Central Europe

KYIV, 29 December 2019 – Тhe Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made today the following statement:

"I sincerely welcome the mutual release and exchange of detainees today, pursuant to a common decision of the Trilateral Contract Group, with the participation of representatives of certain areas of Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine, taken on 23 December 2019.

This is a very important step, which has been long awaited by both the detainees and their relatives and friends. Made on the eve of the New Year and Christmas celebrations, it has special symbolic resonance.

I want to express my deep appreciation for this joint achievement to all the members of the TCG as well as of the TCG Humanitarian working group, to the coordinator of the Humanitarian working group, Ambassador Toni Frisch, and his adviser Matthias Bosshard, as well as to my deputy, Rémi Duflot.

While highly evaluating today’s outcome, I call upon the sides to continue to apply all necessary efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine through the full and comprehensive implementation of the Minsk agreements, including by drawing on the recommendations of the Normandy Four.”

Bratislava, 29 December 2019 - OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčák welcomed today’s the release and exchange of conflict-related detainees in eastern Ukraine.

“The exchange of a large group detainees during this holiday period is particularly important. Families will be able to reunite and spend time together during the holiday season”, the OSCE Chairperson stressed.

Lajčák reminded the sides of their commitment to a full and comprehensive ceasefire before the end of 2019, strengthened by the implementation of all necessary ceasefire support measures, as well as other provisions agreed in Paris during the Normandy Four Summit on 9 December 2019.

“I remain hopeful that we will see more of these urgently needed positive steps towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict in 2020. Within its mandate, the OSCE, through the Trilateral Contact Group and the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, stands ready to support”, the OSCE Chair added.

Easing the lives of people affected by the crisis in and around Ukraine by advancing concrete measures has been a high priority of the 2019 Slovak OSCE Chairmanship. “Slovakia will continue to support Ukraine as a member of the OSCE Troika”, OSCE Chairperson Lajčák concluded.

Summary

• Compared with the previous 24 hours, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM saw a tailfin from a mortar in the Zolote disengagement area and remnants of a rocket-propelled grenade in the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area.
• It saw a self-propelled howitzer in violation of withdrawal lines near government-controlled Novobakhmutivka.
• The Mission saw long queues of civilians at checkpoints along the contact line.
• It monitored and facilitated adherence to localized ceasefires to facilitate the drilling of water wells near Pankivka, repairs to a water intake near Krasnyi Lyman and to a water pipeline near Zaitseve, and continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a border crossing point near non-government-controlled Izvaryne and at checkpoints of the armed formations near Verkhnoshyrokivske and Starolaspa.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 23 and 24 December, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Between the evenings of 24 and 25 December, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours.
• Between the evenings of 25 and 26 December, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous 24 hours.
• Small-arms fire was assessed as directed at two SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicles near non-government-controlled Dachne and government-controlled Novoselivka.
• The Mission saw personnel of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine enter the disengagement area near Zolote and de-miners from non-government-controlled areas clearing vegetation inside the area.
• Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM saw workers from government-controlled areas dismantling the bypass bridge.
• The Mission continued to monitor the situation at the disengagement area near Petrivske.
• The SMM saw weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas of Donetsk region and non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to facilitate the operation of and repairs to critical civilian infrastructure, including to water pipelines near Krasnyi Lyman and in Zaitseve. 
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at checkpoints of the armed formations in southern Donetsk region and at border crossing points in areas not under government control.*

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. The ninety-fourth Russian convoy crossed into Ukraine and returned through the Donetsk BCP.

OPERATIONAL REMARKS

The OM is currently operating with 22 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.

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 10,725 to 11,892 per day at both BCPs compared to last week[1].

During the reporting period, the majority of border crossings were to Ukraine, with an average net flow of 350 per day for both BCPs.

The Donetsk BCP continued to experience much more traffic than the Gukovo BCP.

Persons in military-style outfits

During the reporting period, the number of persons in military-style outfits crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs was 13, compared to 46 last week: six of them crossed into the Russian Federation, and seven into Ukraine (69 per cent of this category’s crossings occurred at the Donetsk BCP). They continued to cross the border individually or in groups. Most individuals crossed on foot, however, some made use of private vehicles, buses or minivans, making it more difficult for the observer teams (OTs) to observe their movement across the border, especially since some of the private vehicles had tinted windows, and buses and minivans had drawn curtains.

