Central Europe

407420 Kunduz Rysbek

The Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO), Kunio Mikuriya, and the First Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Service of the Kyrgyz Republic (SCS), Shamil Berdaliev, signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the WCO Secretariat in Brussels on 19 December, thereby accrediting the SCS’s Training Centre as a WCO Regional Training Centre.

The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek helped the SCS to achieve this outcome within the framework of its long-term programmatic support to the SCS Training Centre. The newly acquired status of the WCO Regional Training Centre will provide for an increased geographic reach and quality of training for customs officers of the OSCE region and beyond.

Since 2009, the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek has assisted in enhancing the capacity of the SCS to facilitate cross-border trade, combat trafficking of illicit goods, and adopt modern information and customs technologies. With OSCE support, the SCS Training Centre has implemented a number of international standards in capacity-building activities, which have allowed the Training Centre to include a regional component.

Since 2009 the SCS Training Centre has trained over 1,000 Kyrgyz and 250 Afghan customs officers, and more than 100 training modules have been developed with the OSCE’s support. The SCS Training Centre’s regional status was approved unanimously at the meeting of WCO Heads of European Regional Customs Administrations in Vienna in April 2017.

In addition to regional capacity-building activities, the SCS Training Centre will now also be able to organize conferences, expert meetings, and roundtable discussions at regional and international levels. The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek remains committed to assisting Kyrgyzstan in enhancing its ability to fulfil its OSCE commitments in these areas, further contributing to regional co-operation.

This report is for the general public and the media

SUMMARY

On 20 December at 08:20 (Moscow time), the eighty-second[1] Russian convoy arrived at the Donetsk Border Crossing Point (BCP). A total of 22 vehicles were checked by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers prior to their crossing into Ukraine. All 22 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation by 20:57 on 20 December.

DETAIL

Leaving the Russian Federation

On 20 December at 08:20, the Observer Mission observed the arrival of a Russian convoy at the gate of the Donetsk BCP. A Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) team co-ordinated and led the movements of the convoy. The convoy consisted of 16 cargo trucks and six support vehicles, including one ambulance. Only some cargo trucks bore the inscription “Humanitarian aid from the Russian Federation” (in Russian). Support vehicles had the sign of MES on the side doors. At 08:20 the vehicles entered the customs control area and queued in three lines. Once the convoy arrived, the vehicles were visually checked from the outside by Russian Federation border guards and customs officers. The Russian MES staff rolled up/opened the tarpaulins of the trucks and the border guards and customs officials performed a visual observation from the outside.

Four Ukrainian border guards and two customs officers were observed accompanying their Russian counterparts; they also performed a visual observation of the vehicles from the outside (without entering the trucks’ cargo space). They had clipboards in their hands and were taking notes. Two service dogs were present during the procedure. By 08:57 all of the vehicles had left the BCP towards Ukraine.

Returning to the Russian Federation

At 20:38, the convoy returned and queued in the customs area. The tarpaulins of the trucks were opened and Russian Federation border guards and customs officers visually checked the returning convoy from the outside. Ukrainian representatives – three border guards and one customs officer – were present during this check. The Ukrainian officials also performed visual checks of the opened trucks from the outside. By 20:57 all 22 vehicles had crossed back into the Russian Federation.

[1]According to the statement of the Russian Federation officials, this convoy is considered to be the eighty-fourth Russian convoy which was sent to Ukraine. As two of these convoys did not cross through the “Donetsk” or “Gukovo” BCPs, the Observer Mission did not record them. Hence, based on the Observer Mission’s counting, this convoy is considered the eighty-second convoy that has crossed into Ukraine.

15439/18mf

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VIENNA, 20 December 2018 – Wolfgang Benedek, OSCE Moscow Mechanism rapporteur, presented to the OSCE Permanent Council today his report on alleged human rights violations and impunity in the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation.

Benedek, a professor of international law at the University of Graz, was appointed rapporteur by the 16 OSCE participating States that invoked the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism in November.

The Mechanism, agreed by consensus by the OSCE participating States, allows for an investigation to be launched without consensus and independently of the OSCE Chairmanship, institutions and decision-making bodies if one State, supported by at least nine others, "considers that a particularly serious threat to the fulfilment of the provisions of the [OSCE] human dimension has arisen in another participating State".

The Permanent Council, one of the OSCE’s main regular decision-making bodies, convenes weekly in Vienna to discuss developments in the OSCE area and to make appropriate decisions.

The report with related recommendations can be found here.

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Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a similar number of ceasefire violations in Luhansk region.
• The Mission recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area.
• Small-arms fire was directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle near Novotoshkivske.*
• The SMM saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines near Bakhmut, Kostiantynivka and Lysychansk.
• The Mission continued to observe long queues of civilians travelling across the contact line near Stanytsia Luhanska.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to essential civilian infrastructure and damaged houses in Marinka and Krasnohorivka. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including 350 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 80 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas between Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk) and Kamianka (government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk), including about 280 explosions, and in areas south-east of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded a similar number of ceasefire violations, including six explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (nine explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south-west of Kriakivka (government-controlled 38km north-west of Luhansk).

On the morning of 19 December, while conducting a mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight west of Novotoshkivske (government-controlled, 53km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard a single burst of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 1km south, assessed as aimed at the UAV, which at the time was about 1 km south-south-east of the patrol’s position. The Mission recalled the UAV, which landed safely.*

Disengagement areas[2]

On the evening of 18 December, the SMM camera in Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) recorded 16 projectiles in flight at an assessed range of 2-3km east (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area).

During the day on 19 December, positioned inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk) and close to the disengagement area near Zolote, the SMM observed a calm situation.

Withdrawal of weapons

The Mission 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

19 December

• 26 self-propelled howitzers (nine 2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm and 17 2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) at the railway station in Bakhmut (67km north of Donetsk)
• a self-propelled howitzer (2S1) moving south-west 4km south-west of Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk)
• a self-propelled howitzer (2S1) moving south-west in Kostiantynivka
• four multiple launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) near Lysychansk (75km north-west of Luhansk)

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

19 December

• two anti-tank guided missile systems (9P148 Konkurs, 135mm) in Sievierodonetsk (74km north-west of Luhansk)

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

Government-controlled areas

19 December

• an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) near Zolote
• an IFV (BMP-1) and two armoured personnel carriers (APC) (MT-LBs, one towing an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm)) near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk)
• an IFV (BMP-2) and an APC (BTR-60) in Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk)

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• three APCs (MT-LB) near Vynohradne (10km east of Mariupol); and
• an IFV (BMP variant) near Novotoshkivske

Non-government-controlled areas

19 December

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• seven IFVs (BMP-2) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) mounted atop a military-type truck near Vesela Hora (16km north of Luhansk).

