Central Europe

KYIV, 2 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:

“I am pleased to note that the "Measures to strengthen the ceasefire" that took effect on July 27, 2020, continue overall to be effective. I encourage the sides to keep making all necessary efforts to keep a sustainable and comprehensive ceasefire, which is an indispensable prerequisite for a peaceful settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

In addition to discussing the ceasefire commitments, the Security Working Group reached a common understanding upon the draft "Framework Decision on Mine Action" as well as the new areas for demining and disengagement of forces and hardware, as requested by the Normandy Four leaders at their meeting in Paris in December last year.

However, due to the ongoing discussion on the conformity of Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine № 795-IX "On the appointment of regular local elections in 2020" with the Minsk Agreements, the TCG did not come today to final decisions. This discussion also hindered progress in other Working Groups.

The Humanitarian Working Group discussed the mutual release and exchange of conflict-related detainees. In addition to this topic, participants looked into the progress of preparations for the simultaneous opening of additional entry-exit crossing points in Zolote and Shchastya in the Luhansk region.

The Economic Working Group focused on current issues of water supplies in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, as well as environmental matters.

Discussions in the Political Working Group, like at the previous meeting two weeks ago, was mainly devoted to the Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine № 795-IX, what again did not allow to address the issues on the agenda, aimed at the implementation of the Minsk Agreements”.

Summary

• The SMM recorded no ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and 63 in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, the Mission recorded one ceasefire violation in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. During evening hours, SMM unmanned aerial vehicles observed people inside the latter two disengagement areas.
• The SMM spotted ongoing construction works at positions near Shchastia, Luhansk region and construction materials at a position inside the Petrivske disengagement area near its south-eastern corner.
• The SMM spotted for the first time anti-tank mines on a road near the Trudivski area of Donetsk city.
• 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 outbreak, including at entry-exit checkpoints and corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

The OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities launched an online preparatory training course for certification as a Fraud Examiner and Anti-Money Laundering Specialist on 2 September 2020.

Participants from law enforcement agencies and prosecution offices of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and North Macedonia attended the launch.

The aim of the course, followed by a mentoring programme, is to prepare for professional certifications granted by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists and gain an in-depth expertise in anti-money laundering and fraud examination.

In his opening remarks, Ambassador James Gilmore, Permanent Representative of the United States Mission to the OSCE said: "Preventing and combating corruption is, and should remain, a key goal of the OSCE. We will continue to support efforts through the OSCE and elsewhere to build our partners’ capacity to fight it."

Ambassador Alena Kupchyna, OSCE Co-ordinator of Activities to Address Transnational Threats, stressed that the OSCE is highly committed to support its participating States in the fight against organized crime. “Our focus is in strengthening the capacities of law enforcement agencies to conduct effective financial investigations and co-operate at a regional and international level,” said Kupchyna.   

This training course is organized in the framework of the OSCE extra-budgetary project “Strengthening the fight against transnational crime in South-Eastern Europe through improved regional co-operation in asset seizure, confiscation, management and re-use”, funded by the United States of America, Germany, and Italy.

The project adopts a comprehensive approach to asset recovery by providing support to the entire cycle of asset seizure and asset confiscation. It includes three areas of intervention: financial investigations, assets seizure and asset confiscation; asset management and asset re-use.

Membership in the World Trade Organization as a balance of rights and obligations is the topic of an OSCE-organized online seminar that opened on 2 September 2020 in Ashgabat.

The three-day event aims to present best practices of OSCE participating States in going through the WTO negotiation process and will facilitate discussions on possible steps for further expansion of the national trade policy.

The seminar brings together representatives of a number of Turkmenistan’s ministries, including the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Finance and Economy. Financial institutions and other relevant agencies are also participating.

Natalya Drozd, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, opened the seminar by congratulating Turkmenistan on obtaining WTO observer status. “We initiated this seminar in support of consistent efforts undertaken by Turkmenistan in order to boost the development of the national economy and strengthen international co-operation as well as to intensify and optimize foreign trade and improve the investment climate.”

