Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation Group and the Strategic Police Matters Unit of the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department.

Albania’s Deputy Minister of Interior, Besfort Lamallari; Director of the Division for Treaty Affairs at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, John Brandolino; the Swedish Foreign Ministry’s Special Envoy for the fight against organized crime, Ambassador Håkan Jevrell; and Co-ordinator of OSCE Activities to Address Transnational Threats, Ambassador Alena Kupchyna will open the conference. The Permanent Representative of Germany to the OSCE, Ambassador Gesa Bräutigam, will moderate the opening session.

Media representatives are invited to cover the opening of the conference on Monday, 5 October 2020, from 09:30 to 10:00, via www.osce.org/live. There is no requirement to register.

For further information about this conference, please visit: www.osce.org/chairmanship/463740

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded one ceasefire violation in Donetsk region and four in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 40 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and eight in Luhansk region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.
• In Luhansk region, it saw wildfires in and near the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote.
• The SMM noted that the entry-exit checkpoint in Stanytsia Luhanska was closed on the morning of 1 October due to a wildfire in the area.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

SARAJEVO, 2 October 2020 - The OSCE Mission to BiH welcomes the continued efforts of the BiH Central Election Commission (CEC) to increase the transparency and integrity of the election administration.

Yesterday’s CEC's decision on confirmation and publication of voters registered for out-of-country voting in the local elections 2020 is a further significant step in this direction.

We invite all the interested parties, political subjects, CSOs and citizens, to check the lists, report mistakes, and potential irregularities within the given deadline of 03 October.

Preparatory activities aimed at protecting and improving the integrity of the elections are essential to restore trust of BiH citizens in the election process.

VIENNA, 2 October 2020 – Effective measures to prevent drug use among youth through approaches such as community policing are the focus of this year’s annual OSCE-wide Conference on Combating the Threat of Illicit Drugs and the Diversion of Chemical Precursors. The Conference will take place on Tuesday, 6 October in Vienna’s Hofburg for OSCE delegations and online via Zoom for other participants.

Organized by Albania’s 2020 OSCE Chairmanship and the Strategic Police Matters Unit of the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department, the meeting will bring together experts from OSCE participating States, Partners for Co-operation, international organizations and civil society.

The conference aims at providing a platform for experts to discuss collective measures and exchange best practices and lessons learned on how to advance effective drug prevention efforts. Special focus will be on the role of youth in preventing their drug use and abuse and on community policing as a tool to create and maintain the environment in which communities can successfully stand against illicit drugs over time.

The conference will be opened by Romina Kuko, Albania’s Deputy Minister of Interior on behalf of the OSCE Chairmanship and Tuula Yrjölā, OSCE Officer-in-Charge/Secretary General, Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre.

Media representatives are invited to cover the opening of the conference on Tuesday, 6 October 2020, from 09:00 to 09:30, via www.osce.org/live. There is no requirement to register.

For further information such as the concept note, logistical modalities and indicative agenda, please visit: https://polis.osce.org/2020drugsconf

BISHKEK, 2 October 2020 – Observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will hold a press conference to present their findings following the parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan on Monday, 5 October.

What:

• A news conference of the ODIHR Limited Election Observation Mission to the parliamentary elections
• The press conference can be attended in person or via Zoom (details below)
• You can also follow the livestream on www.facebook.com/osce.odihr

Who:

• Thomas Boserup, Head of the ODIHR Limited Election Observation Mission
• Merce Castells Vicente, Deputy Head of the ODIHR Limited Election Observation Mission

When:

• 15.00 (GMT+6) on 5 October 2020

Where:

• Hotel Sheraton Bishkek, Grand Bishkek Ballroom; 148B, Kievskaya Street, Bishkek

Registration:

• No registration is necessary if you are attending the press conference in person, but only questions from journalists will be taken
• To take part via Zoom, please register with Claudia Aranda, Media Analyst for the Limited Election Observation Mission: claudia.aranda@odihr.kg or +996 770 804 051 and Lauren Baranowska, ODIHR: lauren.baranowska@odihr.pl or +48 695 916 998

For further information on ODIHR’s Limited Election Observation Mission in Kyrgyzstan, please visit: https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/kyrgyzstan/462867

Information for Google Short title:  ODIHR report on 2020 North Macedonia parliamentary elections 465645 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz

The early parliamentary elections in North Macedonia were well administered amid necessary COVID-19 related adjustments but persistent shortcomings and instability in the legal framework underlined the need for comprehensive reform in advance of future elections. These are some of the main conclusions after the 15 July 2020 elections, as detailed in the final report published by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

The report offers 32 recommendations to improve the conduct of elections and increase the transparency of and public confidence in the electoral process.