New mine hazard signs

The SMM saw for the first time two improvised mine signs (with “ATTENTION MINES” written in Russian on white sheets of paper attached to wooden stakes) in front of an agricultural facility, next to a road about 1km south-west of Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 40km south-east of Donetsk).

Long queues of civilians travelling across the contact line near Stanytsia Luhanska

At 09:20 on 19 December, at the checkpoint of the armed formations south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw about 700 people queuing to travel towards government-controlled areas and no people queueing in the opposite direction. The Mission also saw another 120 people waiting at a nearby bus stop. About four hours later, at the entry-exit checkpoint north of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, it observed about 750 people queuing to enter government-controlled areas and about 150 people queuing to travel in the opposite direction.

SMM facilitation of repair works to civilian infrastructure

The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to the Petrivske water pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), water pipelines near Popasna and near Zalizne (government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk) and to damaged houses in government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk) and Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk), as well as to enable an inspection of power lines near government-controlled Troitske (69km west of Luhansk) and Novozvanivka (70km west of Luhansk). The SMM continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.

The Mission continued monitoring in Kherson, 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 the 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 December 2018). 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.

Denials 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.
• At a checkpoint of the armed formations south of the bridge in Shchastia (government-controlled, 20km north of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations told the Mission that mines on the road leading north had not been cleared.

Other impediments:

• While conducting a mini-UAV flight west of Novotoshkivske, the SMM heard a single burst of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 1km south, assessed as aimed at the UAV.

 

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During the reporting period, the SMM cameras in Krasnohorivka and at the entry-exit checkpoints in Pyshchevyk and Maiorsk were not operational.

[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] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

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CHISINAU, 20 December 2018 - Accessing new markets by improving digital skills was the focus of a three-day training course held for the representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises, which concluded today in Chisinau.

Built around e-commerce, a rapidly emerging trend that offers opportunities in enhancing connectivity, the course was organized and moderated by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Moldova. More than 30 business representatives from different sectors and regions, among them many owners and directors, attended the course.

“The OCEEA has not only supported trade facilitation for e-commerce, but also brought together the business community from both banks of the Dniester,” said the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, Vuk Žugić, commenting on OSCE’s engagement for e-commerce in Moldova. “This serves to highlight the confidence-building potential of economic connectivity.”

Diana Levcenco, Economic Consultant at the Economic Council to the Prime Minister of Moldova stressed the importance of the course in the context of the National Action Plan for Trade Facilitation. “The support of the OSCE has been crucial in raising the capacity of businesses to engage in cross-border e-commerce.”

The aim of the training course, says Jonas Grätz, Economic Adviser at OCEEA, is to help build a stronger economy as well as the formation of new business partnerships and enhanced confidence.

“This activity has been designed to strengthen the voice and the capacity of businesses to use the new possibilities that e-commerce holds – to access new markets, form new networks, win new customers and ultimately grow their business,” said Grätz.

During the course, business strategies and policy experiences from other countries were shared by an expert of the International Trade Centre, Geneva.

Representatives of the Moldovan Economic Council, the National Bank, the Customs Service and financial private institutions spoke about new possibilities for businesses to make themselves heard, online payment options, export-import procedures, online marketing and social media promotion and integration within the existing e-commerce platforms. 

This activity follows a national workshop on trade facilitation for e-commerce organized by the OCEEA in Chisinau from 1 to 4 October this year. It is a part of the OSCE extra-budgetary project Promoting Connectivity in the OSCE, funded by Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Moldova is one of the beneficiary countries alongside Belarus and Kazakhstan.

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407432 Mirvete Islam, OSCE Mission to Skopje

The OSCE Mission to Skopje presented today a Legal Commentary on the Law on Criminal Procedure, the first of its kind, prepared by a group of legal experts that will help lawyers, judges and prosecutors apply the Law in a better and more uniform fashion in the courts.

The Mission has been working on the Commentary for the past three years, in co-operation with the Law Faculty “Iustinianus Primus” in Skopje.

“I can say without any doubt that this Commentary will be of great use for legal practitioners and other actors interested in the field of criminal justice” said the Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje Clemens Koja. “Through its daily use, the commentary will provide valuable guidance and contribute to making the application of law more predictable and more consistent.”

The Dean of the ‘Iustinianus Primus’ Law Faculty Goran Koevski said: “The commentary is an exceptional product that will greatly contribute to proper implementation of the Law on Criminal Procedure and will contribute to overcoming the unbalanced judicial practice.”

Communication and Media Relations Section

A two-day train-the-trainer course aimed at strengthening the capacity of Albania to disrupt the financing of terrorist networks was held on 18 and 19 December 2018 in Vienna.

The course was organized by the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s Global Programme against Money Laundering (UNODC/GPML), in co-operation with the OSCE Presence in Albania. Attended by seven senior Albanian experts and practitioners, the course was led by OSCE and UN experts.

This course was the first of a series of progressively advanced training courses on countering the financing of terrorism for officials of the General Directorate for the Prevention of Money Laundering, the Counterterrorism Directorate of the State Police, the Counter Intelligence Analytical Directorate and the Training Centre of the State Intelligence Service (SHISH) as well as from the Prosecutor’s Office for Serious Crimes.

The participants were acquainted with complex analytical and operational planning methods through a training process focused on localized scenarios based on real-life cases. They learnt how inter-agency co-operation can contribute to disrupting terrorist financial networks and how to strengthen their skills in the use of instruments and techniques for countering terrorist financing.  

The seven participants in the course will deliver training courses for local government officials upon their return to Albania, together with OSCE and UNODC/GPML international experts.

The OSCE-UNODC train-the-trainer course will be followed by more train-the-trainer and training seminars for Albanian officials in 2019.

MINSK, 19 December 2018 – 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 19 December 2018:

“Today the TCG convened for the last time this year.

Assessing the outgoing year, I would like to stress an important aspect. From the beginning of this year until 17 December, the number of civilian casualties decreased by half compared with the same period of last year, and the number of injured fell by 52%, thereby reaching its lowest level since the beginning of the conflict. Against the background of this notable tendency, I would like to reiterate that any human victim is one too much.

At the same time, there have also been disturbing trends. According to non-governmental organisations, approximately seven thousand square kilometres in eastern Ukraine are mined and contaminated by mines and unexploded ordnance, which makes it one of the most densely mined areas in the world.

Today, the key issues for the TCG and its Security Working Group were general security and the cessation of fire.