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 and four families were observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when five families were observed crossing to the Russian Federation and three 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. In addition to regular bus connections, the OTs continued to observe bus connections on irregular routes. Often the buses did not state their route; instead they had a sign on the windshield stating “irregular”.

During the reporting period, the OTs observed an increase in the overall number of buses crossing the border at both BCPs (462 compared to 449 observed during the previous week). There were 234 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 228 bound for Ukraine.

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

Among the bus connections observed by the OTs, the following “irregular” routes or destinations were noted: Luhansk-Yalta and Luhansk-Sevastopol.

Trucks

During the reporting period, the OTs observed 962 trucks (compared to 967 during the previous reporting week) crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs (528 at the Gukovo BCP and 434 at the Donetsk BCP); 527 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 Belarus, the Russian Federation and 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 decreased from 50 to 48. 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 Russian Federation officials, which could include an X-ray check. Due to the unfavourable observation position at the Gukovo BCP, the OTs continued to be unable to observe any X-ray checks.

Compared to the previous week, the total number of X-ray checks at the Donetsk BCP slightly decreased from 123 to 121; 115 trucks (95 per cent) were bound for Ukraine, the remaining six trucks (5 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 frequently saw minivans registered in the Russian Federation. Compared to the previous week, the number of cargo minivans increased from 126 to 146 vehicles; 66 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 80 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 19 occasions; the OTs assessed that 15 trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and four to Ukraine (more details are provided in the sections “trends and figures at a glance” below).

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine was regularly informed about the trains bound for Ukraine. 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 “DPR” plates and licence plates from Georgia, Armenia and Lithuania.

Convoy

On 19 December at 06:32 (Moscow time), the ninety-fourth[3] Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of eight vehicles were checked by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers prior to their crossing into Ukraine. All eight vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 14:51 on 19 December (See OM Spot Report of 19 December 2019: https://www.osce.org/observer-mission-at-russian-checkpoints-gukovo-and-donetsk/442579).

For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 19 November to 24 December 2019, 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).                           

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

Summary

• Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a similar number of ceasefire violations in Luhansk region.
• The SMM continued monitoring the situation at the three disengagement areas near Petrivske, Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska.
• The Mission saw weapons in violation of and beyond withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled and government-controlled areas of Luhansk region, respectively.
• It monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to facilitate repairs to water pipelines near Krasnyi Lyman and continued to monitor the security situation around the pumping station near Vasylivka and to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station. 
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at checkpoints of the armed formations near Rozdolne, Petrivske, Prymorske, Bezimenne, Novoazovsk, and Zaichenko in southern Donetsk region.*

The OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department Border Security and Management Unit (TNTD/BSMU) held a training course on the detection of forged documents and impostors in Ulaanbaatar from 16 to 20 December 2019. The event was organized in co-operation with the University of Internal Affairs of Mongolia and conducted by document experts of the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior.

Impostors represent one of the main current challenges in the field of identity fraud. The training aimed at supporting Mongolia in its efforts to decrease the number of criminals crossing its borders under a fake identity, thereby contributing to wider efforts to combat transnational threats in compliance with OSCE commitments and international standards.

Twenty-five experienced representatives of National Police, the General Authority for Border Protection, the National Institute for Forensic Science, Customs General Administration and Immigration, and teachers of the University of Internal Affairs participated in the training.

The event had a strong interactive component, which included practical exercises on recognizing an imposter, hands-on work on original and forged documents, as well as how to use forensic equipment to identify forged documents.

Twenty-five high-quality hand-held magnifiers used during the course were donated by TNTD/BSMU to the participants who interact and screen travellers as part of their daily duties.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 20 and 21 December, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region.
• Between the evenings of 21 and 22 December, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours.
• The SMM continued monitoring the situation at the three disengagement areas near Petrivske, Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska.
• The Mission saw long queues of civilians at checkpoints along the contact line.
• It monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to facilitate the drilling of water wells near Pankivka and continued to monitor the security situation around the pumping station near Vasylivka and facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a checkpoint of the armed formations near Verkhnoshyrokivske in southern Donetsk region.*

KYIV, 23 December 2019 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group, Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press after a meeting of the TCG ‎in form of a videoconference on 23 December 2019:

“During today’s videoconference, the Trilateral Contact Group, with participation of representatives of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, reached an agreement on a mutual release and exchange of conflict-related detainees by the end of the year.”

