Central Europe

SARAJEVO, 30 November 2018 – Over 80 participants from defence and security sector institutions, civil society, academia and international organizations gathered at the 11th Annual Review Conference on Compliance with OSCE and UN Security Commitments of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), which concluded today in Sarajevo.

This year’s discussion focused on assessment of progress made by BiH in meeting its international security commitments in the areas of democratic oversight, arms control and small arms and light weapons and stockpiles of conventional ammunition. It also addressed other highly-relevant thematic areas such as strengthening of institutional frameworks for the prevention of and fight against terrorism and prevention measures against violent extremism, cybersecurity and combating cybercrime.

The Review Conference represents a major forum for domestic and regional security experts from different sectors to engage in constructive discussion and develop concrete actions for ensuring a more secure environment for citizens of BiH. It aims to assess the progress BiH achieved in terms of compliance with its OSCE and UN commitments and to formulate recommendations for the implementation of activities aimed at creating the preconditions for increasing the capacity of BiH authorities to address contemporary complex security threats.

Sukhrob Khoshmukhamedov, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in BiH said: “This is an occasion to reaffirm our commitments to advance peace, security and development in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to underscore the importance of our co-operation in building the capacities of BiH to address these issues in a sustainable manner. We recognize that Bosnia and Herzegovina has been making progress in strengthening institutional capacities to deliver security-related services to its citizens as well as moving forward with its international commitments.”

Addressing the issue of cybersecurity, the Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, Ambassador Bruce G. Berton, emphasized that the growing use of information and communication technologies for political, military and criminal purposes poses significant risks to international peace: “It is crucial that governments take this threat seriously and develop a capable cyber-security infrastructure. Accordingly, acting upon a direct request from the BiH Ministry of Security, we initiated broad discussions and subsequently established an informal and inclusive working group to develop a strategic framework for cyber security.”

The 11th Annual Review Conference on Compliance with OSCE and UN Security Commitments of Bosnia and Herzegovina was organized by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, in co-operation with the United Nations in BiH. 

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CHISINAU, 30 November 2018 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today called on the Moldovan authorities to put more efforts into strengthening media freedom and pluralism in the country as he ended a three-day visit to Moldova.

During his visit, the Representative met with Tudor Ulianovschi, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration; Andrian Candu, President of the Parliament; Dragoş Vicol, Chairperson of the Co-ordinating Council of Audiovisual Activities; and Olga Bordeianu, President of the Teleradio-Moldova National Public Broadcaster. He also met representatives of civil society and the media community.

Désir spoke at the opening of the Media Forum at the invitation of the Press Council of Moldova, the Association of Independent Press, the Independent Journalism Centre and the Association of Electronic Press.  He also participated in the award ceremony of the 2018 ADAMI Media Prize for Cultural Diversity in Eastern Europe.

In separate meetings, the Representative met with Andrei Nastase, Chairperson of the Dignity and Truth Platform Party, and Maia Sandu, Chairperson of the Action and Solidarity Party.

“Moldova has engaged in an important and comprehensive process of reforming media-related legislation. I strongly encourage the authorities to use this opportunity to foster an enabling environment for the development of a free and pluralistic media landscape. This includes strengthening the real diversity of the media. More efforts will be needed to effectively limit the concentration of media ownership,” Désir said.

Désir encouraged the authorities to examine the challenges for media freedom and pluralism posed by the high degree of concentration of media ownership, which is detrimental to the diversity of voices and the development of independent media. Fair competition rules on the media market are needed, including for financing and access to commercial advertisement. “My Office stands ready to assist the country in providing expert recommendations and advice,” he said.

In his talks with the authorities and other interlocutors, the Representative discussed the new Code of Audio-visual Media Services recently adopted by Parliament. Regarding the legislative amendments on access to information, and the draft law on personal data protection, Désir took note of concerns of investigative journalists regarding provisions that may introduce undue restrictions on the legitimate work of journalists who report on corruption issues.

"Access to information and reporting on issues of public interest should not be obstructed by administrative obstacles that may serve to shield individuals, including public authorities, from legitimate investigative reporting," Désir said. 

Earlier in June 2018, the Representative presented a legal review of the draft Code of Audio-visual Media Services: www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/385206

“The media need legal certainty and compliance of new laws and regulations with international media freedom standards, established in consultation with all stakeholders,” Désir said. “It would be of the utmost importance to ensure the effective implementation of the legislation supporting media pluralism and access to information.”

