Central Europe

456157 Marina Živaljević

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro donated forensic equipment valued at €51,982 to the country's Forensic Centre and the Cyber Crime Unit within the Police Directorate on 3 July 2020.

Maryse Daviet, Head of the OSCE Mission and Veselin Veljović, Director of the Police Directorate, signed a donation agreement electronically, due to the ongoing restrictive circumstances caused by COVID-19.

This donation is part of the Mission's ongoing support to strengthen the Forensic Centre and the Cyber Crime Unit to conduct investigations into cyber and organized crime.

The signing of the agreement is a confirmation of the continuous co-operation between the OSCE Mission and the Police Directorate. In 2018 and 2019, the Mission donated a forensic equipment worth a total of €86,000.

The OSCE has supported the Forensic Centre since its inception in 2008, both in terms of providing equipment and professional training and mentoring to its scientists.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region.
• The Mission saw damage to the SMM cameras near the Oktiabr mine caused by the detonation of an undetermined projectile.
• Members of the armed formations continued to deny the Mission passage at checkpoints along official crossing routes in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.*
• The Mission continued monitoring all three disengagement areas: It observed people inside former positions of the armed formations inside the disengagement area near Zolote and recorded ceasefire violations inside the disengagement area near Petrivske.
• The SMM saw civilians queuing to travel towards government- and non-government-controlled areas at the entry-exit checkpoint in Stanytsia Luhanska, as well as to travel towards government-controlled areas at the checkpoint of the armed formations near Stanytsia Luhanska bridge.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a checkpoint near Krasnohorivka, where a member of the Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel had his rifle pointed at the SMM.*

VIENNA, 2 July 2020 – The press is in danger in too many places in the OSCE region, said OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, as he presented his biannual report to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna today. The COVID-19 pandemic has only aggravated this situation, as it amplified existing trends and added a new layer of problems to the existing ones, including the dire economic situation many media are currently facing.

“Threats to media freedom and the work of journalists are on the rise. It is the responsibility of States to ensure better protection for journalistic work, to combat impunity of crimes committed against journalists, to respect the independence of the press and freedom of expression, and to support pluralism and not to stifle it,” said Désir.

Désir noted that in the past seven-and-a-half months of this reporting period (21 November 2019 – 2 July 2020) he intervened on 132 individual cases related to the physical safety of journalists. Among those were eight arson attacks against the premises of media outlets, cars or houses of journalists, one bomb attack, and shots fired at a media outlet. He also intervened on over 200 individual cases related to the legal situation of journalists, their legal safety, including 104 detentions and 20 new court proceedings or developments in trials against journalists.

“The fact that so many journalists are facing prosecution, condemnation and detention for just reporting on issues of public interest, expressing critical views, or ensuring a plurality of opinions remains one of the greatest challenges for the OSCE region,” said Désir.

The Representative called on participating States to improve their national legislation to protect journalists. “I continued to assist participating States in shaping their policies and legislation in line with international standards and OSCE commitments. Several of the legal reviews that I provided to the participating States were partially, or entirely, taken into account by the authorities,” he added.

Désir also called upon participating States to come up with strong economic support to the media. “Across the OSCE region, media are suffering major economic losses, which are mainly happening through drastic drops in their advertising revenues. In addition, print media have faced additional income losses whenever the various degrees of lockdown have hindered their sales and postal distribution. Media that were already financially struggling before the pandemic are reaching the edge, some of them facing liquidation and closure,” he said. “Thousands of journalists and media workers have already lost their jobs and many media outlets across the OSCE region have temporarily suspended their activities, decreased their periodicity or reduced their circulation. This crisis is a direct threat to media pluralism and will restrict the sources of information for the public, exactly at a time when the public needs accurate, local, relevant and reliable information the most. This is a democratic emergency.”

The Representative’s full report is available here: https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/4/9/456130.pdf

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

VIENNA, 3 July 2020 – Good governance and the fight against corruption in the digital era is the focus of the OSCE Albanian Chairmanship high-level conference taking place on 6 and 7 July in Vienna.

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Albania’s Prime Minister and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Edi Rama, OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger and the Albanian Minister of Justice Etilda Gjonaj will open the conference.

Ghada Fathi Waly, the Director-General/Executive Director of the UN Office at Vienna/United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), will address at the high level panel.