TASHKENT, 23 December 2019 – Improvements to Uzbekistan’s election law and greater acceptance of freedom of expression are to be welcomed, but did not offset the absence of opposition parties, a continuing lack of respect for fundamental rights, and some serious irregularities on election day, international observers to the parliamentary elections said in a preliminary statement published 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 recent changes to election legislation bring it closer to the international standards to which all OSCE countries have committed. At the same time, the legal framework related to the fundamental rights and freedoms essential for democratic elections is still overly restrictive. The crucial right to freedom of association, which includes the right to form a political party, remains limited.

“While an important milestone has been passed, old problematic habits – including on election day – make it clear that much work remains,” said George Tsereteli, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the OSCE short-term observer mission. “The wide-scale reforms being pursued by the authorities in Uzbekistan have had a real and direct impact on these elections, but democratic development requires increased competition and respect for basic rights and freedoms. We look forward to continuing our support for this process.”

Electoral preparations were efficient and accompanied by an intensive voter information campaign. Election day was calm, but tarnished by multiple irregularities, including voting on behalf of others and disregard of key counting procedures. The introduction of a new centralized voter register is a significant step forward, but still has to be fully implemented in practice. At the same time, inadequate public funding, as well as an inflexible and overly detailed framework, had a negative effect on candidates’ voter outreach. Campaigning itself was generally limited, and outside the media there was little evidence of active debate.

The parliament has been given additional competences in recent years that could potentially make a significant change to the balance of governmental power. However, as all parties are supportive of presidential policies and there are no opposition parties, voters are left without a real choice. At the same time, women remain substantially underrepresented in public and political life. In addition, the reforms so far have been characterized by a top-down approach that needs to be complemented by opportunities for initiatives at the grassroots level.

“The unprecedented number of women who ran for office yesterday may be a sign of the changes happening in Uzbekistan,” said Kari Henriksen, Head of the OSCE PA delegation. “While these elections were clearly more open than in the past, there remains a very limited range of alternatives for voters to choose from. I hope that the commitment to reform that we’ve noted from the leadership here will quickly consolidate throughout society.”

Recent reforms have created more space for citizens to air their grievances publicly, as tolerance of criticism of the state administration has grown. The degree of freedom of expression in the media has also improved, and some people now feel able to post views online through blogs and social networks. At the same time, public dissent both online and offline can result in punishment, and numerous legal provisions on criminal and administrative offences could inhibit free speech.

“Independent voices are growing in number and strength, and there is a new sense of freedom. This is very much to be welcomed,” said Tana de Zulueta, Head of ODIHR’s election observation mission. “But this freedom has rigid limits, and public dissent can still result in prosecution or detention. As one person told us: ‘we are trying to do new things with an old machine’. ODIHR looks forward to continuing its work with the Uzbekistan authorities to help them improve their democratic institutions and take the country forward.”

The international election observation mission for the parliamentary elections in Uzbekistan totalled 316 observers from 37 countries, comprising 271 ODIHR-deployed experts and observers, and 45 parliamentarians and staff from the OSCE PA.

For more details, contact:

Anna Di Domenico, OSCE PA: +998 900 099 166 or +45 601 08380, anna.didomenico@oscepa.dk

Katya Andrusz, ODIHR: +998 935 901 278 or +48 609 522 266, katya.andrusz@odihr.pl

