Central Europe

VIENNA, 21 January 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today condemned a physical attack against a journalist in Skopje last Saturday.

On 19 January, during an event celebrating the Orthodox Christian holiday of Epiphany in the city centre, Mirjana Mircevska-Jovanović, a Kanal 5 journalist, was assaulted while carrying out her work. She began receiving verbal and physical attacks by security guards after attempting to pose questions to a participant at the event. Mircevska-Jovanović sustained arm and neck injuries.

“Journalists must be safe to perform their professional activities without being intimidated, threatened or attacked. I hope that the investigation launched by the authorities will swiftly identify and bring the perpetrators to justice,” stated Désir, adding that targeting journalists because of their work is an attack on the public’s right to be informed.

The Representative welcomed the swift reactions and condemnations by the political parties, SDSM, VMRO-DPMNE and DS, as well as the Associations of Journalists AJM and MAN, the Independent Union of Journalists, the Council for Ethics in the Media (CEMM), and the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services (AVMU).

“It is important that every incident is condemned by the local authorities,” said Désir, expressing hope that public condemnation from high-level officials would contribute to preventing similar attacks in the future.

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VIENNA, 21 January 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, condemned the attacks yesterday on reporters and photojournalists by extremist groups in Athens.

On Sunday, Thomas Iacobi, a correspondent of various international media, was attacked while covering a protest against the name change deal with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The attack took place after a group of people from an organized extremist group recognized him as one of the co-authors of Golden Dawn: a Personal Case, a documentary about the Golden Dawn far-right political party. The group hit him in the face and forced him to delete files from his mobile and destroyed his audio equipment, before the police could intervene.

Other photographers and camera operators were also targeted, and their equipment smashed or stolen by protesters. Photojournalist Kostis Ntantamis suffered serious head injuries and had his equipment stolen.

“I strongly condemn these terrible attacks, and urge the Greek authorities to swiftly investigate them,” said Désir, “Journalists must be able to work freely and to cover protests and events of public interest without fear.” 

The Representative recalled that the OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on Safety of Journalists, adopted last December, calls on participating States to condemn publicly and unequivocally all attacks and violence against journalists.

“I call on the Greek authorities to do their utmost to swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice as to dissuade future violence, and to ensure that journalists can work safely,” stated Désir, adding that he will continue to monitor the situation.

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.

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Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Referendum, 30 September 2018: Final Report

The final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on the 30 September 2018 referendum in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia recommends revising and harmonizing the legal framework to provide clarity to referendum campaign rules, including campaign finance and media obligations.

The report, published on 21 January 2019, also recommends prioritizing the ongoing development of a permanent register of addresses to improve the inclusiveness and accuracy of the voter list, and removing restrictions on suffrage based on mental or intellectual disability.   

The report states that the State Election Commission administered the referendum impartially, generally meeting legal deadlines, and conducted an enhanced voter education campaign, in line with prior ODIHR recommendations.

There were no restrictions on fundamental rights associated with the campaign, which was active and peaceful across the country, the report notes. However, the absence of clear campaign and campaign finance rules led to confusion among stakeholders. To enhance the transparency of campaign finance, the report recommends revising the referendum legislation to clarify the use of public funding, as well as requirements for disclosure, auditing and sanctions.

In the absence of an active “against” campaign or organized “boycott” campaign, the media struggled to provide balanced coverage, but did convey extensive information and diverse views to voters, the report notes. The report recommends the revision of the referendum legislation to guarantee the equality of opportunity in media coverage of the campaign.

The report notes that the State Election Commission accredited international and citizen observers in an inclusive process; however, to further enhance transparency, it recommends that legislation provide for partisan observation of the referendum process, and that accreditation badges of all observers identify the organization they represent.

For referendum day observation, ODIHR was joined by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

409512 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

Researchers and practitioners from the OSCE region discussed a wide range of analytical perspectives in the study of political parties, party systems, elections, representative democracy and closely related areas, and the practical implications of these for democracy-support efforts during a Winter School held in Warsaw from 14 to 20 January 2019.

The Winter School on Political Parties and Democracy was organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR), in partnership with the Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw and the Research Centre for the Study of Parties and Democracy at the University of Nottingham.

The participants, 11 men and 11 women, were MA and PhD researchers, practitioners and civil society leaders in the field of political parties and democratic governance from 15 selected OSCE participating States.

Marcin Walecki, Head of the ODIHR Democratization Department, stressed the unique combination of expertise this first ECPR/ODIHR Winter School brought together.

“The variety and high level of the research presented, as well as the number of OSCE participating States represented at the Winter School, is evidence of the distinctive importance of bringing academics and practitioners together in Warsaw to discuss current challenges to political party systems across the OSCE region,” he said.

Irina Kulikova, a student at the OSCE Academy in Bishkek, said: “This event is an excellent opportunity in my professional and academic career, offering a solid link between the study of political parties and the international human rights framework. Feedback and insights received from leading professors, researchers and practitioners have been invaluable.”

The participants discussed ODIHR’s core areas of work, such as political party regulation, political corruption, elections and campaign financing, as well as the political participation of youth, women and persons with disabilities. The event also included two roundtable discussions,  “The Crisis of Political Parties and Representative Democracy” and “The Life and Work of Peter Mair”, a professor of Comparative Politics at the European University Institute in Florence whose research focused on political parties and party systems. The discussions were attended by leading international professors.

The Winter School followed the ECPR/ODIHR Summer School, which took place in July 2018.

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area.
• The Mission saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line.
• The Mission saw the body of a deceased man near the entry-exit checkpoint at Stanytsia Luhanska.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere.*
• The SMM followed up on reports of a confrontation at a church in Zhytomyr region.

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including, however, fewer explosions (about 100), compared with the previous reporting period (about 145 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, including the majority of explosions, were recorded in the Avdiivka-Yasynuvata-Donetsk airport area as well as in areas south-west and north-west of Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations, including three explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (no explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas west of Trokhizbenka (government-controlled, 32km north-west of Luhansk).

Disengagement areas[2]

On the evening of 17 January, the SMM camera in Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) recorded two projectiles in flight at an assessed range of 3-4km south-east (assessed as inside the disengagement area) and two projectiles at an assessed range of 4-5km east-south-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

During the day on 18 January, positioned close to the disengament areas near Zolote and Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed a calm situation.