The fight against corruption is a top priority of the Albanian 2020 Chairmanship. The aim of the conference is to stimulate political dialogue among the participating States, focusing on strengthening the principles of transparency, integrity and accountability. The conference will also identify and work towards implementation of anti-corruption approaches which strengthen democracy, the rule of law, economic development, and stability and security in the OSCE region.

High-level representatives from OSCE participating States, Partners for Co-operation, UNODC, and other international organizations, academia and civil society will discuss the main challenges and share best practices and lessons learned.

Media representatives can follow the opening of the conference on 6 July, Monday, from 10:00 to 12:00, via Zoom.

Please register online by 5 July, Sunday, via https://events.osce.org/2020-albanian-osce-chairmanship-conference/registration. The link to access the opening session will be sent after the registration deadline.

Agenda of the meeting here.

456073 Communication and Media Relations Section

Collecting and making available sex-disaggregated data and analyses, ensuring financial resources for making the women, peace and security agenda a reality on the ground, as well as building knowledge and skills of local decision-makers and civil society actors are ways for international organizations and donors to contribute to the implementation of women, peace and security (WPS) resolutions beyond national capitals. These were the conclusions reached during the online event held on 1 July 2020.

The event aimed to publicize the findings of the study on Implementing Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the OSCE Region, which was conducted jointly with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and the OSCE. The webinar was co-hosted by the LSE Centre on Women, Peace and Security, the OSCE Programme for Gender Issues and UN Women. Around 150 participants attended.

The event focused on one of the key research areas: localizing national action plans (NAPs) aimed at implementing UN Security Council resolutions on women, peace and security. Participants debated on the benefits and drawbacks of the six avenues of localization identified in the study. These include the development of local action plans, including locally implementable activities in NAPs, and including WPS activities in local gender equality implementation plans.

“It is good to see that in recent years in many countries, security sector institutions have developed a strong and genuine ownership of women, peace and security action plans, and started to work more closely with civil society groups. This is particularly important in the OSCE region given the OSCE’s role as a regional organization that focuses on comprehensive security,” said Tuula Yrjölä, Director of OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre, in her opening remarks.

The study provides information on progress and trends, as well as challenges in the implementation of the ten United Nations Security Council resolutions on women, peace and security. It examines the national action plans of OSCE participating States, and offers more in-depth information on how these action plans have been put into practice in the countries researched. Five countries were covered: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Serbia, and Ukraine.

Henri Myrttinen, one of the three researchers who conducted the study, highlighted that "the countries covered by the study, but also others in the OSCE region, have been global fore-runners in developing different approaches to the localization of NAPs."

Many speakers pointed to the importance of ensuring that local and national-level action plans are well connected and working towards shared goals. Local action plans can better address the specific security issues in their own context, but issues requiring amendments in legislation can only be addressed at the national level. “In implementing women, peace and security in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we have used a ‘sandwich strategy model’ that takes into consideration both local and national level actors,” said Samra Filipović Hadžiabdić from the Agency for Gender Equality.

This online event also noted that COVID-19 has provided us an opportunity to underline the need to position human security approach and principles to the core of our work on peace and security issues at all levels.

The joint LSE and OSCE study was published earlier this year. It is also available in Russian and Ukrainian.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

At 19:10 on 30 June, the SMM lost video feeds from its two daylight cameras, located on top of one of two 50m concrete towers at the Oktiabr mine, about 1km east of the contact line, in a non-government-controlled area, about 1km south-west of Vesele (non-government-controlled, 9km north-west of Donetsk).

Footage from both cameras showed an impact of an undetermined weapon occurring in the immediate vicinity of the cameras at 19:08 on 30 June. At the time of the impact, one camera was facing north, and the other camera was facing north-east.

On 1 July, an SMM patrol dispatched to assess saw that the base of the 4m camera mast on top of the concrete roof of the tower remained standing, while its upper portion, with the two cameras still attached to it, was detached, and standing in an upright position next to it. The Mission saw that a third portion of the mast was lying on the ground, about 4m north-east of the base.

The SMM patrol also noted that sections of two camera power cables and one of the camera domes (with shrapnel marks on it) were lying on the ground about 2m north-east, and 4m north-north-east, respectively of the base portion. The SMM saw that the second camera had no visible signs of damage.

The SMM assessed the damage to the mast, cables and camera dome as caused by the detonation of an undetermined projectile fired from a south-westerly direction in the immediate proximity of the camera site.