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Inside the Zolote disengagement area, the SMM saw workers and deminers from non-government-controlled areas clearing vegetation.
• Inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the Mission saw two ambulances from government- and non-government-controlled areas testing driving across the bridge.
• The Mission monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to facilitate damage assessment to water pipelines in non-government-controlled Olenivka. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a checkpoint of the armed formations near Verkhnoshyrokivske, Donetsk region and at a railway station in Voznesenivka, Luhansk region.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Small-arms fire was assessed as aimed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle on the north-eastern edge of non-government-controlled Raivka, Luhansk region.
• The Mission saw deminers from non-government-controlled areas conducting vegetation clearance in the Zolote disengagement area.
• The SMM saw towed howitzers in violation of withdrawal lines in a government-controlled area of Luhansk region.
• The Mission saw anti-tank mines near government-controlled Slavne and Marinka.
• It facilitated and monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to facilitate repairs and maintenance of water infrastructure in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM saw two convoys of trucks with Russian Federation licence plates in non-government-controlled Donetsk and Luhansk cities.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at checkpoints of the armed formations near Zaichenko and Bezimenne and at a border crossing point near non-government-controlled Sievernyi.*

Seventy representatives of ministries of education, pedagogical institutes, and public universities from across Bosnia and Herzegovina gathered in Banja Luka on 16 and 17 December 2019 to discuss the results of the recently published findings of the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

The OSCE Mission to BiH and the Agency for Pre-primary, Primary, and Secondary Education organized the workshop, where the participants discussed modalities for further qualitative and quantitative analysis of the findings.

“The OSCE Mission has supported and will continue to support the authorities in BiH in improving the quality of education,” said Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina. “We will also provide assistance, such as on the best usage of PISA findings, and help share experiences and best practices from other countries. Many countries have used this data to drive positive change, regardless of their position in the ranking,” said Kavalec.

Maja Stojkić, Director of the Agency for Pre-primary, Primary, and Secondary Education, invited education authorities to implement urgently the Common Core Curriculum based on student learning outcomes and highlighted the importance of strengthening teacher’s competencies.

Stojkić underlined that this is under the direct responsibility of the ministries of education and pedagogical institutes. “Our work is focused on learning outcomes, knowledge, skills, and competencies that children take away from their classrooms. Through education systems in BiH, our children will learn how to apply their knowledge in practice,” said Stojkić. The Agency developed the Common Core Curriculum based on Student Learning Outcomes. Hereby we call for its implementation and for strategic decisions in the area of education based on realistic indicators received through the continuous participation in international assessments.”

Stojkić said that this workshop represents a continuation of the successful co-operation with education authorities in BiH, aimed at applying the PISA findings and recommendations in improving educational system.

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina will continue to support education authorities across BiH to improve the quality and inclusivity of education by developing policies and practices based on the findings of international assessments in the area of education.

On the occasion of the International Migrants Day, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, on 18 December 2019 in Vienna, organized an event to discuss ways to maximize the impact of innovation, education and mobility on the development of human capital in the 21st century.

OSCE diplomats, migration experts and practitioners, innovators and academics discussed how, in view of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, human capital is at the core of innovative and inclusive development. Mobility and education offer unexpected opportunities to boost productivity and advance innovation.

“In an increasingly interconnected world, studying and working abroad is an invaluable opportunity to acquire new competencies and skills. Yet, governments struggle to grasp fully the economic gains of migration,” said OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger. “New technologies can offer ways to promote innovative solutions that would make migration work for everyone: for economies of countries of origin, destination and the migrants themselves.”

Ambassador Igli Hasani, representing the incoming Albania 2020 OSCE Chair, stressed the importance of policies that can secure the many benefits of migration. “The vicious cycle of poor governance, economic hardship, and social backlash can be turned into a virtuous cycle of economic integration and growth, improving the human development of everyone,” said Hasani.

Participants shared experiences in applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to migration-related challenges, displaying success stories, including in crises situations.

The event is part of the OSCE ongoing efforts to facilitate dialogue and co-operation on migration governance and human capital development.

As the end of Slovakia’s year as OSCE Chair for 2019 is approaching and impressions are slowly beginning to settle, I would like to share some observations I made being at the helm of the organization in 2019.

First of all, that in 2019 multilateralism has been under threat more than ever. And while we got comfortable speaking up in favor of it at many occasions – including the Ministerial Council - our actions tell a different story. Multilateralism means being ready to compromise and move away from our own national positions to find solutions to challenges too big to be solved by one country alone. It does not mean that we will all get 100% what we want, but that we can find solutions where we all lose a bit but gain so much more through stronger and united responses.