Withdrawal of weapons

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

In violation of the withdrawal lines

Government-controlled areas

17 January

An SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted:

• six multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) at a railway station in Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk); and
• three self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) within a residential area of Vidrodzhennia (66km north-east of Donetsk).

18 January

The SMM saw:

• two self-propelled howitzers (2S1) on road M03 near Bakhmut (formerly Artemivsk, 67km north of Donetsk), heading south-east.

Non-government-controlled areas

17 January

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• three tanks (T-72) about 1km west of Kalynove-Borshchuvate (61km west of Luhansk).

An SMM mid-range UAV spotted:

• two anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) at a compound in Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk).

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

17 January

An SMM mid-range UAV spotted:

• seven tanks (T-64) and one surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) at a railway station in Bakhmut; and
• ten tanks (T-64) at a military compound on the eastern outskirts of Bakhmut.

Weapons storage sites:*

At heavy weapons holding areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region[3]

18 January

The SMM observed that:

• six towed howitzers (2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) were present and
• four MLRS (BM-21) and two towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) were again missing.

At a permanent storage site beyond the respective withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region

18 January

The SMM observed that:

• 13 tanks (nine T-72 and four T-64) were again missing. 

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[4]

Government-controlled areas

17January

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• 16 infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (eight BMP-2 and eight BTR-3E), four armoured personnel carriers (APC) (MT-LB) and four anti-aircraft guns (ZU-23, 23mm), as well as two armoured ambulances (an MT-LB S and a BMM-4S) on the north-western edge of Zaitseve (62km north-east of Donetsk);
• two IFVs (BMP-2) and an IFV (BMP variant) loaded on a heavy-equipment transport truck south-west of Klynove (68km north-east of Donetsk);
• an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) near Vershyna (63km north-east of Donetsk);
• an IFV (BMP-2) near Myronivka (64km north-east of Donetsk); and
• an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) near Luhanske (59km north-east of Donetsk).

18 January

The SMM saw:

• four IFVs (three BMP-2 and one BMP-1) near Zaitseve.

Non-government-controlled areas

17 January

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• an IFV (BMP-2) and an APC (BTR-80) near Novohryhorivka (61km north-east of Donetsk) and
• two APCs (MT-LB) and an IFV (BMP-1) in Debaltseve.

Positioned about 2km south-east of Kamianka (government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk), the SMM saw a mini-UAV flying south to north at an altitude at about 20m and approximately 50-100m north of its position.

Mine hazard signs in Druzhne        

The SMM saw for the first time two mine hazard signs in a field about 2km south of Druzhne (non-government-controlled, 37km south-east of Luhansk), one of which was a white board with “Mines” written on it in Russian (the second sign was not visible).

Body of a deceased man observed near the entry-exit checkpoint at Stanytsia Luhanska

About 50m north of the Ukrainian Armed Forces forward position north of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw the body of a deceased man (aged 70-80) lying on the asphalt. The SMM saw two police officers and the deceased man’s two daughters standing next to the body. The daughters told the SMM that their father had been walking towards non-government-controlled areas when he had likely suffered a heart attack and passed away.

SMM facilitation of repair works to civilian infrastructure

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to water pipelines in Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk) and to a powerline near the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk). The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk).

Border area not under government control

On 17 January, while at a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk) for about 45 minutes, the SMM saw 64 covered cargo trucks with trailers (40 with Ukrainian, four with Russian Federation, six with Belarusian, one with Azerbaijani and one with Lithuanian licence plates, as well as 12 with “DPR” plates), and five trucks with liquid-tanks (with markings indicating the transport of gas) with “DPR” plates exiting Ukraine. The SMM also saw a truck (licence plate unreadable), 15 cars (seven with Russian Federation and one with Georgian licence plates as well as seven with “DPR” plates) and 20 pedestrians (mixed ages and genders) entering Ukraine.

On 18 January, while at a border crossing point near Uspenka for about an hour, the SMM saw 52 cars (ten with Ukrainian and 11 with Russian Federation licence plates as well as 31 with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine. The SMM saw a bus (with destination signs “Donetsk-Moscow”) with Russian Federation licence plates and 81 covered cargo trucks (46 with Ukrainian, 14 with Russian Federation and two with Belarusian licence plates, as well as 19 with “DPR” plates) in a queue to exit Ukraine.  

SMM followed up on reports of a confrontation at a church in Zhytomyr region

On 15 January, in Malyn (Zhytomry region, 94km north-west of Kyiv), a man who introduced himself as a member of the Svoboda party told the SMM that, on 11 January, he had helped organize a vote among residents of the nearby village of Vorsivka to change its community’s affiliation from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine; he added that everyone (about 60 people) had voted in favour. He also said that, on 13 January, in Vorsivka, together with some of his friends from Malyn, including ATO veterans, and other residents of Vorsivka, he had prevented representatives of the UOC from entering St. Nicholas Church. On 15 January, a UOC priest told the SMM that, after the vote to change the community’s affiliation (see above), representatives of the Vorsivka village council had sealed St. Nicholas Church and had forbidden UOC priests to enter its premises. He also said that, on 13 January, a cordon of about 15-20 men (aged 30-50) wearing uniforms with symbols of former “volunteer battalions” prevented him and a group of some 25 parishioners from accessing the yard of the church. The Svoboda party representative and the UOC priest separately told the SMM that the two groups had engaged in a verbal confrontation in the church’s yard, but police officers present on the scene had prevented it from escalating.

The Mission continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Chernivtsi.

*Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (for example, see SMM Daily Report 18 January 2019). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.
• The SMM did not travel across the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk) due to the presence of mines. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC said there were mines on the road south of the bridge.  

Delay:

• At a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region, a guard allowed the SMM to access the area after about 45 minutes. 

Other impediments:

• On the morning of 18 January, an SMM long-range UAV temporarily lost its GPS signal, assessed as due to jamming, while flying near Novhorodske (government-controlled, 35km north of Donetsk) and Ilovaisk (non-government-controlled, 30km south-east of Donetsk).[5]

 

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During the reporting period, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint near Pyshchevyk was not operational and fog limited the observation capabilities of the majority of the SMM cameras.

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate”.

[2] Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage did not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification from the SMM to the signatories of the Package of Measures on effective monitoring and verification of the withdrawal of heavy weapons. The SMM noted that one of such sites continued to be abandoned.

[4] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[5] The interference could have originated from anywhere within a radius of several kilometres of the UAV’s position.