During the seminar, international experts from Georgia will share their country’s experiences establishing WTO membership and the implementation of Georgia’s commitments. Experts will elaborate on the three waves of Georgia’s trade policy liberalization, its path to the EU market integration and the impact of the 20-year WTO membership on the country’s business environment, investment climate, and the role of a trade and transit corridor.

An expert from Montenegro will present the country’s experience of accession to the WTO and the negotiation process. A representative of WTO will provide insights into the Organization’s structure, functions and principles of decision-making.

“Our seminar today is an important example of the Centre's comprehensive approach to the strengthening of the regional dialogue and co-operation in the area of trade facilitation and we intend to continue our constructive partnership with the host Government aimed at promoting economic security and stability,” said Drozd.

Summary

• The SMM recorded one ceasefire violation in Donetsk region (compared with none in the previous 24 hours) and none in Luhansk region (compared with 60 in the previous 24 hours).
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. During evening and night-time hours, an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle observed people inside the latter two disengagement areas.
• The Mission spotted recent trench extensions near Uzhivka and Vodiane, 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 outbreak, including at entry-exit checkpoints and corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM visited two border crossing points in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a border crossing point near Izvaryne and at a checkpoint near Olenivka, both in non-government-controlled areas.*

Summary

• Between the evenings of 28 and 29 August, the SMM recorded 42 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region (in the previous reporting period, the Mission recorded one ceasefire violation). Between the evenings of 29 and 30 August, the Mission recorded no ceasefire violations in the region.
• Between the evenings of 28 and 29 August, the SMM recorded no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region (in the previous reporting period, the Mission also recorded no ceasefire violations). Between the evenings of 29 and 30 August, the Mission recorded 60 ceasefire violations in the region, assessed as part of a live-fire exercise.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. During evening and night-time hours, an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle observed people inside the latter two disengagement 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 outbreak, including at entry-exit checkpoints and corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The Mission visited four border crossing points in Donetsk and Luhansk regions and monitored areas near the border in Donetsk region, all outside of government control.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk) in Luhansk region.*
• The SMM monitored various public gatherings in Lviv, Chernivtsi and Odessa.

PODGORICA, 31 August 2020 – While Montenegro’s parliamentary elections were managed transparently and efficiently, the widespread abuse of office and state resources gave the ruling party an undue advantage against the backdrop of an intensely polarized debate over issues of church and national identity, international observers to the parliamentary elections said in a statement today.

The observation mission, a joint undertaking of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), concluded that while the elections were competitive, the ruling party profited unjustifiably through various forms of misuse of office and state resources and dominant press coverage. The president and other high-ranking officials were extensively involved in the campaign, blurring the line between the state and the ruling party.

“This was a hard-fought campaign, but the ruling party benefited from an uneven playing field. COVID's impact on the campaign and yesterday on election day was undeniably strong, but even this took a back seat to the major debates related to church and national identity,” said OSCE PA Vice-President Margareta Cederfelt, who is special co-ordinator and leader of the OSCE short-term observers.

A total of 540,026 voters were registered to vote in yesterday’s early parliamentary elections. The legal framework generally allows democratic elections to take place, but needs to be improved, as legislative gaps and ambiguities undermine legal certainty and make it easy to sidestep the rules. Election day was orderly and the process was generally transparent and well administered, while health protocols were not implemented consistently.​

The campaign was peaceful despite a frequently confrontational tone, and in the face of health restrictions candidates were still able to reach out to the voters and convey their messages via online and social media, campaign busses and small gatherings. At the same time, the fact that campaign coverage footage was overwhelmingly produced by the candidates themselves, together with the lack of independent editorial coverage, lowered the quality of information available to voters. More generally, dependence of the media on politically affiliated business interests limits editorial autonomy and media pluralism.