The sides renewed their previously declared recommitment to a sustainable and comprehensive ceasefire. To agree on its final modalities in the New Year and Christmas holiday period, the TCG tasked the Security Working Group to hold an extraordinary meeting in videoconference format on 27 December 2018.

The Humanitarian Working Group continued its discussion on the issues related to the exchange of detainees and the search for missing persons. In addition, the transfer of detainees not related to the conflict from certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (CADR and CALR) to the territory controlled by the Ukrainian government was considered in detail.

As you know, the transfer of such detainees from CADR and CALR, forty-two and thirteen persons respectively, took place on 12 and 13 December 2018. I would like to note that for the first time ever, such a transfer from CALR was made possible. In this regard, I want to express my sincere appreciation to Ambassador Toni Frisch. I welcome this step and hope that this process will successfully continue in the future.

Participants of the Economic Working Group discussed topics such as water deliveries in the "Karbonyt" and "Voda Donbasa" supply systems on both sides of the contact line. Payments of pensions to the residents of CADR and CALR as well as improvement of the Vodafone-Ukraine mobile network were also considered.

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

We will meet gain in four weeks, already in the New Year, on Wednesday, the 16th of January 2019. In the meantime, I wish all of you and your loved ones beautiful, bright and, most importantly, peaceful Christmas and New Year holidays.”

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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 Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region.
• The Mission recorded ceasefire violations near the Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote disengagement areas.
• It observed demining activities near government-controlled Shyrokyi and Krasna Talivka.
• The SMM continued to observe hardship faced by civilians at checkpoints along the contact line.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure as well as damaged houses in Marinka and Krasnohorivka. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a public gathering related to gender issues.
• Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 80 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 70 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south-east and south of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk) and south-east of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk). The SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk) recorded about 20 ceasefire violations, including an explosion assessed as an impact at an assessed range of 30-50m south.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including nine explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 200 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south-south-west of Kriakivka (government-controlled, 38km north-west of Luhansk). 

Disengagement areas[2]

On the evening of 17 December, the SMM camera in Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) recorded eight projectiles in flight from north to south at an assessed range of 2-4km east-north-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

A member of the armed formations on the southern edge of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that a previously observed mine (TM-62 variant) next to road T1316 (see SMM Daily Report 14 December 2018) had been removed on 17 December. However, on 18 December, the SMM saw the mine still present at the previously observed location. (This was the second time that the SMM observed the continued presence of the same mine after having been told of its removal. The Mission had informed the armed formations of the presence of the mine several times.)

On 18 December, the SMM observed a remnant of a probable RPG-27 grenade 2m east of road T1316, about 1km north-west of the checkpoint of the armed formations on the southern edge of the Zolote disengagement area.

In the late afternoon of 18 December, the SMM camera at the Prince Ihor Monument south-east of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk) recorded an undetermined explosion at an assessed range of 3-6km north-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

During the day on 18 December, positioned near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM observed a calm situation in the disengagement area.[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 the withdrawal lines

Government-controlled areas

18 December

• Three self-propelled howitzers (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) at the railway station in Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk) 

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

18 December

• A self-propelled anti-aircraft system (2K22 Tunguska) near Kostiantynivka
• Nine surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10) at the railway station in Kostiantynivka
• Four multiple launch rocket systems (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) near Rivnopil (86km west of Donetsk)
• Five tanks (T-64) at the railway station in Rubizhne (84km north-west of Luhansk)

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

Government-controlled areas

18 December

• An anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) near Novozvanivka (70km west of Luhansk) 

Non-government-controlled areas

17 December

An SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle spotted:

• an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) near Nadarivka (64km west of Luhansk). 18 December

• An armoured personnel carrier (MT-LB) near Smile (31km north-west of Luhansk)
• Four to five armoured combat vehicles (type undetermined) in Luhansk city 

Demining and mine hazard signs

The SMM saw eight members of an international demining organization (all in protective equipment) preparing for demining along a road on the northern edge of Shyrokyi (government-controlled, 38km north-east of Luhansk). The Mission saw three additional de-miners from the same organization in protective equipment preparing for demining along a road on the northern edge of Krasna Talivka (government-controlled, 51km north-east of Luhansk).

The SMM followed up on reports of demining conducted by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in areas on the eastern side of the road between Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) and Novomykhailivka (government-controlled, 28km south-west of Donetsk). The Mission observed the areas marked off with sticks with vinyl ribbons attached to them.

The SMM observed two mine new hazard signs with a skull and crossbones and “Stop Mines” written in Russian on both sides of a road on the south-western edge of Kruta Hora (non-government-controlled, 16km north-west of Luhansk) and four similar signs on both sides of road P-66 about 3km north-west of Novoselivka (non-government-controlled, 16km west of Luhansk).

Hardship faced by civilians at checkpoints along the contact line

At the checkpoint of the armed formations south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, at 09:40, the SMM saw about 1,500 people queuing to travel towards government-controlled areas and about 30 queuing in the opposite direction. The Mission saw another 150 people queuing at a nearby bus stop. About four hours later, at the entry-exit checkpoint north of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM observed about 350 people queuing to exit government-controlled areas and about 1,000 people queuing in the opposite direction. Three people (two men and a woman in their seventies) told the Mission that they had waited two and a half hours to pass through the checkpoint of the armed formations and another hour and a half to cross the entry-exit checkpoint.

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to the Petrivske water pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), to a water pipeline near Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), to the Krasnohorivka gas distribution station between Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) and Oleksandrivka (non-government-controlled, 20km south-west of Donetsk) and to damaged houses in Marinka and Krasnohorivka (government-controlled, 21km west of Donetsk). It continued to facilitate the operation of the DFS.

Public gathering in Kyiv

In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a public gathering of about 100 people (mostly young men) in front of the Cabinet of Ministers building. Some of them were holding flags of Sokil, Tradition and Order and Volunteer Movement OUN, as well as banners with messages critical of the Government’s approach on certain gender issues. The SMM saw some of the participants light at least five smoke or light canisters and about 30 law enforcement officers in front of the main gate of the building. The gathering dispersed peacefully.

Other observations

On 17 December, the SMM observed a calm situation at the crossing point in Chonhar (163km south-east of Kherson).

The SMM continued monitoring in Odessa, Lviv, Kharkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, 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 the 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 December 2018). 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.

Denials 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 cameras in Krasnohorivka and at the entry-exit checkpoint in Pyshchevyk were 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 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] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

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407300 Communication and Media Relations Section

The South East Europe regional workshop on landscape fire management concluded on 19 December 2018 in Skopje.

The two-day workshop brought together fire management and forest management authorities from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia.