During its presence in the area, the SMM patrol heard two undetermined explosions at an assessed distance of 3km west.

The SMM will continue to follow up on this incident.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Members of the armed formations continued to deny the Mission passage at a checkpoint along an official crossing route in Luhansk region.*
• The Mission continued monitoring all three disengagement areas: It observed people inside former positions of the armed formations and an extension to a trench inside the disengagement area near Petrivske.
• The SMM saw civilians travelling towards government- and non-government-controlled areas through the entry-exit checkpoint in Stanytsia Luhanska.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and the maintenance and operation of critical civilian infrastructure, as well as demining activities.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

455998 Marina Živaljević

Ensuring accessibility for all voters at polling stations is essential and the responsibility of election commissions. This was the conclusion of representatives of the Montenegrin State Election Commission at a workshop organized by the Association of the Blind of Montenegro on 30 June in Podgorica.

Katarina Bigović, Project Co-ordinator in the Association of the Blind, explained that this workshop is part of the project “Choose accessibility” supported by the European Association of the Blind. The project examines the practice, solutions, and opportunities for improving participation of persons with disabilities in political and public life in Montenegro.

Aleksa Ivanović, Chair of the State Election Commission, said, in his consultations with municipal election commissions, that he reviewed the legal framework and emphasized their responsibility to ensure all persons with disabilities can vote independently and in secret. Ivanović encouraged the Association for the Blind to work directly with municipal election commissions to jointly identify polling stations that could be made accessible.

Marina Vujačić, Executive Director of the Association of Youth with Disabilities, expressed hope that through workshops like this, persons with disabilities can freely and independently exercise their right to vote and also actively participate in political life.  

Lia Magnaguagno, the Mission’s Democratization Programme Manager said: “The right to vote independently, and in secret, is a cornerstone of every democracy.” The Mission supported the State Election Commission in developing a Strategy for Persons with Disabilities, as well as initiated consultations with municipal election commissions to ensure polling stations are accessible.

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro remains committed to promoting the rights of people with disabilities and strives to help remove barriers that hamper their full participation as voters and candidates.

COPENHAGEN/NAPLES/NEW YORK, 30 June 2020 – On the occasion of the International Day of Parliamentarism the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) co-organized an online event on the role of parliamentarians in countering terrorism in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of the event was to deepen co-operation in response to the ongoing threat posed by terrorism and violent extremism in the midst of the unprecedented crisis all nations face. 

Participants concurred that it is vital to assess the impact of the pandemic on violent extremism and carefully monitor terrorism trends throughout the Mediterranean region, the Sahel, as well as the OSCE region spanning 57 countries in North America, Europe and Central Asia.

Policymakers must adapt to dangerous new trends, speakers stressed, and implement timely countermeasures to protect lives. Co-ordinated policy and legislative efforts are needed to counter the evolving threat of violent extremists, some of whom are exploiting the pandemic to advance extremist narratives, it was emphasized.

Speakers at the webinar included Hon. Gennaro Migliore, Chair of PAM’s Special Parliamentary Committee on Counterterrorism; Hon. Reinhold Lopatka, Chair of the OSCE PA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism (CCT); Mauro Miedico, Deputy Director and Chief of Special Projects and Innovation Branch (SPIB) – UNOCT; Amb. Mohamed El-Amine Ould Ikek, Assistant Secretary General for Legal Affairs at the League of Arab States; Amb. Alena Kupchyna, Director of the Transnational Threats Department at the OSCE; Dr. Andrea Margelletti, President of the International Studies Centre and Advisor to the Ministry of Defense of Italy, and OSCE PA President George Tsereteli.The webinar also played a video message by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on the occasion of the International Day of Parliamentarism who spoke about the important role of parliaments amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

“COVID-19 has been keeping authorities all over the world highly occupied, shifting their attention towards fighting the pandemic,” said CCT Chair Lopatka. He noted that terrorist groups nevertheless remain active and that the crisis has provided a fertile ground for them to boost their online propaganda, call for new attacks, increase recruitment operations, stigmatize minorities, and disseminate false and discriminatory information. “Against this background, it is paramount that we all stand united on this symbolic day marking the International Day of Parliamentarism to counter terrorism and violent extremism throughout our vast regions,” he said.