Yesterday’s elections took place amid concerns over patchy compliance with the constitution. Not only were the elections called early without shortening the parliament’s mandate, but the pandemic-related restrictions on fundamental freedoms, including a ban on public gatherings and political rallies, were introduced without the declaration of a state of emergency by parliament. Since the last elections there were criminal proceedings and arrests of several MPs although their parliamentary immunity had not been removed, contrary to both national legislation and international standards.

“It is most regrettable that the gaps in the legislation and lack of independent media scrutiny make the misuse of office and state resources possible,” said Tamás Meszerics, head of ODIHR’s limited election observation mission. “Strong political will is needed across the political spectrum to improve the law and practice of elections through an inclusive reform process.”

The international election observation mission for the parliamentary elections in Montenegro totalled 30 observers from 19 countries, composed of 25 ODIHR-deployed experts and long-term observers, and 5 parliamentarians and staff from the OSCE PA.

For more information, please contact:

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

Andreas Baker, OSCE PA: +45 601 08126 or andreas@oscepa.dk

Summary

• The SMM recorded one ceasefire violation in Donetsk region and none 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 and night-time hours, an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle spotted people inside the latter two disengagement areas.
• The SMM again saw unexploded ordnance near Kruta Balka, on a road frequently used by the SMM and employees of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The SMM continued following up on the situation of civilians amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
• The Mission monitored a peaceful gathering in Kyiv concerning the latest COVID-19 protective measures.
• The SMM continued to follow up on reports of an attack on a bus carrying people near Kharkiv on 27 August.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted including at a checkpoint of the armed formations near Olenivka.*

Summary

• The SMM recorded three ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, the Mission recorded ten ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region.
• The Mission followed up on reports of a man who died from the explosion of a grenade inside his home in Mariupol.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. During night-time hours, an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle observed people inside the disengagement area near Zolote.
• 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 outbreak, including at the entry-exit checkpoint and the corresponding checkpoint of the armed formations in Luhansk region.
• The Mission observed a convoy of trucks with Russian Federation licence plates in non-government-controlled Donetsk city.
• The SMM followed up on reports of an attack on a bus carrying people near Kharkiv on 27 August.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

PODGORICA, 28 August 2020 – International observers to the parliamentary elections in Montenegro will present their preliminary conclusions at a news conference.

NB: Due to the epidemiological situation, only 10 journalists will be able to attend the press conference in person, while others will have the opportunity to watch and ask questions via zoom. Broadcast media wishing to film the press conference will be prioritized for personal attendance.

What:

• A press conference of the international observers to the parliamentary elections in Montenegro
• 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:

• Margareta Cederfelt, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the OSCE short-term observers
• Tamás Meszerics, Head of the ODIHR Limited Election Observation Mission
• Andreas Baker, moderator

When:

• 15:00 on 31 August 2020

Where:

• Hotel Ramada, Lesendro Conference Room, Bulevar Save Kovačevića 74, Podgorica

Registration:

• Due to the current situation, only journalists will be able to attend the press conference in person. Broadcast media wishing to film the press conference will be prioritized for personal attendance.
• To take part via Zoom, please register with Katya Andrusz, ODIHR spokesperson, katya.andrusz@odihr.pl and Elma Šehalić, media analyst, elma.sehalic@odihr.me by 11:00 on 31 August

The International Election Observation Mission is a joint undertaking of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA). The mission totals 30 observers from 19 countries, including 25 ODIHR-deployed experts and long-term observers, and 5 parliamentarians and staff from the OSCE PA.

For more information, please contact:

Andreas Baker, OSCE PA: +45 601 08126 or andreas@oscepa.dk

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

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan held an online event to mark 45 years since the signing of the Helsinki Final Act and the creation of what is now the OSCE on 28 August 2020.