“Wildfires represent a serious challenge for most of the countries in the South-Eastern Europe region, which is becoming increasingly affected by climate change and socio-economic changes,” said Goran Stojkovski, representative of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Johann Georg Goldammer, Director of the Global Fire Monitoring Center, said fires are becoming more intense and more difficult to control due to the increasing accumulation of combustible materials in different landscapes abandoned by people, mainly agricultural lands. A comprehensive and holistic approach is needed to address this threat”.

Nikola Nikolov, Head of the Regional Fire Monitoring Center for South-Eastern Europe and South Caucasus, said: “Significant progress has been made in the region on sharing information, knowledge and best practices in fire management across borders and this workshop provides an opportunity for planning next steps.”

“Disaster risk reduction is a priority for the OSCE in its comprehensive approach to security. Strengthening national and regional capacities on wildfire management is among our main activities in this context,” said Christian Melis, Environmental Governance Officer at the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities. 

Organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities with the support of Global Fire Monitoring Center and the Regional Fire Monitoring Center for South-Eastern Europe and South Caucasus, the workshop allowed for an exchange of best practices and lessons learnt on wildfire management and identified synergies and opportunities for co-operation among the countries of South Eastern Europe.

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous 24 hours, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to essential civilian infrastructure as well as damaged houses in Marinka and Krasnohorivka. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted at two weapons storage sites in non-government-controlled-areas of Donetsk region, as well as Novoamvrosiivske and Makiivka and close to Voznesenivka, a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region near the border with the Russian Federation.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 70 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (about 45 explosions). More than half of the ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south-east of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations (of which more than half were recorded in the security zone), including about 200 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours (85 explosions). More than half of the explosions were recorded in areas south of Syrotyne (government-controlled, 71km north-west of Luhansk) and south-east of Zolote-2/Karbonit (government-controlled, 62km west of Luhansk) (see the disengagement areas section below). About 190 ceasefire violations, including about 130 explosions, were assessed as live-fire training (outside the security zone).

Disengagement areas[2]

On the evening of 16 December, the SMM camera in Zolote (government-controlled, 60kmwest of Luhansk) recorded nine projectiles in flight from south-south-east to north-north-west at an assessed range of 1-3km east (unable to determine whether inside or outside the Zolote disengagement area).

In the afternoon of 17 December, positioned in Zolote-2/Karbonit, the SMM heard about 30 undetermined explosions at an assessed range of 6-10km south-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

Positioned inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska, 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 the withdrawal lines

Government-controlled areas

16 December

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

• 12 self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and two anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) at the railway station in Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk);
• a surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10) near Hnutove (20km north-east of Mariupol); and
• a surface-to-air missile system (9K31 Strela-1) near Starohnativka (51km south of Donetsk).

17 December

• Ten self-propelled howitzers (seven 2S1 and three 2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) at the railway station in Kostiantynivka;
• Two self-propelled howitzers (2S3) heading south-west on road H-20 near Kostiantynivka;
• Five towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) on a train near Bakhmut (formerly Artemivsk,  67km north of Donetsk);
• Three self-propelled howitzers (2S3) heading south on road H-20 near Romanivka   (41km north of Donetsk)

Non-government-controlled areas

16 December

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• a tank (T-64) next to a residential house in Verkhnoshyrokivske (formerly Oktiabr, 29km north-east of Mariupol).

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• four multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) near Sadovyi (57km south-west of Luhansk) (For previous observations in that area, see SMM Daily Report 1 August 2018 ) and
• an MLRS (BM-21) at a training area south-east of Miusynsk (62km south-west of Luhansk).

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

16 December

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• a self-propelled anti-aircraft system (2K22 Tunguska) at the railway station in Rubizhne (84km north-west of Luhansk).

17 December

•  A surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) in Kalchyk (24km north of Mariupol).

Non-government-controlled areas

16 December

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• ten self-propelled howitzers (2S1), six towed howitzer (D-30), four surface-to-air missile systems (9K35) and three tanks (T-64) at a training area south-east of Miusynsk.

17 December

• Three tanks (T-72) at a training area south-east of Ternove (57km east of Donetsk).

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

Weapon storage site beyond the respective withdrawal lines in a government-controlled-area of Donetsk region*

17 December

• Two towed howitzers (D-30) remained missing.

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

Government-controlled areas

15 December

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• two infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (BMP-1) near Zolote-4/Rodina (59km west of Luhansk), about 100m north of the Zolote disengagement area.

16 December

An SMM long-range (UAV) spotted:

• two armoured personnel carriers (APC) (one MT-LB and one BTR variant) near Novoselivka Druha (69km south of Donetsk);
• an APC (possible BTR) near Opytne (12km north-west of Donetsk);
• an APC (BTR-80) near Pyshchevyk (25km north-east of Mariupol);
• an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) near Hnutove;
• an armoured recovery vehicle (BREM-2) near Hranitne (60km south of Donetsk);
• two IFVs (BMP variants) near Novohryhorivka (55km south of Donetsk);
• an APC (BTR variant) near Novotroitske (36km south-west of Donetsk); and
• two IFVs (BMP-1) near Nevelske (18km north-west of Donetsk).

17 December

• Two IFVs (BMP-1) near Zolote-4/Rodina;
• Three  IFVs (BMP-1) near Zolote;
• Six IFVs (BMP-1) near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk);
• An APC (BTR-70) near Raihorodka (34km north-west of Luhansk); and
• An APC (BTR-70) in Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk); and

Non-government-controlled areas

16 December

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• a probable IFV (BMP variant) in a residential area of Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, 26km north-east of Mariupol);
• three IFVs (BMP-2) and two APCs (BTR-80 and MT-LB) in a residential area of Sosnivske (35km north-east of Mariupol); and
• two IFVs (BMP-2) near Dokuchaievsk (30km south-west of Donetsk).

17 December

• Four APCs (two MT-LB and two undetermined variants) and two IFVs (BMP variants) near Svobodne (73km south of Donetsk).

Mine hazard signs

The Mission observed several new wooden sticks on both sides of a 800m stretch of road C051132 near a cemetery in Taramchuk (government-controlled, 29km south-west of Donetsk), of which some had mine signs (red background with a skull and cross bones and “Stop, Mines” written in Ukrainian and “Danger, Mines” in English). (For previous observations in that area, see SMM Daily Report 30 November 2018)

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repair works to the Petrivske water pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk), to the Krasnohorivka gas distribution station between Marinka (government-controlled, 23km south-west of Donetsk) and Oleksandrivka (non-government-controlled, 20km south-west of Donetsk), to power lines near Troitske (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk), to damaged houses in Marinka and Krasnohorivka (government-controlled, 21km west of Donetsk) as well as to enable an assessment of a water pipeline near Popasna. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk).