“In recent months, our attention focused on the many implications of COVID-19 on our lives, while remaining vigilant on the evolving threat of terrorism has been a challenge for all of us,” said Hon. Migliore. He highlighted the current security situation in the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions, with a particular look at North African and Middle Eastern countries, in which the already precarious political and humanitarian conditions have worsened due to COVID-19 pandemic. He stressed the political consensus achieved among the 34 PAM Member Parliaments now addressing the issue of ISIL detainees and their families in Iraq and northeast Syria and took note of the present status of ISIL terrorists held in European prisons. “We must examine the effectiveness of de-radicalization programs, post-prison monitoring, and halting the automatic release of prisoners, without a thorough clearance,” Migliore said. Parliaments are critical in counterterrorism efforts by sharing legislative practices and their determination to fight it, he stressed.

UNOCT Deputy Director Miedico congratulated all parliamentarians on the International Day of Parliamentarism recognizing the significant contribution which Members of Parliament make to facilitate the implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. “The COVID-19 pandemic will continue to significantly impact international peace and security and related policymaking in the long term,” he said. Parliaments have powerful tools in their hands to counter the phenomenon of hate speech, including COVID-19-related hate speech, which is used by terrorist groups and their supporters to further their nefarious objectives and undermine government actions.”

The OSCE PA-PAM-UNOCT Parliamentary Web Dialogue provided a forum for representatives of more than 65 parliaments to exchange views on how to keep counter-terrorism efforts high on the international agenda during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Parliamentarians discussed how crisis situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic may aggravate terrorist threats by offering new opportunities for terrorist groups to advance their agendas, as the attention of the world has shifted, and resources may be refocused to fighting the pandemic and its consequences. The unprecedented global crisis and economic disruption caused by COVID-19 could exacerbate existing grievances and protracted conflicts, potentially leading to the emergence of new terrorist trends and threats, they noted.

Participants welcomed the partnership between the UNOCT, PAM and the OSCE PA, and the active participation of parliamentarians from countries throughout Europe, North America, North Africa, the Middle East and the Sahel. Speakers underlined a strong sense of solidarity and common purpose in developing effective strategies to counter the terrorist threat that still impacts countries around the world.

Moderating the event, OSCE PA Secretary General Roberto Montella emphasized that the fight against terrorism and violent extremism should be an area of the international security agenda that brings together all States, even in cases where hostility or divergence mark their relations, to join forces in bona fide co-operation. It is a confidence-building topic, he added, which makes today’s joint event even more crucial for our parliamentary diplomacy efforts.

Photos of the event are available on Flickr. 

###

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is comprised of 323 parliamentarians from 57 countries spanning Europe, Central Asia and North America. The Assembly provides a forum for parliamentary diplomacy, monitors elections, and strengthens international co-operation to uphold commitments on political, security, economic, environmental and human rights issues.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Members of the armed formations continued to deny the Mission passage at checkpoints along official crossing routes in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.*
• The Mission continued monitoring all three disengagement areas. It spotted a person on the eastern edge of the disengagement area near Zolote during evening hours.
• The SMM saw civilians travelling towards government- and non-government-controlled areas through the entry-exit checkpoint in Stanytsia Luhanska.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and the maintenance and operation of critical civilian infrastructure, as well as demining activities.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

MOSCOW / PARIS / WASHINGTON, DC, 30 June 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)‎ met separately and jointly via video conference on 29-30 June with Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov to discuss the public health situation in the region, current dynamics in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and next steps in the peace process. Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (PRCIO) Andrzej Kasprzyk also participated in these discussions.

The Co-Chairs emphasized the importance of promoting and maintaining an atmosphere conducive to peace and favorable to substantive negotiations. They assessed positively the relative stability on the ground and expressed satisfaction that the sides continue to use existing direct communication links to avoid escalation. Recalling their statement of 9 March, 2019, however, the Co‑Chairs noted with concern that recent provocative statements, inflammatory rhetoric, and possible steps intended to change the situation on the ground in tangible ways could undermine the settlement process.

The Co‑Chairs stressed that there is no military solution to the conflict. They urged the sides to take additional steps to strengthen the ceasefire and to prepare the populations for peace. The Co-Chairs also stressed the urgency of resuming monitoring exercises under the leadership of the PRCIO as soon as conditions allow.

The Co‑Chairs and Foreign Ministers‎ agreed to hold another joint video conference in July and to meet in person as soon as possible.