But these days it seems like compromise is seen as a weakness and in particular the outcome of this year’s Ministerial Council – the adoption of only six texts, many of them of procedural nature - demonstrated the glaring gap between our words and our actions. How is it possible that in our region and beyond we are seeing an alarming surge in hate speech and crime from xenophobia and racism to antisemitism, anti‑Muslim hatred and attacks against Christians, often fed by nationalist and populist ideologies and we remain silent? In 2019 we have not only seen this hate take an increasingly deadly toll from Christchurch to El Paso or Halle, but also heard about it as one of the most mentioned topics in this year’s General Debate speeches in New York. But at the same time, we do not repeat this call for action in our final decisions and declarations for our region. How can terrorist organizations ramp up recruitment and radicalization using new technologies to spread their messages of hate, and we cannot agree on a joint response for our region? How do we explain that our critical energy networks become more and more vulnerable to climate change and attacks, especially from cyberspace, but we fail to agree on our common approach to it? And how can the offer of a country to contribute to the stability of our Organization, by taking up the financial and political burden of chairing it not be welcomed with open arms and gratitude, but with suspicion and threats to sabotage?

Since its very beginning, the OSCE has been multilateralism in action. But multilateralism requires commitment and compromise to reach consensus from all 57, and not just 56 or 55.

And in a way the dynamics surrounding my first observation led to my second one, which is that success cannot only be measured in numbers of texts adopted. As Chair we were active throughout the year - in Vienna, in Bratislava and in the field – for people, dialogue and stability. And looking back at the year, I think, we did well. We put people first – on the visits to 15 field operations and numerous more to scenes of crisis and conflicts, in our discussions on all levels and in different fora and through concrete tangible measures.  We promoted dialogue in our Chairs Dialogues, the Informal Ministerial Gathering and numerous events on topics ranging from Antisemitism, to terrorism, cyber security or Security Sector Governance and Reform. And we worked towards stability, whether externally - at the hotspots in the region – or internally by putting the Organization on sound financial footing or supporting the organization of the Human Dimension Implementation Meeting – Europe’s biggest conference on human rights - against all odds.

And my last and final one is that if we really believe in this Organization and its uniqueness as much as we like to say. If we think it has all the tools it needs, and is equipped with distinctive assets from the field operations to the independent institutions, it is time for us to live up to our principles and commitments and move away from politicizing procedural issues towards finally using the vast potential the Organization offers.

2019 has taught me a lot about this Organization, its comprehensive approach to security and its unique added value to our multilateral landscape. I saw that in some cases, it is present on the ground where others are not. I celebrate its achievements. Far too often, however, its tools have been left unused – and it is a situation we cannot afford to continue, given the current and future challenges to our shared security. For me the only way to harness the potential of the Organization – and to give it a chance to fulfil the objectives we set for it in 1975 – is through political engagement, and political vision.  

With this, I wish Albania every success for its 2020 OSCE Chairmanship. Slovakia will stand ready to support in any way possible.

SKOPJE, 20 December 2019 – According to the OSCE-supported Survey on Public Perception of Democratic Policing presented in Skopje today, over the last two years there has been an increase in the overall level of satisfaction and trust of citizens with the police.

According to the survey, conducted countrywide, which measured the level of communication, trust, and co-operation between citizens and the police, the number of citizens satisfied with the work of the police increased to 55% compared with 45% out of the same number of 2600 surveyed both in 2017 and 2019.

The main goal of the survey was to determine the degree of implementation of the reforms undertaken in the police, and to provide insight into the process of application of democratic policing principles in police services in North Macedonia. It focused on two target groups: citizens and police officials.

“Some of the findings show an increase in the percentage of people who are satisfied or very satisfied with the police, particularly within the Albanian community,” said Jeff Goldstein, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje. “However, there are other findings that show where more work still needs to be done, such as in terms of victims’ care in criminal cases,” he added.

Minister of Internal Affairs of North Macedonia Oliver Spasovski said: “Trust in the police is crucial in the process of developing a democratic police service, which places the protection of human rights and freedoms at the core of its actions. In this sense, we are aware we cannot analyze the confidence-building process independently from the process of enhancing professionalism in policing, and improving the quality of police services”.