Border areas not under government control

At a border crossing point near Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk, 65km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw 26 cars (seven with Ukrainian and 17 with Russian Federation licence plates, and two with “LPR” plates) and a bus with Russian Federation licence plates and about 20 people on board in a queue to exit Ukraine. About ten minutes after the SMM’s arrival, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

At the Chervona Mohyla railway station in Voznesenivka, the SMM saw about 100 stationary uncovered cargo wagons (unable to see whether empty or loaded) and 20 tank wagons parked on rails. After about five minutes, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.*

While at a border crossing point near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk) for about 60 minutes, the SMM saw 20 cars (four with Ukrainian and six with Russian Federation licence plates, and ten with “DPR” plates) and three pedestrians (two men in their thirties and one woman in her sixties) exiting Ukraine. The Mission also saw 11 cars (three with Ukrainian licence plates and eight with “DPR” plates) and three pedestrians (two women in their sixties and one man in his thirties) entering Ukraine.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Kharkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, 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 the 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 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.

Denials of access:

• At a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region, a member of the armed formations denied the SMM entry, citing “orders from superiors”.
• At a permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region, a member of the armed formations denied the SMM entry citing “orders from superiors”.
• At a border crossing point near Voznesenivka, a member of the armed formations again told the SMM to leave the area.
• At a railway station in Voznesenivka, two members of the armed formations again told the SMM to leave the area.
• At a compound near Novoamvrosiivske (non-government-controlled, 56km south-east of Donetsk, a member of the armed formation denied the SMM access to the facility.
• At a compound near Makiivka (non-government-controlled, 12km north-east of Donetsk), two members of the armed formations denied the SMM access to the facility.

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 cameras in Krasnohorivka and Pyshchevyk were 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 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 visited areas previously holding 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 such site continued to be abandoned.

[5] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

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This report is for the media and the general public.

SUMMARY

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week. 

OPERATIONAL REMARKS

The OM is currently operating with 21 permanent international staff members, including the Chief Observer (CO). The Mission is supported administratively by a Vienna-based staff member.

OBSERVATIONS AT THE BORDER CROSSING POINTS

Persons crossing the border                                                                                                                                                                                          

The profile of the people 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 people and/or children) travelling on foot or by car with a significant amount of luggage.

The average number of entries/exits increased from 8,583 to 9,477 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 minus 137 for both BCPs.

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

Persons in military-style outfits

During the reporting period, the number of persons in military-style outfits noted crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs was 13 this week (compared to 26 last week); seven of them crossed into the Russian Federation, and six into Ukraine (77 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 have tinted windows, and buses and minivans have drawn curtains.

Families with a significant amount of luggage

The OTs continued to report on families crossing the border, sometimes with elderly people and/or children, at both BCPs with a significant amount of luggage, or travelling in heavily loaded cars. During this reporting week, ten families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and six were observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when four families were observed crossing into Russian Federation and four 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 do not state their route; instead they have a sign on the windshield stating “irregular”.

During the reporting period, the OTs observed a decrease in the overall number of buses crossing the border at both BCPs (351 compared to 365 observed during the previous week). There were 182 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 169 bound for Ukraine.

Among the bus connections observed by the OTs, no “irregular” route or destination was noted.

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

Trucks

During the reporting period, the OM observed an increase in the overall number of trucks crossing the border in both directions and at both BCPs. Compared to the previous week, the total number of trucks went from 713 to 781 (288 at the Gukovo BCP and 493 at the Donetsk BCP); 431 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 350 crossed into Ukraine. Most of the trucks observed by the OTs had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region; however, on a daily basis, the OTs also noted trucks registered in the Russian Federation, Lithuania and in Belarus.

Among them, the OTs also continued to observe tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions. During the reporting week, the number of tanker trucks decreased to 57 (compared to 62 during the previous reporting period). 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 undergo systematic inspection by Russian Federation officials, which may 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 189 to 184: of the total number of trucks scanned, 107 trucks (58 per cent) were bound for Ukraine; the remaining 77 trucks (42 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 decreased from 173 to 166 vehicles; 85 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 81 into Ukraine.

Trains

The OTs continued to pick up the sound of trains running on the railway tracks located approximately 150 metres south-west of the Gukovo BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on 12 occasions, compared to 19 last week; the OTs assessed that six trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and the other six to Ukraine. 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 OM also noticed vehicles with “DPR” plates, in addition to Belarusian, Georgian, Armenian and Slovakian licence plates.                                                                             

On 15 December at 17:35, a police minivan from the Russian Federation arrived at Gukovo BCP and drove behind the main building. At 17:57 the van returned in the direction  of  the Russian Federation.

For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 6 November to 11 December 2018, 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).

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ERGNETI, 18 December 2018 - The 90th Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) meeting took place today in Ergneti.

Erik Høeg, Head of the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia, and Rudolf Michalka, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus, co-facilitated the meeting.  

The co-facilitators welcomed the commitment of all participants to resume the IPRM meeting and encouraged a constructive and pragmatic approach.  

The security situation on the ground was assessed as relatively stable since the last IPRM meeting in mid-September. Høeg provided a brief overview of events and commended the very active use of the Mission-managed Hotline to address security issues on the ground. Participants discussed recent developments at the Administrative Boundary Line, including recent events in the Atotsi area. On the latter, the co-facilitators noted the efforts of security actors to maintain stability along the Administrative Boundary Line, while expressing concern over the impact of recent 'borderization' on the local population’s freedom of movement.

The high profile cases of Archil Tatunashvili and David Basharuli were also discussed.  Co-facilitators underlined the need for cooperation in these particular cases, as well as the need to avoid impunity.

Participants were invited to provide information via the Hotline on activities of security actors, including flights in the vicinity of the Administrative Boundary Line.

The meeting concluded in an open and constructive manner and participants agreed to conduct the next IPRM meeting on 8 February 2019.

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COPENHAGEN, 18 December 2018 – Migrants can benefit host countries by contributing to economic growth and promoting understanding between societies, said OSCE parliamentarian Nahima Lanjri (MP, Belgium) today, marking International Migrants Day. But in order to promote the benefits of migration and ensure that it is a source of prosperity and sustainable development, it is necessary to improve migration governance, she said.

Lanjri, who chairs the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration, noted that no single country can address the migration issue alone, and in this respect, welcomed the adoption last week of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

“By definition, migration is an international issue and therefore requires an international response,” Lanjri said. “To maximize its benefits and minimize its negative effects, it is necessary to ensure effective international governance. I therefore welcome the adoption in Marrakech of the Global Compact and I look forward to working with other members of the OSCE PA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration to advance these efforts.”