The online meeting attracted high-level participation from OSCE institutions and project partners in Uzbekistan as well as the diplomatic community in Tashkent. The discussions focused on the continued relevance of OSCE commitments to all OSCE’s 57 participating States and recognized the role of the OSCE presence in Central Asia and Uzbekistan, with the OSCE Liason Office in Central Asia and, later, offices in capitals of all Central Asian countries, that allowed for strong co-operation between the field missions and the Secretariat. The event allowed sharing perspectives on the development of the current and further co-operation between the OSCE and the Republic of Uzbekistan

Tanzila Narbaeva, Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Tuula Yrjölä, Officer-in-Charge/OSCE Secretary General as well as representatives from the current and upcoming OSCE Chairpersonships opened the event and shared their reflections of the current challenges and opportunities for the OSCE and its presence in Uzbekistan.

OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan John MacGregor said: “I recall the major event in Helsinki, Finland, attended by the then Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, the US President at that time, European leaders and the head of the Soviet Union, in August 1975. Somehow, they all managed to achieve a consensus, and that made the Helsinki Final Act a very powerful political statement.”

MacGregor noted the particular relevance of OSCE commitments in Uzbekistan adding that the Government’s National Action Strategy for 2017-2021 is almost fully consistent with them.

A three-day training seminar on countering cybercrime concluded on 28 August 2020 in Nur-Sultan. The event was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan in co-operation with the Strategic Police Matters Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the Law Enforcement Academy under the Prosecutor General’s office/Hub to Counter Global Threats.

Over 50 law enforcement officials from across Kazakhstan focused on current problems with cyber criminality in Kazakhstan. They discussed the challenges faced by law enforcement in investigating and prosecuting crimes, facilitated by the use of information and communication technologies. The seminar was conducted by international experts from Belarus and Estonia, as well as a representative of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department along with national experts. They familiarized participants with best international practices and case studies in investigation of cybercrimes and the use of digital forensics techniques to obtain relevant evidence.

“Criminals use information and communication technologies at an increased rate. However, the detection rate of these crimes and the corresponding court cases are relatively low. In efforts to address this gap, a Center for Countering Cybercrimes was established within the Law Enforcement Academy. The Centre serves as a platform to exchange experiences and provide learning opportunities between law enforcement officers and private sector representatives. This seminar is one such example,” said Magomed Akayev, Director of the Institute of the Law Enforcement Academy affiliated with the Office of the Prosecutor General of Kazakhstan.

Alexander Malyshau, Technical Focal Point for Cybercrime Issues in the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department said: “Despite the current limitations on travel and in-person meetings, a series of online training seminars organized by the OSCE is a timely initiative. The seminars will allow to identify the exact challenges and optimize its resources for delivering more targeted training and assistance to law enforcement agencies of Kazakhstan after the health crisis is over.”

This training event is part of the Programme Office’s multiyear efforts to build the capacity of the competent law enforcement officers on countering cybercrimes in Kazakhstan.

VIENNA, 28 August 2020 – “To move forward will require mutual understanding and co-operation,” said OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Prime Minister and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania, Edi Rama, addressing the OSCE Permanent Council’s special meeting today in Vienna on the situation in Belarus following the Presidential election on 9 August 2020.

“I am proposing that the OSCE becomes a facilitator of the necessary dialogue, to help Belarus out of this situation,” said Rama, noting also the support of the incoming OSCE Chair, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, Ann Linde. “We truly hope that there is a positive response to this offer from the Government of Belarus. I am ready to make it work - to engage, to listen, to understand and to support, in every possible way I can.”

“The Chairmanship will work tirelessly and patiently to create conditions conducive to a helpful process,” Rama said. “But there has to be an immediate and significant improvement in the national human rights situation. Not sometime in the future, but right now, with no ‘ifs or buts’. It is inconceivable to believe there can be a credible process of dialogue if one side appears keen to undo the very essence of a pluralistic society.”

Rama underlined that the OSCE would not impose itself, take sides, nor interfere in the internal affairs of Belarus. “The situation must be resolved in Minsk and among the people of Belarus, in full respect for their sovereignty, their independence and their human rights,” he said, adding that the proposal is “the OSCE volunteering itself, its good offices and its goodwill for Belarus to make use of.”