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 20 permanent international staff members, including the Chief Observer (CO). 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 the shifts at the border checkpoints and adherence 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 significantly increased from 1,547 to 4,395 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 428 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 six compared to four last week, three of them crossed into the Russian Federation and another three 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, four families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation while another four families were observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when no families were observed crossing to the Russian Federation, while two families crossed into Ukraine.

Bus connections                                        

Regular local and long-distance bus connections between Ukraine (mostly from/to the Luhansk region) and the Russian Federation were restored from 25 June. During the reporting period, the overall number of buses crossing the border at both BCPs was 118. There were 55 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 63 bound for Ukraine.

Trucks

During the reporting period, the OTs observed a slight decrease in the overall number of trucks crossing the border at both BCPs (1,040 compared to 1,078 during the previous reporting week); 596 at the Gukovo BCP and 444 at the Donetsk BCP, 615 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 425 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, Ukraine, Armenia 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 slightly increased from 55 to 58. These trucks were observed crossing the border at both BCPs. The trucks had the words “Propane” and “Flammable” written across the tanks in either Russian or Ukrainian. The majority of tanker trucks had hazard signs, indicating that they were transporting propane or a mix of propane and butane. All trucks underwent systematic inspection by the Russian Federation officials, which could include an X-ray check. Due to the unfavourable observation position at the Gukovo BCP, the OTs continued to be unable to observe any X-ray checks.

Compared to the previous week, the total number of X-ray checks at the Donetsk BCP decreased from 201 to 168. Of the total number of trucks scanned, 153 trucks (91 per cent) were bound for Ukraine: the remaining 15 trucks (9 per cent) crossed into the Russian Federation.

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 significantly increased from 73 to 151 vehicles; 80 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 71 into Ukraine.

Trains

The OTs continued to pick up the sound of trains on the railway tracks located approximately 150m south-west of the Gukovo BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on 22 occasions; the OTs assessed that ten trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and the remaining 12 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 Poland and Georgia.

During the reporting week, the OTs at both BCPs noticed helicopters flying along the border on two separate occasions: 

• On 25 June at 10:15, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed a green helicopter type Mi-8 flying from the north-north-west, turning in a north-easterly direction at an altitude of approximately 150m. The helicopter remained inside the airspace of the Russian Federation the entire time it was visible to the OT.

• The same day at 10:32, the OT at the Gukovo BCP observed a helicopter type Mi-8/Mi-17 flying from the north to a north-easterly direction at approximately 150-200m distance from the BCP. The helicopter remained inside the airspace of the Russian Federation the entire time it was visible to the OT.

On 27 June at 07:34, the OT at Donetsk BCP observed a white minivan with Russian Federation licence plates with two passengers on board, entering the BCP from the Russian Federation. The vehicle had a sign “City Ritual Service” (in Russian) on its side. After undergoing border control procedures, the minivan left for Ukraine.

For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 26 May to 30 June 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).

Communication and Media Relations Section

The disruption of labour mobility during the COVID-19 crisis and possible ways forward to address the post-pandemic recovery were the focus of an OSCE webinar held on 26 June 2020.

“The protracted lockdown, necessary to save lives, has also had an impact on the migration process, disrupted human connectivity and prospects for development. “” said Vuk Žugić the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities. “Yet, the crisis is offering the opportunity to harness OSCE’s strengths: multilateral dialogue, trans-national co-operation, and core values”. The international commitments, including the OSCE and UN ones provide a long-term vision that well-governed migration is needed to ensure positive development outcomes.”

Experts, practitioners and academicians helped to shed light on the situation of migrant workers, including key lessons learned that can support an inclusive and equitable post-pandemic recovery.

“Migrant workers effectively complement national labour force. Current demographic trends and persistent labour shortages call for sectorial employment policies addressing foreign and national workers. Contrary to popular wisdom, migrant workers create jobs for all,” said Markus Pilgrim, Regional Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

“Exclusion is costly. But inclusion pays off,” was a key message from Dyane Epstein, a.i. Regional Director of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The discussion highlighted the need for collecting accurate data and information – both quantitative and qualitative – so to identify suitable responses. Research carried out by the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), provided relevant grounds to discuss coping strategies of migrants during the pandemic and key areas for action to prevent negative repercussions and boost resilience.

A glimpse in the complex range of legal challenges the pandemic brought about in the European Union was complemented by positive experiences and creative solutions triggered by the lockdown, particularly in dealing with time-consuming bureaucracy.  