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CHISINAU, 19 January 2019 – Concluding his visit to Moldova today, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Slovak Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Miroslav Lajčák said Slovakia’s 2019 OSCE Chairmanship attaches great importance to advancing the Transdniestrian Settlement Process as part of Slovakia’s focus on the prevention and mediation of conflicts, and in mitigating their impact on people.

“We don’t want to engage in conflict prevention and mediation just from Vienna; it needs to come from the ground. That is why I am here – to meet with and listen to the people most involved, or the most affected,” he said.

During the trip, which was undertaken just one week after the official launch of Slovakia’s OSCE Chairmanship, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office met with political leadership in both Chisinau and Tiraspol, including Moldovan President Igor Dodon; Prime Minister Pavel Filip; Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Tudor Ulianovschi;  Co-ordinator of the Governing Coalition, Vlad Plahotniuc; and opposition politicians Maia Sandu and Andrei Năstase in Chisinau; and the Transdniestrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky and chief negotiator Vitaly Ignatiev in Tiraspol.

In his discussions, Lajčák focused on small, concrete steps and real dialogue to move the settlement process forward at all levels of the negotiations. “I have now seen first-hand that real, tangible progress is happening – on both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River. The Gura Bicului-Bychok Bridge is open, children are attending Latin-script schools, students from Tiraspol university get apostilles for their diplomas, farmers are back working in the Dubasari farmlands, cars from Transdniestria are driving around with neutral-designed licence plates. So, we have the momentum. Now, we need to focus on outstanding issues to improve the day-to-day life for all people in Moldova,” Lajčák said.

“Slovakia together with international partners and the OSCE Mission will actively support Chisinau and Tiraspol to promote progress in achieving a sustainable and peaceful settlement based on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Moldova with a special status for Transdniestria,” he added.

Speaking about the plans for 2019, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office urged Chisinau and Tiraspol to fully finalize the “Berlin-plus package”, including the telecommunications agreement, and to identify new areas to be addressed in the same spirit of confidence-building. “We need to keep taking small, concrete steps forward. Some of the progress we have seen was almost unimaginable a few years ago. The more we engage in dialogue, the more trust we will build.”

Lajčák underlined the need to ensure that the electoral process for the 24 February parliamentary elections is conducted in a free and transparent manner – and in compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation. He reassured the Moldovan authorities that the OSCE’s Mission and institutions would continue to assist the country in promoting an inclusive, tolerant and resilient society, noting the establishment on 15 January of an election observation mission from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). Moreover, he stressed that the elections should not impact the negotiation process.

Before leaving Moldova, the Chairperson-in-Office informed the representatives of the ODIHR election observation mission about his meetings and was briefed by them about the pre-election situation and the state-of-play of the ongoing preparations.

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This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM saw damage from gunfire to a residential house in Zolote-4/Rodina.
• The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area.
• The SMM saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line.
• The Mission followed up on reports that a woman had died while waiting at a checkpoint near Horlivka.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted at a border crossing point with the Russian Federation near Voznesenivka.*
• In Kherson, the SMM monitored a court hearing at which the pre-trial detention of the former editor-in-chief of RIA Novosti Ukraine was extended.

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 145 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 200 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, including the majority of explosions, were recorded in the Avdiivka-Yasynuvata-Donetsk airport area, south-west of Kamianka (government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk) and in areas south-east and south-west of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations (no explosions), compared with the previous reporting period (about 100 explosions).

Damage from gunfire to a residential house in Zolote-4/Rodina

On 17 January, the SMM observed damage to a one-storey residential house in Zolote-4/Rodina (government-controlled, 59km west of Luhansk). At the location, the SMM saw a small hole in a windowpane in an east-facing wall. Inside the house, it saw a similar-sized hole in the curtain hanging in front of the window, corresponding with the location of the hole in the windowpane, as well as damage to a wall opposite the abovementioned window and pieces of plaster on the floor below. The SMM assessed the damage as caused by a 12.7mm heavy-machine-gun bullet fired from an easterly direction. A resident (woman, 80-90 years old), who said she was at home when gunfire occurred, told the SMM that on 8 January she had entered her living room and had found a broken window and a bullet on the floor.

Woman died while waiting at checkpoint near Horlivka

On 17 January, at an armed formations checkpoint near Horlivka, a member of the armed formations told the SMM that a woman (71 years old) had died on 16 January while waiting in a taxi to cross the checkpoint. Staff at a morgue in Horlivka said that the woman’s body had been brought to the morgue on 16 January and that she had died of natural causes.

Disengagement areas[2]

On the evening of 16 January, the SMM camera in Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) recorded six projectiles in flight at an assessed range of 2-4km south-east, all assessed as inside the disengagement area. On the same evening, the camera recorded a projectile at an assessed range of 2-4km south and five projectiles at an assessed range of 2-4km east-south-east, all of which were not able to be assessed as inside or outside the disengagement area. 

During the day on 17 January, positioned inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk) and near the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM observed calm situations.

Withdrawal of weapons

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

In violation of withdrawal lines

Government-controlled areas

16 January

An SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted:

• four towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) at a railway station in Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk).

17 January

The SMM observed:

• 12 multiple launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) on a stationary flatbed train at the railway station in Kostiantynivka

Non-government-controlled areas

16 January

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• three tanks (T-72) parked near residential houses in Zaichenko (93km south of Donetsk).

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside of designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

16 January

An SMM mid-range UAV spotted:

• 12 self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) near Novoolenivka (48km north-west of Donetsk) and
• a probable surface-to-air missile system (9K35) in Oleksandropil (43km north of Donetsk).

17 January

The SMM observed:

• seven tanks (T-64) on a stationary flatbed train at the railway station in Bakhmut (67km north of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas

17 January

Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of:

• • 20 tanks (type undetermined) and nine self-propelled and 18 towed artillery or mortars in a training area near Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk).

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[3]

Government-controlled areas

16 January

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• two armoured personnel carriers (APC) (BTR-80) in Vodiane (94km south of Donetsk);
• an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) and an armoured recovery vehicle (BTS-4A) in Trudivske (47km south of Donetsk);
• four armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-2) and two IFVs (BMP-1) south-west of Mykolaivka (40km south of Donetsk); and
• an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) in Nevelske (18km north-west of Donetsk).