Rama also highlighted that the OSCE is uniquely placed to support Belarus - an Organization which has a well-established mandate relevant to democracy, human rights and conflict prevention, which prides itself on being inclusive, which bridges east and west, and which values Belarus as an active, sovereign and equal member.

Rama ended his address with a dual appeal: “To the Belarus authorities: please, give this offer a chance. Seize this moment of opportunity for Belarus to move from confrontation and strife to dialogue and reconciliation. To all OSCE members, let us try to make this work, hard though we know this will be. We owe it to the men, women and children of Belarus, to have their voices heard, so that they, through dialogue not violence, can determine their own future.”

Summary

• The SMM recorded ten ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, the Mission recorded ten ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and one in Luhansk region.
• The Mission lost spatial control of one of its mini-unmanned aerial vehicles, after it experienced signal interference, while flying over the disengagement area near Petrivske.
• A boy was injured due to the detonation of a grenade in Kypuche, Luhansk region.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. During evening and night-time hours, an SMM long-range UAV spotted people inside the latter two disengagement 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 outbreak, including at the entry-exit checkpoint and the corresponding checkpoint of the armed formations in Luhansk region.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

SUMMARY

On 27 August at 06:23 (Moscow time), the ninety-sixth[1] Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of six vehicles were checked by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers prior to their crossing into Ukraine. All six vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 11:19 on 27 August.

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 27 August at 06:23, the Observer Mission observed the arrival of a Russian convoy at the gate of the Donetsk BCP. The convoy consisted of six vehicles: one escort car and five cargo trucks. Four trucks were civilian and one belonged to Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES). All five cargo trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian aid from the Russian Federation” (in Russian). At 06:23, the vehicles entered the customs control area. Once the convoy arrived, the vehicles were visually checked from the outside by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers. The truck drivers rolled up/opened the tarpaulins of the trucks and the border guards and customs officials performed a visual observation from the outside. Three dogs were present and used by Russian Federation border guards to check the vehicles from the outside. One Russian Federation border guard took photos and another one videoed the convoy crossing.

Three Ukrainian border guards and two customs officers were observed accompanying their Russian counterparts; they also performed a visual observation of the vehicles from the outside (without entering the trucks’ cargo space). By 06:36, all of the vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 11:19, the convoy returned and queued in the customs area. The Russian Federation border guards and customs officers visually checked the returning convoy from the outside. Ukrainian representatives – three border guards and two customs officers – were present during this check. The Ukrainian officials also performed visual checks of the trucks from the outside. One dog was present and used by Russian Federation border guards to check the vehicles from the outside. By 11:32, all six vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation.

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

An OSCE-supported half-day training webinar on the role of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) in investigating suspicious transactions concluded in Nur-Sultan on 27 August 2020.

The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan organized the online event in partnership with the Committee on Financial Monitoring under the Finance Ministry and the Law Enforcement Academy under the Prosecutor General’s office/Hub to Counter Global Threats.

Some 20 representatives of Kazakhstan’s law enforcement agencies attended the event. They discussed the role of the FIU in identifying illegal transactions, exchanging data with foreign counterparts and in identifying beneficial ownership information. An international expert from Slovenia covered topics such as the authority of local law enforcement agencies to suspend/delay suspicious transactions domestically, the channels of data exchange among foreign FIUs and information gathering related to assets that are subject to confiscation.

The training webinar is part of the Programme Office’s multi-year efforts to promote good governance by focussing on anti-money laundering/combating the financing of terrorism in Kazakhstan.

As Ukraine prepares for local elections scheduled for 25 October this year, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator started to upload materials on the online system Vyborkom to provide training opportunities for people administering electoral process at various levels.

The process of forming territorial election commissions for villages and city rayons was completed on 25 August 2020, and the precinct commissions will form by 9 October. Nearly half a million commission members will assume responsibility for organizing elections in line with Ukrainian legislation and international standards of free and fair vote.

The Vyborkom web resource will provide the commissioners with written instructions and clarifications, videos and infographics, templates and samples of electoral documents, and replies to frequently asked questions. Currently, the system already provides up-to-date learning materials covering the main principles for elections, planning and organization of election commission’s work, and relevant resources.