A concise summary of the full series of webinars will soon be available on www.osce.org/the Office of OSCE Co-ordinator of Economic and Environmental Activities, together with “Summary and Recommendations” reflecting the discussion.

Vienna, 29 June 2020 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, expressed his concern today about the recently passed law on the Manipulation of Information in Kyrgyzstan.

”I am concerned that the law on the Manipulation of Information, which the Jogorku Kenesh (the Parliament) passed on 25 June, may result in undue restrictions to freedom of media,” Désir said. “I share the concern of the authorities to combat the dissemination of false information related to the current health crisis. However, vague legal definitions will not provide media and social media users with the necessary legal certainty in order to foresee the consequences of their activities. Furthermore the regulation of online content by an ‘authorized state body’ may, in the absence of a clear mechanism and due process, seriously restrict freedom of expression. My Office is therefore preparing a review of the law, which I will make available to the authorities,” Désir added.

The Representative recalled the joint statement, published on 19 March, together with David Kaye, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and Edison Lanza, IACHR Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, on the COVID-19 related legislations affecting freedom of expression, which emphasized that: “Human health depends not only on readily accessible health care. It also depends on access to accurate information about the nature of the threats and the means to protect oneself, one’s family, and one’s community”. The Representative and the two Special Rapporteurs also stated that: “The right of access to information means that governments must be making exceptional efforts to protect the work of journalists. Journalism serves a crucial function at a moment of public health emergency, particularly when it aims to inform the public of critical information and monitors government actions.”

The draft Law on Manipulation of Information was passed by the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan on 25 June. Upon its adoption, national media rights organizations called upon the authorities to repeal the law.

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

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 26 and 27 June, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Compared with the previous 24 hours, between the evenings of 27 and 28 June, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM saw shrapnel damage to a functional school in Donetsk city.
• Members of the armed formations continued to deny the Mission passage at checkpoints along official crossing routes in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.*
• The Mission continued monitoring all three disengagement areas: it observed people inside the disengagement areas near Zolote and Petrivske.
• The SMM saw civilians travelling towards government- and non-government-controlled areas through the entry-exit checkpoint (EECP) in Stanytsia Luhanska and saw civilians travelling towards government-controlled areas through the EECP near Novotroitske and the checkpoint of the armed formations near Olenivka.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including close to a border crossing point near non-government-controlled Dovzhanske, Luhansk region.*

SARAJEVO, 29 June 2020 – The OSCE Mission to BiH delivered today, in Sarajevo, laptops and photo cameras to the BiH Central Election Commission’s (CEC) Financial Audit Department.

“It is our pleasure to be able to donate additional equipment that will increase the technical capacities of the CEC and lead to more transparency of the electoral processes in BiH,” said Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH.

The Mission previously provided equipment for the live streaming of the CEC sessions. It also provided an asset declaration IT platform and an IT platform for processing complaints and appeals.

“The CEC remains a strong partner in bringing democracy to the citizens of BiH. We commend them for all the efforts to prepare for elections, despite the current delay in receiving required funding. Now that the BiH Presidency has approved the budget, we encourage the BiH Parliamentary Assembly to act expeditiously to secure funding for the local elections in 2020 without any further delay,” said Kavalec.

The handover of the equipment is part of the Mission’s project: “Supporting the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina in conducting general elections in BiH in compliance with international standards on democratic elections”.

WARSAW, 29 June 2020 – Poland’s presidential election was administered professionally despite the lack of legal clarity as solutions were sought to hold the election during the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign was characterised by intolerant rhetoric and a public broadcaster that failed in its duty to offer balanced and impartial coverage, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a statement today.

“We saw a first round that was professionally run even in these challenging times and in a sharply polarised political environment,” said Thomas Boserup, head of ODIHR’s special election assessment mission. “It’s clear that emotions are running high, but intolerance or media bias can never be part of a truly vibrant democracy.”

Some 30 million people were eligible to take part in yesterday’s election. The election administration met all legal deadlines and carried out its activities professionally, and procedures were followed well in the polling stations visited by the observers. Protective equipment was consistently used by both polling staff and voters. The legislation that enabled the election to take place was adopted in haste and without adequate public debate, at odds with the commitments made by all countries of the OSCE region. The changes had implications for candidate registration, campaigning and campaign finance, voting methods, and the resolution of election disputes. The way in which they were made jeopardised the stability and clarity of the legislation.