17 January

The SMM observed:

• an armoured recovery vehicle (BREM-2) in Orikhove-Donetske (44km north-west of Luhansk)
• an IFV (BMP-1) in Zolote-3/Stakhanovets (61km west of Luhansk)
• an IFV (BMP-1) in Trokhizbenka (32km north-west of Luhansk); and
• an IFV (BMP-2) and two APCs (MT-LB) at a military compound in Zaitseve (62km north-east Donetsk)

Non-government-controlled areas

16 January

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• an IFV (BMP-1) in Pikuzy (92km south of Donetsk).

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• two IFVs (one BMP-1 and one BMP-2) and an APC (BTR-70) in Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk).

SMM facilitation of repair works to civilian infrastructure

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to a water pipeline in Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), to phenol sludge ponds near Zalizne (government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk) and to an electrical powerline near the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk). The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.

Border area not under government control

While at a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw two pedestrians entering Ukraine. After about five minutes, two members of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

Kherson court extends pre-trial detention of former editor-in-chief of RIA Novosti

In Kherson, the SMM monitored a court hearing on the extension of pre-trial detention of the former editor-in-chief of RIA Novosti Ukraine, arrested in Kyiv on 15 May 2018 on charges of high treason under Article 111.1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The court ruled that the defendant would remain in custody for pre-trial detention until 16 February 2019. (See SMM Daily 28 December 2018.)

The Mission continued monitoring in Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (for example, see below). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access

• At a border crossing point near Voznesenivka, two members of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.

Other impediments

• On the morning of 17 January, an SMM long-range UAV temporarily lost its GPS signal, assessed as due to jamming, while flying near Kostiantynivka as well as near Chasiv Yar (government-controlled, 62km north of Donetsk) and Bakhmut.[4]

[1] Please see the annexed table for a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations as well as a map of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions marked with locations featured in this report. During the reporting period, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint near Pyshchevyk was not operational and fog limited the observation capabilities of the majority of the SMM cameras.

[2] Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[4] The interference could have originated from anywhere within a radius of several kilometres of the UAV’s position.

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VIENNA, 18 January 2019 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli (Georgia) has wrapped up a visit to Vienna, in which he addressed the ambassadors of the OSCE’s 57 participating States and held a number of bilateral meetings with OSCE counterparts.

In his address to the Permanent Council on Thursday, President Tsereteli urged doing more for the security of citizens of the OSCE area, including by increasing efforts on democracy, human rights and civil liberties. He highlighted positive developments but regretted that too many people remain victims of unresolved conflicts or human rights violations.

“The environment we are in and the behavior of several participating States clearly demonstrates the need for more sustainability in the OSCE’s work and to provide the OSCE with the resources it needs to do its job,” President Tsereteli said. “With East-West relations now at their lowest point since the end of the Cold War, what we need is a strong OSCE that can serve as a forum for real confidence-building.”

He noted that “scarce financial resources, diminished trust and misperceptions or a diminished sense of purpose for multilateralism are serious obstacles we must tackle when defining a medium- to long-term strategy for our Organization.” He highlighted the PA’s position regarding the need for a reform of the consensus rule and establish modalities that allow for this organization to function.

He also noted the OSCE PA’s belief in the strong value the field presences add to the OSCE’s work.

The President stressed that the new Slovak OSCE Chairmanship’s emphasis of co-operation to benefit those we ultimately serve mirrors the Assembly's focus on delivering effective results. “At the OSCE PA,” he said, “we try our best to be useful. When doing so we apply the Slovak guideline ‘ambition and realism’.”

In meetings with OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger, OSCE Representative on Media Freedom Harlem Désir and Permanent Representative of Slovakia Radomir Bohac earlier in the week, discussions focused on ways to further strengthen institutional co-operation and make use of the parliamentary toolbox in support of OSCE commitments and priorities. Tsereteli emphasized the importance of the PA promoting co-operation with the Representative on Freedom of the Media on individual cases.

President Tsereteli met on Wednesday with the President of the Austrian National Council and Head of the Delegation of Austria to the OSCE PA Wolfgang Sobotka for talks focused on the crisis in and around Ukraine. While in Vienna, President Tsereteli met with Reinhold Lopatka, the Deputy Head of the Austrian Delegation, for talks on the work and priorities of the Austrian delegation, as well as future PA activities, including election observation and participation in OSCE events.

Tsereteli also exchanged with the PA’s Special Representative on Central Asia, Roman Haider, regarding his plans in the run-up to the 2019 Annual Session.

For the President's full remarks, please click here.

Video of the address is also available on YouTube.

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GENEVA, 18 January 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today met with the Director General of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Noel Curran, and EBU experts in Geneva to discuss political and public support for public service media across the OSCE region, highlighting the important role they can play in strengthening democracy.

“States have a responsibility to ensure independent and adequately funded public media that inform the population and contribute to access to culture and education,” said Désir, “Their mission is an essential component of democracy.

”The Representative stressed that public service media can play a vital role in society by providing quality information, promoting a plurality of views and strengthening investigative journalism.

“The role of public service media in providing reliable information is even more important in the age of fake news and manipulation of information,” he added.  “I see too many cases of political interference or underfunding of public service media, which are detrimental to their mission.

”In 2018, the Representative intervened in a number of cases of threats to independence and financial sustainability of public service media in several OSCE participating States. The OSCE media freedom representative regularly provides legal reviews and assistance to the States on legislation and reforms of public service media. The Representative and EBU Director General agreed on closer co-operation on the safety of journalists and in responding to legislation and reforms that affect public media and media freedom.

“It is important that public service media are supported in adapting to the digital media landscape and to changes in how the audiences consume media. They need to adapt to the trend towards online, on-demand content and reach young audiences,” said Désir.

During his visit, the Representative and his team also had the opportunity to meet with news, legal and broadcasting experts at the new EBU facilities.

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MINSK, 18 January 2019 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Martin Sajdik, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG ‎and its Working Groups in Minsk on 17 January 2019:

“The TCG and its Working Groups convened today for the first time this year.

Looking at our achievements last year, I would like to highlight a significant decrease in the number of civilian casualties, by more than half compared with 2017. This is an important outcome. Even so, however, I always say and I will repeat again today that every human victim is one too many.

I also would like to mention the Statement by the Trilateral Contact Group on recommitment to the ceasefire adopted in late 2018 on the occasion of the New Year and Christmas holidays.

As its result, the number of ceasefire violations from 29 December to the day before yesterday decreased more than by half compared with the previous two-week period. However, in the in recent days, the number of ceasefire violations has tended to rise.