She emphasized the need to treat all migrants decently, regardless of what their motivations for migrating are, and highlighted the section of the Global Compact on “Unity of Purpose,” which stresses the need to “save lives and keep migrants out of harm’s way.”

“The international response to migration should be a source of unity and co-operation rather than division,” Lanjri said. “This is the guiding principle of the OSCE PA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration and is also at the core of the UN’s landmark Global Compact. Migration works best when it is based on common understanding among all countries, whether they are countries of origin, transit or destination.”

She also welcomed the Global Compact’s focus on improving early warning mechanisms to ensure that migration is not an act of desperation and noted that it advocates a whole-of-society approach that includes parliamentarians and other relevant stakeholders in migration governance.

“An effective approach to migration management must address drivers of migration such as poverty, as well as commit to establishing pathways for regular migration in a way that facilitates labour mobility, promotes education opportunities, and protects the right to family life,” she said. “In Marrakech, the international community broadly agreed to these principles and to keep migrants out of harm’s way.”

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly will meet next year in Marrakech for its 2019 Autumn Meeting.

For more on the OSCE PA's work on migration, please click here.

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PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 18 December 2018 – The OSCE Mission in Kosovo published today a report which assesses the access to pre-university education for non-majority communities in Kosovo. The report, Communities’ Access to Pre-University Education in Kosovo, covers the period from 2014 to 2017 and looks into the provision of education in the majority and community languages.

The report notes that institutions generally provide communities with an adequate level of support in accessing education. However, it concludes that a sustainable solution for the provision of Serbian-language education, in line with the legal provisions that provide the basis for education in this language, is yet to be found. The report commends the support provided by institutions to communities to enable easier access to education, such as transport, scholarships and catch-up classes. Curricula in Bosnian and Turkish languages have been developed, although additional efforts are needed to complete their implementation, and the existence of a Romani language subject with elements of history and culture is commended.

“For non-majority communities, the right to education has deep meaning and multi-layered significance. It is intrinsically linked to a community’s language and identity. Education for non-majority communities is therefore about the effective inclusion of their linguistic and cultural identities into the formal education curricula,” said Ambassador Jan Braathu, the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo. “The Kosovo legislation incorporates international human rights concepts linked to education. This includes education in the language of choice and institutional measures that provide equal access to education for all. These are the main topics of the report we are launching today.”

Challenges, however, remain. The provision of textbooks in the Bosnian and Turkish languages remains uneven. The lack of organized transport for students from non-majority communities at the municipal level remains an issue in some municipalities, and specific textbooks for learning the Albanian language for students following the Bosnian and Turkish language curricula are yet to be developed. A mutually accepted solution for Serbian-language education does still not exist, despite advanced Kosovo-law provisions providing for it. Interaction among children and staff from the two systems is also limited.

The report recommends that institutions take steps towards addressing these challenges over the coming period, and enhance their engagement in the promotion of inter-community dialogue in education. This could be done through the approval and implementation of the ‘Guidelines for the promotion of inter-community dialogue through education’.

The full report is available here: https://www.osce.org/mission-in-kosovo/406952

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VIENNA, 18 December 2018 - To address labour shortages and allow migrants to be a resource for countries of origin and destination, socio-economic integration is essential, said participants at the OSCE conference held today in Vienna on the occasion of the International Migrants Day.

The Co-ordinator of the OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, Vuk Žugić, said that the discussion showed how much our societies and economies are interconnected. “Co-operation is not an option, but a necessity,” said Žugić. “Dialogue remains key for long-term solutions. I believe that the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security offers a unique lens to search for suitable responses.”  

The event, which gathered policymakers, economic and social partners, civil society representatives and practitioners, concluded that only a multi-stakeholder approach can ensure an effective labour market integration of migrants, thanks to the involvement of the private sector, governments, workers’ associations, education and training institutions, academia and civil society.

Ambassador Luca Fratini, Deputy Permanent Representative of Italy to the OSCE, pointed out that the discussion complemented very well the work done at the OSCE in 2018 on migration, a priority for the Italian OSCE Chairmanship. "Only by reinforcing dialogue among all stakeholders and in particular between States, international organizations, civil society and the private sector, can we address the governance of labour migration in a comprehensive manner," he said.

The discussion offered a renewed opportunity to improve understanding, explore common solutions and renew strategic partnerships for the OSCE’s future engagement in the field of migration governance. 

“Despite persisting challenges among many countries on how to address the phenomenon of migration, we cannot shy away from this conversation,” said Paul Bekkers, Director of the Office of the OSCE Secretary General. “The dialogue on labour integration of migrants should be fact-based, not driven by fear, with the aim to serve both hosting and origin societies alike, but most of all the individuals concerned – the migrants themselves.”

The OSCE will continue to leverage its comprehensive approach to security to address existing challenges in migration governance, complementing the ongoing efforts of the international community, together with its field operations and long-standing partners: the International Organization for Migration, the International Labour Organization, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and other relevant agencies and entities, as well as the private sector, academia and civil society.

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This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Between the evenings of 14 and 15 December, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period.
• Between the evenings of 15 and 16 December, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours.
• The SMM followed up on reports of a woman who had sustained injuries due to gunfire in Slovianoserbsk and two men injured in a grenade explosion in Krasnohorivka.
• The Mission recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area.
• Small-arms fire was directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle near Khrustalnyi.*
• The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in Kostiantynivka.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable an assessment of a water pipeline near Popasna in Luhansk region. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• Restrictions of the Mission’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The SMM was also restricted at border crossing points not under government control near Izvaryne and Sievernyi, in Naberezhne and near Zaichenko, Bezimenne and Novolaspa.*
• In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a peaceful gathering related to the All-Ukrainian Orthodox Unity Council.

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, between the evenings of 14 and 15 December, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including 100 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 200 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south-east and south-west of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk) (including explosions assessed as outgoing mortar and artillery rounds and impacts of mortar and artillery rounds), north-east of Lebedynske (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Mariupol) and south-west of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk).

Between the evenings of 15 and 16 December, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including about 45 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The majority of ceasefire violations, including the majority of explosions, were recorded in areas south-east of Avdiivka (government-controlled, 17km north of Donetsk) and again south-east and south-west of Svitlodarsk.

In Luhansk region, between the evenings of 14 and 15 December, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including 20 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 310 explosions). The majority of explosions were recorded north-west of Komisarivka (non-government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk).

Between the evenings of 15 and 16 December, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including 85 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours. The majority of ceasefire violations, including the majority of explosions, were recorded in areas south of Zolote-2/Karbonit (government-controlled, 62km west of Luhansk) (see the disengagement areas section below) and south of Molodizhne (non-government-controlled, 63km north-west of Luhansk).