Vyborkom’s team of experts is continuously issuing new materials, which in the end will cover all aspects of work of territorial and precinct election commissions for the upcoming elections. These materials include procedures for registration of candidates, as well as voting, counting, and tabulation of election results.

The Vyborkom resource is being supported under the project “Strengthening the Cybersecurity and Transparency of Electoral Processes in Ukraine”, implemented by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in partnership with the Central Election Commission, and with financial support from the US Mission to the OSCE, the Permanent Mission of Slovakia to the OSCE, the Government of Germany, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway.

Summary

• The SMM recorded ten ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and one in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, the Mission recorded six ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and none in Luhansk region.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. During evening hours, an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle spotted people inside the latter disengagement areas.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The SMM continued following up on the situation of civilians amid the COVID-19 outbreak, including at the entry-exit checkpoint and its corresponding checkpoint of the armed formations in Luhansk region.
• The Mission monitored peaceful public gatherings on the occasion of the Independence Day of Ukraine in Chernivtsi, Kharkiv, Kherson, Lviv and Odessa.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

VIENNA, 26 August 2020 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Prime Minister and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania, Edi Rama, will address a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council on the situation in Belarus, on 28 August, at 10:00, at the Hofburg, Vienna.

Chairperson Rama and the incoming Chair/Foreign Affairs Minister of Sweden, Ann Linde, offered a visit to the Government of Belarus to support an open and constructive dialogue in the country.  

Media representatives are invited to follow the address of the Chairperson-in-Office live on https://www.osce.org/live, from 10:00, on Friday, 28 August.

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 increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week.

OPERATIONAL REMARKS

The OM is currently operating with 19 permanent international Mission members, including the Chief Observer (CO). The deployment of newly selected observes was approved by the host country; their arrival is planned from 28 August. 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 applying a self-isolation regime between shifts at the border checkpoints and 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. After the reopening of the host country`s airspace on 1 August, the OM has started with planned leaves in a careful manner.

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 increased from 10,888 to 11,321 per day at both BCPs compared to last week[1].

During the reporting period, the majority of border crossings were to the Russian Federation, with an average net flow of 248 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 one, compared to two last week. No persons crossed into the Russian Federation while one of the observed crossed into Ukraine. This individual 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, 11 families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation while another seven families were observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when four families were observed crossing to the Russian Federation, while another six 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 a slight decrease in the overall number of buses crossing the border at both BCPs (340 compared to 360 observed during the previous week). There were 174 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 166 bound for Ukraine.

Trucks

During the reporting period, the OTs observed a decrease in the overall number of trucks crossing the border at both BCPs (938 compared to 1,033 during the previous reporting week); 462 at the Gukovo BCP and 476 at the Donetsk BCP, 503 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 435 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, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, and trucks with “LPR” plates.

The OTs also continued to observe tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions. During the reporting week, the number of tanker trucks just slightly decreased from 61 to 60. 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 X-ray vehicle at the Donetsk BCP was not operating due to the ongoing ground construction activities and no X-ray checks were observed.

Minivans

The OM continued to observe passenger and cargo minivans[2] 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. Compared to the previous week, the number of cargo minivans decreased from 142 to 137 vehicles, 63 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 74 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 38 occasions; the OTs assessed that 20 trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and the remaining 18 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 cars with licence plates registered in Georgia.

On 20 August at 06:53, the OT at the Gukovo BCP observed an ambulance with Russian Federation licence plates entering the BCP from the Russian Federation side and parking in the customs control area. The OT noticed the driver and one medical personnel on board. At 07:17, the ambulance drove back to the Russian Federation.

On 21 August at 09:50, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed a helicopter type Mi8 flying from the north-west in a north-easterly direction. The helicopter remained inside the airspace of the Russian Federation the entire time it was visible to the OT.

For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 21 July to 25 August 2020, please see the attachment here.

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

[2] 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).