Compliance with the ceasefire was thus the major topic for the Security Working Group.

In this regard, I once again call on the sides to take all steps necessary to prevent civilian casualties, protect critical infrastructure and ensure a sustainable ceasefire.

Safeguarding decent living conditions for civilians in the conflict zone is the key priority of the new OSCE Chairmanship in the current year, Foreign Minister of Slovakia, Miroslav Lajčak.

The Economic Working Group has considered current issues of water delivery in the "Karbonyt" and "Voda Donbasa" supply systems. The sides agreed to conduct an audit of the "Voda Donbasa" company, with ICRC assistance. Another discussion topic has been the payment of pensions to residents of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (CADR and CALR).

Today was Per Fisher’s last meeting as Co-ordinator of the Economic Working Group. On behalf of the TCG and on my own behalf, I would like to express deep gratitude for his invaluable contribution to solving the many issues that are vital for the population in the conflict zone.

I also want to greet the new Co-ordinator of the Economic Working Group, an experienced diplomat, former German Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Ulrich Brandenburg. I am confident that his profound professional experience will contribute to the continued successful work of the Group.

The Humanitarian Working Group further discussed the issues related to the exchange of detainees.

The Political Working Group took forward its exchanges on its well-known agenda, namely the implementation of the ‘Steinmeier formula’, amnesty and the modalities of local elections in CADR and CALR as stipulated by the Minsk agreements.”

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Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Latvia, Parliamentary Elections, 6 October 2018: Final Report

Latvia’s 6 October 2018 parliamentary elections were administered in a professional and efficient manner with a high level of confidence among stakeholders, concludes the final report issued by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on 17 January 2019. The report commends efforts to facilitate the participation of persons with disabilities in the electoral process.

All political parties were able to campaign freely with the freedoms of speech, movement and association respected, the report says. While the campaign was competitive, some restrictions on candidate and party registration challenged international standards for democratic elections, including those affecting potential candidates with prior convictions or with certain prior political affiliations and occupations. Although the campaign finance law is comprehensive, certain provisions could be further refined, the report notes.

Women represented around 32 per cent of candidates, of whom 31 were elected to the 100-seat parliament. Building on the recent good practice of some political parties, the report recommends introducing special measures to further promote women candidates.

The campaign in the media was vibrant, with freedom of expression respected, and the media generally ensured balanced coverage. However, the continued criminalization of defamation is at odds with international standards. In addition, the report recommends that regulations on disclosure of media ownership be revised to ensure full transparency in a publicly accessible format.

As noted in previous ODIHR reports, issues pertaining to language and identity generated divisive political discourse. Despite progress in integration, a significant number of people belonging to national minorities, who are permanent residents of Latvia without citizenship in any country, cannot participate in elections. In order to promote inclusive political participation, the report recommends that the authorities explore additional ways to increase the naturalization rate of adult non-citizens.

VIENNA, 17 January 2019 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) and OSCE PA Secretary General Roberto Montella met on Wednesday with the President of the Austrian National Council and Head of the Delegation of Austria to the OSCE PA, Wolfgang Sobotka.

In their conversation, Tsereteli praised the role of Austria in the OSCE and its Parliamentary Assembly:

“As the home of the OSCE, Austria has always been a strong and generous supporter of our work and has allowed our Organization to conduct its important work,” said OSCE PA President Tsereteli. “I particularly value Austria’s leadership within the Parliamentary Assembly. It is no coincidence that two of my predecessors were members of the Austrian parliament and that the Austrian delegation continues to play such an active role in our activities.”

Tsereteli and Sobotka exchanged extensively on the situation in and around Ukraine, following the Austrian Speaker’s recent visit to Kyiv and last December’s visit to Eastern Ukraine by the leadership of the PA’s Third Committee.

They also discussed upcoming PA events, including next month’s Winter Meeting, which President Sobotka is scheduled to address.

While in Vienna, President Tsereteli met with Reinhold Lopatka, the Deputy Head of the Austrian Delegation, for talks on the work and priorities of the Austrian delegation, as well as future PA activities, including election observation and participation in OSCE events. Tsereteli also exchanged with the PA’s Special Representative on Central Asia, Roman Haider, regarding his plans in the run-up to the 2019 Annual Session.

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This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The Mission recorded military presence inside and ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area.
• The SMM saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line.
• The Mission saw long queues of civilians waiting to travel across the contact line.
• In Odessa, the SMM followed up on reports of a public gathering in front of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation. It saw splashes of red paint on the ground in front of the Consulate.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 200 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 25 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, including the majority of explosions, were recorded in the Avdiivka-Yasynuvata-Donetsk airport area and in areas south-east and south-west of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), including about 20 explosions assessed as outgoing mortar rounds.

In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions (about 100), compared with the previous reporting period (about 40 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations, including the majority of explosions, were recorded close to the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) (see the disengagement area section below).

Disengagement areas[2]

On 16 January, positioned on the south-western edge of Zolote-5/Mykhailivka (non-government-controlled, 58km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard about 50 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire at an assessed range of 1km north-west. Positioned on the north-western edge of Holubivka (formerly Kirovsk, non-government-controlled, 51km west of Luhansk), the Mission heard 74 undetermined explosions and about 350 shots and bursts, all at an assessed range of 4-7km north-west. Positioned about 1km south of Molodizhne (non-government-controlled, 63km north-west of Luhansk), it heard an undetermined explosion and about 55 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all at an assessed range of 1-6km north-east and south-south-west. All of the above ceasefire violations were assessed as outside the Zolote disengagement area.

On 15 January, inside the Zolote disengagement area, an SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) again spotted an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) west of road T1316 and north of a railway bridge (about 900m south of the disengagement area’s northern edge and about 2km east of its western edge), assessed as belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

During the day on 16 January, positioned inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed a calm situation.

Withdrawal of weapons

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

In violation of withdrawal lines

Government-controlled areas

15 January

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• four tanks (T-72) north of Prychepylivka (50km north-west of Luhansk) (see SMM Daily Report 16 January 2019).

Non-government-controlled areas

16 January

The SMM saw:

• a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela10) in Donetsk city; and
• a tank (type undetermined) near Sofiivka (formerly Karlo-Marksove, 40km north-east of Donetsk).

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• two self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and four towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) near Bile (22km west of Luhansk).