On the morning of 16 December, while conducting a mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight west of Khrustalnyi (formerly Krasnyi Luch, non-government-controlled, 56km south-west of Luhansk), the SMM heard about 30 shots of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 1km north-west, assessed as aimed at the UAV which at the time was about 1km north-north-west of the patrol’s position. The Mission recalled the UAV, which landed safely.*

Injured woman and damage caused by gunfire in Slovianoserbsk

On 16 December, at 51 Haharina Street in Slovianoserbsk (non-government-controlled, 28km north-west of Luhansk), the SMM saw a woman (in her sixties) in her apartment with a bruise and scratches on her upper right arm. The woman told the Mission she had been injured in her apartment during gunfire on the evening of 10 December. In the apartment, located on the ground floor of a two-storey building, the SMM observed a hole in the frame of an east-facing window and another hole in an east-facing wall. It assessed the damage as fresh and caused by a bullet. Separately, six people (women, 50-75 years old) who identified themselves as residents of Slovianoserbsk told the Mission that there had been gunfire on 10 December, during which a female resident had been injured.

At the intersection of Horkoho and Dykalova Street, about 200m east of the above-mentioned location, the SMM saw a cargo minivan with two holes: one in the car’s roof and one in the partition separating the passenger section from the cargo area. The Mission assessed the damage as fresh and caused by gunfire. A man who identified himself as the owner of the car told the Mission the vehicle had been damaged during gunfire on the evening of 10 December.

Two men injured in a grenade explosion in Krasnohorivka

On 16 December, at a hospital in Kurakhove (government-controlled, 40km west of Donetsk) the SMM saw a man (in his forties) with multiple scratches covered in iodine on his face. The man told the Mission that he had been injured at his home on Chkalova Street in Krasnohorivka (government-controlled, 21km west of Donetsk) on the evening of 14 December when a grenade brought by his neighbour had exploded. Medical staff at the hospital told the SMM that two men (one in his forties, the other in his thirties) had been admitted on 14 December with multiple shrapnel injuries, adding that the older man was in more serious condition. A police officer at a police station in Kurakhove told the Mission that a criminal investigation (under Article 128 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) had been opened.

Disengagement areas[2]

During the day on 15 December, positioned inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk) and close to the disengagement areas near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and near Petrivske[3] (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM observed a calm situation.

During the day on 16 December, positioned in Zolote-2/Karbonit, the SMM heard 30 explosions (assessed as outgoing mortar rounds and impacts of mortar rounds) and 40 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all at an assessed range of 6-8km south (all assessed as inside the Zolote disengagement area). Positioned 1.5km south-west of Molodizhne, the Mission heard 21 undetermined explosions and about 85 bursts of heavy-machine-gun fire, all at an assessed range of 5-7km north-north-east (unable to determine whether inside or outside the Zolote disengagement area).

On the same day, positioned inside the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska and close to the disengagement area near Petrivske, 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

16 December

• 18 self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and six anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) at the railway station in Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk)

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

15 December

• a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) near Pidhorodne (73km north of Donetsk)
• a surface-to-air missile system (9K33) in Verkhnokamianka (84km north-west of Luhansk)
• a surface-to-air missile system (9K33) near Spirne (96km north of Donetsk)
• a self-propelled anti-aircraft system (2K22 Tunguska) and three surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10) at the railway station in Rubizhne (84km north-west of Luhansk)
• a self-propelled anti-aircraft system (2K22) near Mykolaivka (77km west of Luhansk)
• a mortar (type undetermined) in Lysychansk (75km north-west of Luhansk)
• 60 tanks (T-64) at the railway station in Kostiantynivka

16 December

• 11 tanks (T-72) at the railway station in Kostiantynivka

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

15 December

• seven towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) remained missing.

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

Weapons storage sites beyond the respective withdrawal lines in government-controlled areas of Donetsk region

16 December

• 12 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm), a surface-to-air missile system (9K35) and a tank (T-64) were present.
• 23 MLRS (BM-21), two surface-to-air missile systems (9K35) and a self-propelled howitzer (2S1) remained missing.

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

Government-controlled areas

15 December

• four infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) (three BMP-1 and a BMP variant) and an armoured recovery vehicle (BREM-CH) in Popasna (69km west of Luhansk)
• an IFV (BMP-1) and two armoured combat vehicles (types undetermined)  in Troitske (69km west of Luhansk)
• two IFVs (BMP variants) near Novozvanivka (70km west of Luhansk)

Non-government-controlled areas

15 December

• an armoured personnel carrier (probable MT-LB) in Donetsk city (seen also at the same location on 16 December)

On 16 December, the SMM saw a fixed-wing UAV in the air near Lomakyne (government-controlled, 15km north-east of Mariupol)

On the same day, the Mission saw 24 gasoline tank railcars at a railway station in Rovenky (non-government-controlled, 54km south of Luhansk).

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

On 15 December, the SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable an assessment of a water pipeline near Popasna. On 15 and 16 December, the Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk).

Border areas not under government control

On 15 December, at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk), after fifteen minutes, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area. During its presence, the SMM saw a covered cargo truck with “LPR” plates, two buses (one with Ukrainian licence plates and one with “LPR” plates) and 20 people (mixed gender and ages) exiting Ukraine.*

On the same day, at a border crossing point near Sievernyi (50km south-east of Luhansk), after five minutes, an armed member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area. During its presence, the SMM saw two pedestrians (a man and a woman, both around 50 years old) exiting Ukraine.*

On the same day, while at a border crossing point near Verkhnoharasymivka (57km south-east of Luhansk) for about 45 minutes, the SMM saw eight pedestrians (six men and two women, mixed ages) exiting Ukraine.

Public gathering in Kyiv

On 15 December, the SMM monitored a peaceful public gathering related to the All-Ukrainian Orthodox Unity Council which was taking place at the Saint Sofia Cathedral. In the morning the Mission saw about 500 and around midday about 2,000 people (mixed gender and ages, including many children) gathered at a square in front of the Cathedral. Participants held banners with the names of different Ukrainian regions, Ukrainian and religious flags, as well as ribbons with political slogans. The Mission saw that the area was sealed off, with people being allowed in through five entry-exit points, and that there were several thousands of law enforcement officers, including officers in plainclothes, at and around the site. In the afternoon, the President of Ukraine announced the result of the Council from a stage to about 1,000 people present at the square.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Kharkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, 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 the 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 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.