The campaign itself was characterised by negative rhetoric by the leading candidates that further aggravated the already confrontational atmosphere. Inflammatory language by the incumbent and his campaign was at times xenophobic and homophobic.

While the public broadcaster provided the legally mandated free airtime to all candidates and organised the only joint televised debate held during the campaign, this did not allow for any substantial discussion that would help voters to make an informed judgement. In the run-up to the election, the public broadcaster became a campaign tool for the incumbent, while some reporting had clear xenophobic and anti-Semitic undertones.

Despite travel and other restrictions in response to the health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, ODIHR was able to deploy a Special Election Assessment Mission (SEAM) to Poland, which took up its work on 16 June and will remain in Poland to continue its observation. The SEAM focused on issues identified by ODIHR’s needs assessment mission in order to assess 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

OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat online roundtable discussion on the exchange of best practices on integrating the use of information and communications technologies (ICT) into the teaching process started on 29 June 2020 in Ashgabat. 

The three-day roundtable discussion brings together representatives from the Border Management Institute, the Military Institute and the Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkmenistan. The event aims to exchange experiences and best practices with the teaching staff on the design and development of E-learning courses using modern ICT.

The training course will acquaint the participants with frequently used service platforms and digital learning management systems, thereby contributing to the increase of the level of their knowledge and skills for further digitalization of the teaching process.

“In the digital age, the use of modern means of information technology, such as distance learning, electronic textbooks, and training programmes becomes an integral part of the entire teaching process at a high school,” said Natalya Drozd, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. “In 2017, the Government of Turkmenistan adopted the Concept of the Development of the Digital Education System and the Centre has been providing support to the host country in its efforts to implement the Concept.”

The training course will present various ICT and online tools for designing learning material and conducting teaching process in the digital environment. The event will also address digital competency assessment models that are important for both students and teachers in effectively measuring the learning outcome.

The roundtable discussion is organized within the framework of the OSCE Centre’s extra-budgetary project on “Strengthening State Border Service Capacities in Turkmenistan”. In 2018 and 2019, the Centre organized a number of training events and study visits aimed at sharing best practices and experiences on the development and use of digital learning resource network and portals

The training is financially supported by the Government of Germany.  

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Members of the armed formations continued to deny the Mission passage at checkpoints along official crossing routes in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.*
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it spotted people inside the disengagement areas near Zolote and Petrivske during evening hours.
• It recorded weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM saw civilians travelling towards government- and non-government-controlled areas through entry-exit checkpoints near Novotroitske, Donetsk region and in Stanytsia Luhanska, Luhansk region. Some civilians told the Mission of the challenges they face when attempting to cross.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

From 20 to 26 June, members of the armed formations again denied the SMM attempts to cross into non-government-controlled areas along official crossing routes: six times in Donetsk region and twice in Luhansk region, while further attempts to cross into government-controlled areas were also denied four times in Luhansk region.

On 20, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 June, at a checkpoint south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk), members of the armed formations continued to deny the SMM passage towards non-government-controlled areas on two occasions, and passage towards government-controlled areas on four other occasions – three times referring to the closure of the checkpoint due to COVID-19 and three times, stating that “the SMM did not have permission to pass”.

On 23 June, at a checkpoint near Olenivka (non-government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk), members of the armed formations continued to deny the SMM passage towards non-government-controlled areas, referring to a “lack of permission from their superiors”.

On 22 and on 26 June, at a checkpoint west of Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, non-government-controlled, 85km south of Donetsk), members of the armed formations (some visibly armed) denied the SMM passage towards non-government-controlled areas, both times referring to quarantine restrictions due to COVID-19.

On 21, 23 and 26 June, at a checkpoint near Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the Mission was again unable to travel towards non-government-controlled areas due to the presence of a metal barrier and spikes laid across the road, and of a mine hazard sign. In addition, on 26 June, members of the armed formations denied the SMM passage towards non-government-controlled areas referring to a “lack of permission from their superiors”.

The Mission began facing repeated denials when attempting to cross into non-government-controlled areas at checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk region on 21 March and Luhansk region on 23 March (see previous SMM Spot Reports). They restrict the SMM’s freedom of movement across the contact line, thus impeding the implementation of its mandate throughout the country.

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With regard to COVID-19, the SMM has introduced a number of stringent mitigation measures into its operational procedures. These include strict adherence to social distancing rules both internally and with external interlocutors, daily temperature checks, use of PPE and minimizing the number of personnel in vehicles.