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

16 January

The SMM saw:

• a tank (T-64) near Zlatousivka (66km south-west of Donetsk); and
• four tanks (two T-64 and two T-72) near Zachativka (74km south-west of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas

16 January

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• 29 tanks (11 T-72 and 18 T-64) near Bile.

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[3]

Government-controlled areas

16 January

The SMM saw:

• four IFVs (BMP-1) in Zaitseve (62km north-east of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas

16 January

The SMM saw:

• three IFVs (BMP variants) near Sofiivka;
• three armoured personnel carriers (APC) (MT-LB) in Donetsk city; and
• an APC (BTR-80) and an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) in Luhansk city.

Long queues of civilians at checkpoints along the contact line

At the checkpoint of the armed formations south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk), at 09:50 on 16 January, the SMM saw about 3,000 people queuing to travel towards government-controlled areas through one open booth and about 50 queuing in the opposite direction. The Mission saw about 1,500 people waiting at a nearby bus stop. About two hours later, it saw that the queues of people at the checkpoint in both directions had not changed. At the entry-exit checkpoint north of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM observed about 300 people queuing to exit government-controlled areas and about 100 people queuing in the opposite direction.

On 15 January, the SMM saw about 500 people in a queue to enter government-controlled areas through the forward-most Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint 3.5km north-east of Berezove (government-controlled, 31km south-west of Donetsk). On 16 January, at the same location, the Mission observed about 200 people.

SMM facilitation of repair works to civilian infrastructure

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable demining near high voltage power lines near the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk). The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.

On 15 January, representatives of the Voda Donbassa water company and the State Emergency Services told the Mission that the repair works to a water pipeline near Toretsk (government-controlled, 43km north of Donetsk) and Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk) had been completed, and that the water supply to Toretsk had been restored (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 30 October 2018).

 

The SMM follows up on reports of a public gathering in front of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Odessa

On 15 January, in Odessa, the SMM followed up on media reports of a public gathering in front of the building of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation at 14 Haharinske Plateau  earlier that day. The Mission saw two red paint splashes: one on the sidewalk in front of the main entrance to the Consulate and a second on the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street. Two National Guard officers present told the SMM that 15 people had gathered on the morning of 15 January in front of the Consulate to express their support of Ukrainian Navy servicemen detained in the Russian Federation, and splashed red paint near the building. A police representative told the Mission that two persons had been brought in for questioning under article 173 of the Code of Administrative Offences of Ukraine (minor hooliganism).

The Mission continued monitoring in Kherson, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (for example, see SMM Daily Report 15 January 2019). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.

Other impediments

• On 16 January, an SMM long-range UAV temporarily lost its GPS signal, assessed as due to jamming, while flying near government-controlled Kostiantynivka (60km north-west of Donetsk) and Zoria (40km north-west of Donetsk).[4]

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During the reporting period, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint near Pyshchevyk was not operational and fog limited the observation capabilities of the majority of the SMM cameras.

[2] Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[4] The interference could have originated from anywhere within a radius of several kilometres of the UAV’s position.

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CHISINAU, 17 January 2019 – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Slovak Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Miroslav Lajčák, will visit Moldova from 17 to 19 January for talks with high-level Moldovan officials and the political leadership in Tiraspol.

In his capacity as the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for 2019, Lajčák will focus on advancing the Transdniestrian Settlement Process within the parameters endorsed by all 57 participating States at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Milan in December 2018. He will also discuss the importance of conducting free and transparent parliamentary elections in Moldova in line with OSCE principles and commitments.

Media representatives are invited to a press briefing with OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Lajčák and Foreign Minister Tudor Ulianovschi on 18 January, at 11:40 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Building in Chisinau (80, 31 August 1989 Street), and to a press opportunity on the same day in Tiraspol, at 13:30 at the House for official receptions (50, Mira Street).

For more information, please contact Anna Vorobeva, Spokesperson of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, at +373 22 887 846 (landline), +373 69 149 510 (mobile), e-mail: Anna.Vorobeva@osce.org

or

Katharina Kandt, Senior Adviser to the Slovak OSCE Chairmanship at + 43 660 11 44 059 (Austrian mobile), e-mail: Katharina.Kandt@mzv.sk

For further details please visit the website of the OSCE Mission to Moldova: http://www.osce.org/moldova/

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SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

KYIV, 17 January 2019 – Concluding a two-day official visit to Ukraine, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Slovakia’s Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák said he was shocked by the alarming conditions of people living near the contact line in the country’s east, and called on the sides to step up their efforts for a peaceful political solution to the crisis.

Lajčák, on his first official visit as OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, witnessed the daily hardships experienced by people caught in the crisis in and around Ukraine. These included the dangerous journeys people are forced to take because of attacks on critical infrastructure, such as crossing the seriously damaged bridge at the Stanytsia Luhanska entry-exit checkpoints. “In Europe – in the 21st century – people should not be struggling to have their basic needs met,” said Lajčák.

“The crisis in and around Ukraine is a top priority of Slovakia’s OSCE Chairmanship,” he stressed. “Being on the ground, I can see the critical work the OSCE is doing and how much more needs to be done. For the people affected, this conflict dictates their daily lives. Direct or nearby shelling is an everyday reality. We need to do better and come up with new and innovative ideas to improve their living conditions.”

To raise awareness of the most vulnerable people and the need to support the protection of critical infrastructure, Lajčák also visited the Luhansk Regional Children’s Hospital in Lysychansk, and donated 24 tons of humanitarian aid from Slovakia.

Supporting concrete projects like this will be high on the agenda of the Slovak Chairmanship, he said. Slovakia also aims to work closely with other international and regional organizations such as the United Nations and the European Union, as well as other partners like the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Seeing how the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (SMM) operates, Lajčák underlined the need for continuous support and further strengthening of its important work. “The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission is doing crucial work in reducing tensions on the ground,” he noted. “The monitors are the eyes and ears of the organization and they directly contribute to the prevention of further escalation.”

He added that the work of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine offered an important long-term dimension to the organization’s activities in the country, particularly in supporting constitutional, legal and criminal justice reforms, and in addressing the concerns of conflict-affected communities.

The Chairperson-in-Office also called for strong co-operation among the Trilateral Contact Group; the OSCE Chairperson’s Special Representative Martin Sajdik; and the Normandy format, in finding a peaceful political solution to the crisis.

A critical precondition for any positive development and ultimately lasting peace is a ceasefire, he said. “We are unlikely to see political momentum when shells are still falling from the sky,, Lajčák stressed.