The Representative further encouraged the authorities to refrain from undue interference in media activities in their efforts aimed at countering disinformation and propaganda, and recalled the need to ensure the free flow of information in compliance with OSCE commitments.

"The best answer to propaganda and disinformation is quality journalism, journalists working with high professional standards and the development of independent media. In the era of fake news and disinformation, journalists have a very high level of responsibility. We see how smear campaigns and hate speech are disseminated; this is an issue of very strong concern, as it has an impact on the functioning of democracy. That’s why we need more than ever to support independent journalism, the quality of information and media literacy.”

During his visit, Désir also underlined the important role of a strong and independent public service media, which should impartially reflect the diversity of opinions and serve as an example for all media outlets by offering quality content. The Representative highlighted the need to enhance the capacity and independence of regulatory authority in the broadcasting field, especially in the context of upcoming elections in Moldova.

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404852 Pablo Rojas Coppari (l), Migration and Freedom of Movement Adviser at the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), addresses workshop participants, as George Jashi (c), Executive Secretary of Georgia's State Commission on Migration Issues, and Liubov Shpyniak (r), Head of Social Integration Section at the State Migration Service of Ukraine, listen. Tbilisi, 29 November 2018. Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

Challenges and good practices in the field of integrating migrants were the focus of an expert workshop held by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Tbilisi on 29 November 2018.

Experts from ten OSCE participating States took part in the discussion. The participants – 16 women and nine men – included representatives of national and local authorities, international organizations, academia and civil society organizations active in the field of migrant integration.

The topics discussed included the development of a national strategic plan for integration and ways to measure progress in policy and practice. The participants also explored measures to overcome barriers for the integration of unaccompanied minors, specificities associated with refugee integration and ways to successfully integrate migrants into the local labour market.

“The workshop highlighted the importance of co-ordinated efforts by multiple actors as a key element of result-oriented integration measures,” said Pablo Rojas Coppari, ODIHR’s Migration and Freedom of Movement Adviser. “The experts particularly stressed the need for such measures to combat the marginalization of migrant communities and contribute to political stability in the OSCE region.”

Vasco Malta, Portugal’s Deputy High Commissioner for Migration, said: “The workshop was a great opportunity to exchange good practices on the integration of migrants and to understand how other countries overcome their challenges in specific areas. I was particularly interested to hear how other countries plan and develop the integration of refugees and see what can be transposed at home.”

The workshop will be followed by a meeting report which will include the main recommendations put forward by participants.

404873 Communication and Media Relations Section

Twenty Mongolian law enforcement personnel, including four women, from the country’s Forensics Institute, the national police and the border protection, customs and immigration agencies completed a five-day advanced training course in Ulaanbaatar on 30 November 2018 to increase their operational awareness in detecting forged documents. The course was organized by the Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department in co-operation with the Mongolian Law Enforcement University and Austria’s Federal Ministry of the Interior.

This course was the third in a series of courses on detecting forged travel documents taking place every autumn in Mongolia from 2016 to 2020. The course has a strong interactive component and includes practical exercises on identifying the security features of documents and the use of forensic equipment to identify document forgery.

In order to enhance the long-term technical capacity of Mongolian law enforcement personnel, 20 high-quality hand-held magnifiers that were used during the course were handed over to each participant for them to keep.

The training course is based on the curriculum developed by the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior. The training materials have been recognized by the European Agency for the Management of Operational Co-operation at the External Borders (FRONTEX) as a best practice. Document adviser Friedrich Frank and Document Specialist Bernhard Dunser from the Austrian Ministry conducted the course.

404825 Teaching staff of Slovakian police training institutions participate in a group excercise during the course. Košice, 27 November 2018. Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

Building the capacity of teaching staff to provide training on effective and human rights-compliant policing in Roma communities was the focus of a course organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Košice, Slovakia, from 27 to 30 November 2018.

The course, the first of its kind organized in Slovakia, gathered participants from the Academy of the Police Force in Bratislava and vocational schools for police officers in Pezinok, Košice and Bratislava. The training was organized in co-operation with the Office of the Plenipotentiary of the Government of the Slovak Republic for Roma Communities.

The training helped the participants (eight men and six women) to strengthen their understanding of the importance and benefits of effective policing practices that respect and protect the rights of all people, particularly those who are excluded, vulnerable or discriminated against, such as members of Roma communities.