Recommendations

Key recommendations include:

• Reviewing and revising the Electoral Code – in a public procedure, following a broad, inclusive and timely consultation - in order to ensure harmonization with other relevant laws and compliance with OSCE commitments and international standards
• Establishing a permanent composition and mandate for the State Election Commission and providing clear and transparent procedures for appointing its commissioners
• Clarifying and consolidating legal instructions on voter registration procedures, to correspond to the functionality of the central population register
• Providing the State Commission for the Prevention of Corruption and the State Audit Office with adequate human and financial resources to effectively carry out their mandates during the electoral period
• Reconsidering regulations on paid political advertisements in the media, in order to allow unimpeded access to the media on a non-discriminatory basis
• Implementing reforms to promote the political independence of the public broadcaster, including reducing its dependence on the state budget and changing the procedure for selection and appointment of the members of the Programmatic Council
• Eliminating undue restrictions on the right to lodge electoral complaints and appeals in order to provide effective legal remedies

ODIHR deployed a Special Election Assessment Mission on 22 June 2020 to observe the early parliamentary elections in North Macedonia.

All 57 countries across the OSCE region have formally committed to follow up promptly on ODIHR’s election assessments and recommendations.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded 40 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and eight in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, 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. During evening hours, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle spotted people inside the latter two areas.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The SMM 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 Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a checkpoint of the armed formations in Olenivka, Donetsk region.*

BRČKO, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1 October 2020 – Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Ambassador Kathleen Kavalec, and the Principal Deputy High Representative and Brčko District Supervisor, Michael Scanlan, concluded today their visit to Brčko District (BD). The focus of the visit was to discuss with local officials the steps they are taking to ensure that the voters of the District can have high confidence in the 15 November election process in the District.

Ambassador Kavalec and Supervisor Scanlan welcomed the progress made by law enforcement authorities to address the allegations of electoral fraud in Brčko District. One of the avenues for such fraud is the inaccuracy of the voter registry. For this reason, the OSCE Mission supports the work by BD authorities to review the residence status of the District’s inhabitants and to clean up the voter registry in the coming period. Ambassador Kavalec and Supervisor Scanlan met with the Public Registry Office to hear about progress made in this important effort. They underscored the importance of sending a clear message that only genuine residents of the District can vote, thus changing the negative practices of the past.

The OSCE Head of Mission and Brčko District Supervisor also met with representatives of 25 political parties, coalitions, and independent candidates to discuss the need for continued reforms that advance the interests of all citizens. The leaders of political parties signed an election pledge in which the political parties committed themselves to constructive conduct during the campaign. Ambassador Kavalec and Supervisor Scanlan noted that citizens want to see parties and politicians focus on offering concrete policy proposals that will improve their daily lives.

The OSCE Head of Mission and the Brčko Supervisor applauded the BD authorities’ adoption of the Law on Peaceful Assembly and welcomed the commitment to adopt the Law on Associations and Foundations and the Law on the Rights of National Minorities before the election campaign starts. They also urged the authorities to advance their preparations of a new BD Law on the Prevention of Conflict of Interest so it would be ready to be adopted by the newly elected Assembly. They expressed the continued readiness of the OSCE Mission to BiH and the Office of the High Representative to support the process. 

During the meetings with representatives of BD law enforcement agencies and the judiciary, Ambassador Kavalec and Supervisor Scanlan underlined specific roles that different institutions have in preventing and combating election fraud, and encouraged a proactive approach and closer co-operation between the Public Registry Department, the BD Police and the BD Prosecutor’s Office. Another key issue that the Supervisor discussed in an earlier visit with the heads of Brčko’s courts is the adequate sentencing in corruption and election fraud cases that is meant to serve as a deterrent to others who might be thinking of misusing public funds or exerting improper influence in the election process. In that context, judges from Brčko will participate in a seminar on sentencing hosted by the Embassy of the United States.

It was also noted that the District will be unique in BiH, as independent observers will be present at all polling stations, without exceptions, to help safeguard the integrity of the election process.

These measures and close co-operation between all relevant institutions should provide for a safe and fair environment for voters to cast their votes, restoring Brčko’s capacity to serve as an example to others in BiH on how elections should be conducted.

Ambassador Kavalec and Supervisor Scanlan urged voters to choose their representatives based on long-term policies and concrete issues. They also commended the commitment of the Brčko District authorities to secure funding for personal protective equipment to be distributed to all polling stations in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Željka Šulc

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) organized two online training courses on ethical standards and disciplinary practice for newly appointed judges and prosecutors and legal associates, on 1 and 2 October 2020.   

The event aimed at increasing participants’ understanding of ethical standards and the substance of codes of ethics for judges and prosecutors. The training course particularly focused on impartiality and accountability, conflict of interest, the use of social media and public statements.

Dmitry Iordanidi, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH stated: “Integrity, independence, and accountability of judicial office holders are of paramount importance. They must be respected to ensure that citizens have faith in a fair, reliable justice system. The OSCE Mission to BiH remains dedicated to upholding professional standards within the judiciary.”