While in Ukraine, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office met with Ukrainian Prime Minister, Volodymyr Groysman; Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin; Defence Minister, Stepan Poltorak; and the members of the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group led by First Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada, Iryna Gerashchenko. With his Ukrainian partners, he discussed the crisis in and around Ukraine, as well as how to best support the work of the SMM and mitigate the risks faced by people living close to the contact line.

The upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections were also a focus of the discussions.  “I am confident that all actors in Ukraine will work hard to ensure that the upcoming elections will be open, free and fair. And it is my hope that there will be no interference from external actors,” Lajčák said. “The elections can set the stage for a more peaceful and prosperous future for all Ukrainians. A future we all want.”

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This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• Small-arms fire damaged a window of an apartment building in Dokuchaievsk.
• A civilian woman died while crossing the contact line near Maiorsk entry-exit checkpoint.
• The SMM recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to essential civilian infrastructure in Luhansk region.
• Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas.*
• The SMM continued to follow up on a fire at the Pechersk Lavra in Kyiv.
• The Mission observed a calm situation at the crossing point in Chonhar and at a Ukrainian State Border Guard Service position in Valok, in the south-eastern part of Kherson region.

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 25 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 75 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded mainly in directions south-east of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk) as well as in areas west-south-west of the railway station in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including, however, more explosions (about 40), compared with the previous reporting period (about 30 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas north-north-east of Yuzhna-Lomuvatka (non-government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and north-west of Myrne (non-government-controlled, 28km south-west of Luhansk), where the SMM assessed the ceasefire violations as live-fire training exercises outside the security zone.

Small-arms round damages window of an apartment building in Dokuchaievsk

On 14 January, in Dokuchaievsk (non-government-controlled, 30km south-west of Donetsk), a member of the armed formations led the SMM to a five-storey apartment building at 9 Polova Street. The SMM saw a hole in the outer pane of a south-south-west facing double-paned window of a first-floor apartment. A resident of the building (woman, seventies) told the SMM that a woman (in her thirties) and a child lived in the apartment but had not been present when the window was hit, which she said had taken place the evening of 13 January. The SMM assessed that the damage was caused by a single small-arms round but could not assess whether the damage was fresh.

Civilian woman died while waiting near entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk

The SMM followed up on reports that a woman (80 years old) had died on 5 January while waiting to cross the contact line near the entry-exit checkpoint at Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk). A representative of the State Border Guard Services and a police officer in Bakhmut (formerly Artemivsk, government-controlled, 67km north of Donetsk) told the SMM that a woman had died the morning of 5 January while waiting near the entry-exit checkpoint. On 8 January, staff at the morgue in Bakhmut confirmed that the woman had been brought in for a post-mortem examination and on 15 January, staff at the morgue in Bakhmut told the SMM that the woman had died of natural causes. 

Disengagement areas[2]

On the evening of 14 January, the SMM camera in Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) recorded a projectile in flight at an assessed range of 3-5km east-south-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area) and two projectiles in flight at an assessed range of 1.5-4km south-east (assessed as inside the disengagement area).

On 15 January, positioned in Zolote-4/Rodina (government-controlled, 59km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard ten shots of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 1-3km south and south-west (all assessed as inside the disengagement area).

Positioned south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk), near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM heard nine undetermined explosions at an assessed range of 3-5km south-south-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

Positioned close to the disengagement area near Petrivske (41km south of Donetsk), the SMM observed a calm situation.[3]

Withdrawal of weapons

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

In violation of withdrawal lines

Government-controlled areas

14. January

An SMM mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted:

• four tanks (T-72) north of Prychepylivka (50km north-west of Luhansk).

15 January

• A surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) parked near a house where the SMM has seen Ukrainian Armed Forces in Klynove (68km north-east of Donetsk) (see SMM Daily Report 12 January 2019)

Non-government-controlled areas

15 January

• Two self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and four towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) near Bile (22km west of Luhansk)

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

15 January

• A surface-to-air missile system (9K33) near Kasianivka (22km north of Mariupol)

Weapons that the SMM was unable to verify as withdrawn:[4]

Heavy weapons holding areas beyond the respective withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas of Donetsk region

15 January

• 12 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) and a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) were present, and
• 23 MLRS (BM-21), two surface-to-air missile systems (9K35) and a self-propelled howitzer (2S1) remained missing.

Weapons permanent storage sites:

A permanent storage site beyond the respective withdrawal lines in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region:

15 January

• Five tanks (four T-64 and one T-72), four towed howitzers (D-30) and two self-propelled howitzers (2S1) remained missing.

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[5]

Government-controlled areas

14 January

An SMM mid-range UAV spotted:

• four infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP variants), two armoured personnel carriers (APC) (one MT-LB and one BTR variant), two armoured reconnaissance vehicles (one BRM-1K and one BREM-2) and an aircraft communications automatic jamming station (R-934B) near Prychepylivka.

15 January

• Four IFVs (two BMP-1 and two BMP variants) and an APC (MT-LB S) used as a medical evacuation vehicle near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk)
• Two IFVs (BMP variants) in Zolote-3/Stakhanovets (61km west of Luhansk)
• An APC (BTR-80) in Stanytsia Luhanska
• An IFV (BMP-1) on a trailer driving south-east near Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk)
• An APC (MT-LB) near Klynove

Non-government-controlled areas

14 January

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• two military-type positions, assessed as belonging to the armed formations about 2km south-south-east of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 77km south of Donetsk). About 70m south-east of the aforementioned positions, the same mini-UAV spotted two men in firing positions assessed as members of the armed formations and recorded at least three rounds of small arms flying past the mini-UAV. (See SMM Daily Report 15 January 2019)

SMM facilitation of repair works to civilian infrastructure

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to water wells in Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk). The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.

Fire at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra

On 15 January, the SMM followed up on reports of a fire at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (see SMM Daily Report 15 January 2019). The burned building had a plaque identifying it as an historic storehouse for books. The SMM could see at least six broken windows on the second floor as well as smoke marks and damage to the roof.  The SMM observed no other security, law enforcement or firefighters in the area, where the overall situation was calm.

SMM observes a calm situation south-east of Kherson

The SMM observed a calm situation at the crossing point in Chonhar (163km south-east of Kherson) and at a Ukrainian State Border Guard Service security position in Valok (188km south-east of Kherson).

The Mission continued monitoring in Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Chernivtsi.

*Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (for example, see SMM Daily Report 15 January 2019). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.

[1]           For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During the reporting period, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint near Pyshchevyk was not operational.

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate”.

[2] Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] Due to the presence of mines, including on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM’s access to its camera in Petrivske remains limited, and thus the SMM has not been able to access observations from the camera since 22 June 2018.

[4] The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage did not comply with the criteria set out in the 16 October 2015 notification from the SMM to the signatories of the Package of Measures on effective monitoring and verification of the withdrawal of heavy weapons.

[5]           The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

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PARIS, 16 January 2019 - 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) hosted consultations between Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov and Acting Foreign Minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan on 16 January in Paris. The Co-Chairs met separately and then jointly with the Ministers. Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk also participated in these meetings. This was the fourth meeting of the two Ministers.

State Secretary for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne reviewed the outcomes of the talks with the participants. The Co-Chairs were received at the Elysée Palace, where they briefed top diplomatic advisers of President Emmanuel Macron.

The participants expressed to the Ministers their appreciation for the ongoing efforts of the sides to maintain an environment conducive to intensive results-oriented negotiations.

The Ministers discussed a wide range of issues related to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and agreed upon the necessity of taking concrete measures to prepare the populations for peace. 

During the meetings, the Co-Chairs reviewed with the Ministers key principles and parameters for the current phase of the negotiation process.

The Ministers and the Co-Chairs considered next steps toward a possible summit between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in order to give a strong impulse to the dynamic of negotiations.

The Co-Chairs underlined the importance of possible mutually beneficial initiatives designed to fulfill the economic potential of the region.  

The Co-Chairs plan to meet the leaders of the two countries in the near future.

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CHISINAU, 16 January 2019 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened an election observation mission (EOM) for the parliamentary elections scheduled for 24 February in Moldova. The mission’s deployment follows an invitation from the authorities.

The mission is led by Matyas Eorsi and consists of a core team of 11 experts based in Chisinau and 28 long-term observers, who will be deployed throughout the country in teams of two, from 23 January. In addition, ODIHR will request that OSCE participating States provide 200 short-term observers. The short-term observers are due to arrive several days before election day.

The mission will assess these elections for their compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation. Observers will closely monitor candidate and voter registration, campaign activities, the work of the election administration and relevant government bodies, election-related legislation and its implementation, and the resolution of election-related disputes. As part of the observation, the mission will also monitor the media coverage of the campaign.

In the course of its observation, the mission will meet with representatives from state authorities and political parties, as well as with candidates, and with representatives from civil society, the media and the international community.

On election day, observers will monitor the opening of polling stations, voting, the counting of ballots and the tabulation of results. For election day, the ODIHR election observation mission will join efforts with delegations from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the European Parliament (EP).

The mission will publish one interim report in the course of its work. The day after the elections, a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions will be issued at a press conference. ODIHR will issue a final report on the observation approximately eight weeks after the end of the electoral process.

The ODIHR election observation mission and the OSCE Mission to Moldova operate separately and independently under their own mandates.

For further information, contact:

Alice Colombi, Media Analyst with the election observation mission, at +373 (0)68 692055, or at alice.colombi@odihr.md.

or

Thomas Rymer, ODIHR Spokesperson, at +48 609 522 266 (Warsaw mobile), or at thomas.rymer@odihr.pl.

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VIENNA, 16 January 2019 - The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir yesterday sent a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro, Srđan Darmanović, regarding the recent court sentence against investigative journalist Jovo Martinović.

On 15 January Martinović was sentenced to 18 months in prison for “membership in a criminal organization” and “drug trafficking” after he, as a journalist, had been investigating a criminal organization. He was released from pre-trial detention in January 2017 after spending 14 months in prison.

The Representative recalled that Martinović, who won the Peter Mackler award for courageous and ethical journalism in 2018, is known for his contribution to several documentaries produced by prominent international media, such as the CAPA agency and Vice Media, on criminal organizations including the “Pink Panthers”.

“Investigating a criminal organization does not imply membership with that organization. To view it as such is highly problematic for investigative journalism as a whole, and can create a chilling effect for other reporters investigating other such matters of public interest in the country,” said Désir.

“I hope that this decision will be overturned in an appeal process and that Martinović will be able to continue his journalistic work,” concluded Désir.

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VIENNA, 16 January 2019 – Switzerland aims to bring a new perspective to established and current politico-military issues, said the State Secretary of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Pascale Baeriswyl, as she opened the country’s Chairmanship of the Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) in Vienna today. Baeriswyl added that Switzerland will engage in dedicated discussions and constructive debates to achieve more confidence and transparency on politico-military issues amongst all 57 OSCE participating States.

In her opening speech, Baeriswyl recognized the unique potential of the FSC as a platform with a wide range of tools at its disposal to approach complex politico-military questions “in an inclusive and pragmatic manner”. However she also acknowledged the difficulty of implementing the Swiss Chair’s core principles of co-operation and pragmatism during this currently challenging political climate.

Switzerland plans to encourage openness to new ideas, topics and expertise. New ideas will allow the FSC to explore “the potential of existing tools and commitments,” said Baeriswyl. Moreover, the Swiss State Secretary reminded OSCE participating States to reinforce their adherence to existing commitments, urging them to reflect and remind themselves of the principles of the Helsinki Decalogue and the Charter of Paris, as they build the core of the agreed OSCE principles.

Turning to the programme of the Swiss Chairmanship, which will extend to the end of the Easter recess, Baeriswyl said the focus will be on both established and newer aspects of political and military security: Well-established FSC topics such as small arms and light weapons, stockpiles of conventional ammunition and the Vienna Document on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures and the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security will be analyzed from different angles. Emerging topics and challenges, such as the role of private military and security companies, and aspects of modern warfare will also be addressed.

A running theme throughout the Chairmanship will be gender equality in the field of peace and security, she said, adding that Switzerland defines gender equality as “an equal partnership between women and men”. As well as chairing a Security Dialogue on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, Switzerland would bring gender to the next level of the security debate by replacing the ‘why’ with the ‘how’.

Baeriswyl expressed her thanks to Sweden, which chaired the FSC during the previous trimester, and said that she looked forward to working in the FSC Troika with both the outgoing Chair and Tajikistan, which will chair the FSC in the second trimester of the year. She said Switzerland will fully coordinate its FSC programme with Slovakia, which is chairing the OSCE in 2019.

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