The OSCE Secretariat and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), agreed to strengthen their co-operation on facilitating air transport and enhancing border security in a Memorandum of Understanding signed on 21 November 2019.

The document, signed by OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger and ICAO Secretary General Fang Liu, provides a framework for collaboration between the two organizations in strengthening and promoting co-ordination and co-operation on aviation security, the facilitation of air transport, and related border security and management matters.

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, together with Tajikistan’s Institute for Public Administration, organized a training for representatives of the state judiciary and public institutions dealing with corruption issues from 18 to 20 December 2019. Participants were familiarized with the newly developed anti-corruption curriculum for civil servants. The curriculum will help to further drive anti-corruption efforts in the country; with the aim of building a professional and knowledgeable public administration.

Participants discussed international standards in combating corruption and best methods for development of strategic anti-corruption documents. The course also highlighted that preventing conflicts of interests is a fundamental anti-corruption measure in the public service.

“Public officials and civil servants are one of the main public messengers to spread the word that corruption can be handled effectively,” said Jaroslavs Strelcenoks, course trainer. He added that the public administration needs to show integrity, professionalism and dedication in fighting corruption to persuade citizens to adhere to the same principles.

The event is a continuation of the support to the host country, provided by the OSCE’s Programme Office in Dushanbe, to instill anti-corruption knowledge and foster integrity within the public administration.

Elections experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) met with electoral stakeholders in Chisinau on 19 and 20 December 2019 to present the ODIHR final report on 2019 parliamentary elections in Moldova.

The report’s findings and recommendations were presented to representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, the Central Election Commission (CEC), the Legal Committee of the Parliament, General Prosecutor’s Office, the Audio-Visual Council as well as the international community and civil society organizations.

ODIHR experts also presented the report at a post-election conference organized by the CEC and the Council of Europe, which gathered more than 100 participants from relevant state authorities, political parties, the international community and civil society.

“The commitment to discuss ODIHR's recommendations at the highest levels is an indication of the importance placed on improving the electoral process,” said Vladimir Misev, ODIHR Senior Adviser on New Voting Technologies. “This is an opportune moment for adopting an inclusive approach to enhancing electoral legislation and practice in Moldova in line with the international standards and commitments, and ODIHR continues to stand ready to support such efforts.”

Discussions focused on the report’s recommendations related to eliminating gaps and ambiguities in electoral legal framework, enhancing professionalism of mid-level election administration and providing sufficient authority and resources to campaign finance oversight body. The experts also highlighted the recommendations ensuring that voters are able to cast their votes free of pressure and undue influence and increasing confidence in the law enforcement.

Other recommendations discussed included promoting a level playing field among contestants, ensuring the separation of state and party and enhancing transparency of the results tabulation.

All OSCE participating States have committed themselves to following up on ODIHR's election assessments and recommendations.

TASHKENT, 20 December 2019 - International observers to the parliamentary elections in Uzbekistan will present their preliminary conclusions at a news conference.

What:

• You are invited to a news conference of the international observers to the parliamentary elections in Uzbekistan
• The news conference is open to all and no accreditation is required to enter, but questions will only be taken from journalists

Who:

Statement of preliminary findings and conclusions:

• George Tsereteli, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the OSCE short-term observer mission

Followed by statements from:

• Kari Henriksen, Head of the OSCE PA delegation
• Tana de Zulueta , Head of the ODIHR election observation mission

When:

•  15:00 on 23 December 2019

Where:

• Hotel International, Crystal Room, 107 Amir Temur Street
• If you cannot attend in person, follow the livestream on: www.facebook.com/osce.odihr and www.oscepa.org

The international election observation is a joint mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA). The observation mission totals 316 observers from 37 countries, including 271 ODIHR-deployed experts and observers, and 45 parliamentarians and staff from the OSCE PA.

For more details, contact:

Anna Di Domenico, OSCE PA: +998 900 099 166 or +45 601 08380, anna.didomenico@oscepa.dk

Katya Andrusz, ODIHR: +998 935 901 278 or +48 609 522 266, katya.andrusz@odihr.pl