Mirza H. Omerović, Deputy Chief Disciplinary Counsel, added: “The Office of the Disciplinary Counsel appreciates the OSCE Mission's continuous support. Improving the integrity of the judiciary of Bosnia and Herzegovina is our common goal. We are pleased to once again participate in this training for judges and prosecutors in the area of ethics, discipline, conflict of interest, and judicial integrity as a whole. These topics are of critical importance.” ​

Participants had the opportunity to learn about practical instances of disciplinary procedures conducted by the disciplinary bodies of the BiH High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council.    

The training course is organized jointly by the OSCE Mission to BiH, Judicial and Prosecutorial Training Centre of the Federation of BiH, and the Office of the Disciplinary Counsel of the BiH High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council.

KYIV, 30 September 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.

“The ceasefire in the conflict zone in the east of Ukraine continues to be effective. This has a beneficial impact on the living conditions of the civilian population.

However, this has not yet had a positive effect on the activity of the TCG; moreover, a lot of time was spent today on procedural issues.

The Security Working Group, in addition to the overall situation in the conflict zone and the provision of local security guarantees for the repair of civilian infrastructure, discussed the "Measures to strengthen the ceasefire" and, in particular, the functioning of the co-ordination mechanism for responding to ceasefire violations. Discussions on this issue will continue at the next meeting.

The Humanitarian working group considered issues related to the mutual release and exchange of conflict-related detainees. The discussion did not bring results. It is unacceptable that political considerations are preconditions for resolving humanitarian issues.

As regards preparations for the simultaneous opening of two new entry-exit checkpoints (EECPs) near the settlements of Zolote and Shchastia in the Luhansk region, the meeting participants confirmed that the work is proceeding as planned and that the EECPs will be opened as planned by 10 November 2020.

The focus of the Economic Working Group was on environmental problems and water supply issues across the line of contact in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Discussions in the Political Working Group on the Verkhovna Rada Resolution No. 795-IX "On the appointment of regular local elections in 2020" did not allow to hold consultations on the agenda of the working group, in particular, the peculiarities of self-government in certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine (ORDLO), amnesty and the modalities of local elections in ORDLO.”

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded three ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 32 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and ten in Luhansk region.
• The Mission followed up on reports of two people injured by explosive objects on two separate occasions in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region in April and May.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Inside the disengagement area near Zolote, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle spotted people during evening hours, and the Mission also saw demining activities near road T-1316, near the northern edge of the disengagement area.
• The SMM saw weapons in violations of withdrawal lines, including multiple launch rocket systems, in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The SMM 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 Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a checkpoint of the armed formations in Nova Marivka, Donetsk region.*

The OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department held an online train-the-trainer course from 28 to 30 September 2020. The event was organized in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The course was aimed at highlighting national and regional terrorist threats, introducing participants to financial investigation and terrorist network analysis techniques, in order to more effectively disrupt terrorist networks.

Participants were senior experts and practitioners from the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina and other security sector bodies at all levels of government in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The training programme on countering terrorist financing aims to increase the capacity of Bosnia and Herzegovina to enhance the terrorist financing aspects of its National AML/CFT Risk Assessment, and to detect and combat terrorist financing and strengthen compliance with international standards in this area. In particular, UN Security Council Resolution 2462 (2019), 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 train-the-trainer course emphasized the key role of inter-agency and international co-operation and of multi-stakeholder approaches in countering terrorist financing.

WASHINGTON D.C., 29 September 2020 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an election observation mission for the 3 November general elections in the United States, following an invitation from the national authorities.

As one of the OSCE’s 57 participating States, the United States has committed itself to conducting elections in line with OSCE standards and inviting international election observers, and ODIHR has assessed elections in the country since 2002. This Limited Election Observation Mission is led by Ambassador Urszula Gacek and consists of 11 international experts based in Washington D.C. and 30 long-term observers from 13 OSCE countries, who will be deployed throughout the country.

The mission will assess to what extent the elections are held in line with international obligations and standards for democratic elections, including the commitments agreed to by all OSCE countries, as well as with national legislation. Observers will look closely at the legal framework and its implementation, and will follow campaign activities, the work of the election administration and relevant government bodies, including voter registration, and the resolution of election disputes. Media monitoring will also form an integral part of the observation.

Meetings with representatives of federal and state authorities, political parties, as well as with representatives from the judiciary, civil society and the media will take place throughout the observation. On election day itself, the mission will join efforts with a delegation from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA).

The mission will publish an interim report during the course of its work. The day after the elections, a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions will be presented at a press conference. A final report summing up the observation of the entire electoral process will be published approximately two months after the election process has ended.

For further information, please contact Ivan Godarsky, media analyst: ivan.godarsky@odihr.us and +1 310 303 4496 or Katya Andrusz, ODIHR Spokesperson, at katya.andrusz@odihr.pl and +1 310 303 2902

Further information on ODIHR’s election observation activities in the United States is available here: https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/USA