Denials of access:

• On 15 December, at a border crossing point near Izvaryne, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.
• On 15 December, at a border crossing point near Sievernyi, a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.
• On 15 December, an armed member of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage through a checkpoint north of Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), preventing the Mission from travelling west towards Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol) and south towards Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol).
• On 15 December, at a checkpoint 2.5km west of Bezimenne (non-government-controlled, 30km east of Mariupol), an armed member of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage west, citing “security reasons”.
• On 15 December, at a checkpoint on the eastern edge of Novolaspa (non-government-controlled, 50km south of Donetsk), two armed members of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage, citing “orders from their superiors” and “ongoing shelling in the area”.
• On 16 December, in Naberezhne (non-government-controlled, 33km north-east of Mariupol), three armed members of the armed formations denied the SMM access to the southern part of the settlement, saying the area was not safe due to mines. As a result, the Mission was unable to reach the location of a reportedly damaged site.

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.

Conditional access:

• At an armed formations’ checkpoint near Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), an armed member of the armed formations allowed the SMM to proceed only upon checking the SMM’s vehicles’ boots.

Other impediments:

• While conducting a mini-UAV flight west of Khrustalnyi, the SMM heard about 30 shots of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 1km north-west, assessed as aimed at its UAV.

[1]           For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. During the reporting period, the SMM cameras in Krasnohorivka and Pyshchevyk were 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 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]           This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

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407054 Communication and Media Relations Section

Over 70 anti-trafficking practitioners from more than 30 OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation in Europe, Central Asia and North America practiced how to apply a multi-agency and human rights-based approach during the fifth OSCE international simulation-based training to combat human trafficking along migration routes, which concluded on 14 December 2018. A one-week, live simulation exercise was held at the Carabinieri-run Centre of Excellence for Stability Police Units (CoESPU) in Vicenza, Italy.

At the closing ceremony, OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger addressed the participants, congratulating them on their successful completion of the simulation-based training.

Migrants and asylum seekers in mixed migratory flows continue to face grave risks of human trafficking and exploitation. The scenarios, based on real-life situations, allowed practitioners from law enforcement, prosecution, labour inspectorates, social services and civil society to confront the realities of migration and anti-trafficking work. The exercise emphasized the importance of a human rights-based and multi-agency approach in helping victims of human trafficking.

The participants were presented with scenarios in which migrants and asylum seekers fell victim to transnational organized crime syndicates. During the exercise, played out in real time, various agencies needed to co-ordinate their work to provide help to victims coerced into working in agricultural fields or in a sewing factory, or forced into prostitution.

Thanks to the thriving partnership of the OSCE with the Carabinieri and the CoESPU, as well as with a significant number of partners and donors, this complex exercise is now widely recognized as a model for the next generation of anti-trafficking practitioners around the globe.

The importance of a multi-disciplinary approach and the role of first-line responders and civil society in helping to safeguard victims of trafficking was reaffirmed at the 2018 OSCE Ministerial Council on 6 and 7 December in Milan. Under the auspices of the Italian 2018 OSCE Chairmanship, the 57 OSCE participating States unanimously adopted a Decision on combating child trafficking, including of unaccompanied minors.

Next year the OSCE will expand its pioneering training format by conducting a first collaborative simulation exercise for practitioners across the Mediterranean region, bringing together participating States from southern Europe and Partners for Co-operation from northern Africa.

KYIV, 17 December 2018 – Leaders from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s human rights and humanitarian committee today called for all sides of the conflict in eastern Ukraine to lay down their weapons as a critical step in finding a lasting solution to the crisis in and around Ukraine.

Committee Chair Margareta Kiener Nellen (MP, Switzerland) and Committee Rapporteur Kyriakos Hadjiyianni (MP, Cyprus) met today in Kyiv with Iryna Gerashchenko, the Ukrainian President’s Humanitarian Envoy at the Minsk peace talks, Artur Gerasymov, Head of the Ukrainian Delegation to the OSCE PA, and Ertugrul Apakan, Chief Monitor with the OSCE’s Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) in Ukraine, and other officials and experts.

Following the meetings in Kyiv the OSCE parliamentarians will be travelling to several cities in the east of Ukraine.

“The world cannot allow innocent civilians – including children – trapped in the conflict zone to be hostages to political disagreement any longer,” said Kiener Nellen. “The comprehensive solution to the conflict that is so desperately needed will require much more political will but work on this big goal should not stand in the way of immediate humanitarian steps that can have a real impact for those on the ground.”

The mission by the officers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions is focused particularly on issues related to the humanitarian situation, encouraging exchanges of prisoners, demining efforts, and the situation of those displaced by the conflict.

“As we approach the holiday season, I call for all sides to lay down their weapons to allow those in the conflict zone to celebrate with their families without the shadow of shelling and firing,” said Hadjiyianni.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has been active in working for a resolution of the crisis in and around Ukraine including through field visits, and promotion of inter-parliamentary dialogue. In May this year, OSCE PA President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) led a visit to Donbas focused on alleviating the humanitarian situation of people impacted by the armed conflict. 

The OSCE PA has consistently called for full and sustainable implementation of the Minsk Agreements. The situation in Ukraine was a matter of particular discussion during the OSCE PA’s most recent Annual Session in July 2018, which resulted in the Berlin Declaration. 

Kiener Nellen and Hadjiyianni are expected to present their findings following the visit during the upcoming meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Vienna, 21-22 February 2019.

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Marina Živaljević Communication and Media Relations Section

A national training course on behavioural analysis and identification of foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) and criminals at airports for 24 border and customs officers from Montenegro’s Podgorica and Tivat airports, the Civil Aviation Agency and the Intelligence Agency of Montenegro was held from 11 to 14 December 2018 in Podgorica.

Organized by the Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in co-operation with the OSCE Mission in Montenegro, the interactive course was conducted with the support of the Israeli National Police and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation experts focused on profiling, controlled cognitive engagement, detecting deception and vulnerability assessments for better and easier detection of FTFs and other potential criminals at airports. Participants were engaged in practical exercises, using video materials and applying different interviewing techniques.

“Although we are living in an era of new and innovative technologies we should never forget the importance of the human factor in the prevention and investigation of criminal and terrorist acts,” said Head of OSCE Mission in Montenegro Maryse Daviet. “This training is designed to further enhance personal capacities of border officers in profiling and interviewing passengers and identifying potential criminals at the borders.”

This activity is part of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department’s project on airport security in Montenegro launched in co-operation with the OSCE Mission in Montenegro in 2017. This project aims to develop and implement the Border Community Security Programme of Montenegro, designed to improve information exchange and co-operation between law enforcement and private sector personnel. The aim of the project is to reduce the risk of criminal and terrorist acts, particularly those related to the cross-border movement of FTFs through Montenegro’s airports.