“Building the capacity of the teaching staff from the Academy and vocational schools of the Police in Slovakia is essential to our efforts to equip police officers at the local level with the knowledge and skills needed to work effectively with Roma communities, while complying with international human rights standards,” said Dan Pavel Doghi, Chief of the ODIHR Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues. “This course will allow national police institutions to conduct the training independently through their own structures, as often as necessary.” 

Ábel Ravasz, the Plenipotentiary, said: “By organizing this training, OSCE/ODIHR has significantly contributed to advancing the education of police specialists who work with Roma communities and to increasing their effectiveness and empathy-based engagement. This course offers a new perspective on the human aspect of police work, which has the potential to become a standard for the police service and teachers and researchers at police schools, who will be able to continuously apply it in their teaching.”

The training is part of ODIHR’s efforts to assist participating States in implementing the Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti within the OSCE Area.

404840 Hanna Suchocka, Professor at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan and Honorary President of the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission, participating in the event. Warsaw, 30 November 2018. Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

A roundtable discussion to explore practical ways of ensuring meaningful public participation in lawmaking was hosted by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Warsaw on 30 November 2018.

The event brought together 24 experts (14 women and ten men) from 11 countries. Among them were representatives of state bodies, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations, academia and OSCE field offices.

“Based on detailed assessments of legislative processes in different OSCE participating States, ODIHR recommends and supports the full and effective involvement of citizens in the development of laws and policies as a way of improving their quality,” said Konstantine Vardzelashvili, Chief of ODIHR’s Legislative Support Unit. “The need for public participation is generally understood and accepted. It is the practicalities of making this process meaningful that continue to be a challenge in many OSCE participating States.”  

Participants shared and critically examined public consultation models and mechanisms in a number of participating States, including Albania, Croatia, Estonia, Poland and the United Kingdom. Some of the specific issues discussed were legal frameworks for public consultation, citizen engagement in parliament, online consultation tools and the role of national human rights institutions. The participants identified many good practice examples and emerging trends, such as the increasing reliance on digital solutions to make consultations more accessible and inclusive.

“Public participation in the legislative process is an important aspect of good governance and the rule of law,” said Hanna Suchocka, Professor at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan and Honorary President of the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission. “The Venice Commission has repeatedly stressed that a wide and substantive debate involving various political forces, non-governmental organizations and citizens’ associations is a prerequisite for adopting a sustainable legislative text that is acceptable to the whole of society and in line with democratic standards.”

Participants addressed common challenges and barriers to public participation and made recommendations to ODIHR on good strategies to promote and support public participation in policymaking and lawmaking across the OSCE region.

VIENNA, 30 November 2018 – A renewed understanding and commitment is needed to reinvigorate the negotiation process and normalize the situation on the ground in eastern Ukraine, the Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, Ertugrul Apakan, said in his address to the OSCE Permanent Council on Thursday in Vienna.

The Chief Monitor reiterated the need for additional measures to strengthen the ceasefire to be agreed by the Trilateral Contact Group. Recent loss of life, he told OSCE participating States, underlined that adherence was less than complete. He flagged the presence of mines and the positioning of personnel and hardware in and around residential areas as matters  of particular concern.

Many civilians, Apakan said, were facing a fifth winter without security and stability and without the basics of life such as clean drinking water, electricity and gas. While repairs and maintenance to 90 civilian infrastructure facilities had been made possible since the beginning of the year through SMM-facilitated dialogue and monitored adherence to the ceasefire, a full and sustainable ceasefire was required to ensure utilities were available to all, Apakan noted.

Referring to recent incidents at sea that have raised tensions, Apakan reiterated his call for restraint and to engage in dialogue to de-escalate the situation.  

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404765 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

As part of the global campaign 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe launched a nationwide awareness-raising campaign in five regions with a special focus on remote areas.

The campaign, from 25 November to 10 December 2018, will reach 17 settlements and the events will include mobile theatre performances, public awareness campaigns, television and radio programmes, interactive information sessions, quiz contest as well as thematic meetings. The Office will distribute orange envelopes containing information on the Law on the Prevention of Violence in the Family, brochures and illustrative materials on where to seek aid if subjected to violence and orange umbrellas with the slogan “Join us to eliminate violence against women.”

To mark the launch of the awareness-raising campaign, the Office organized two events in Dushanbe. The first, held on 23 November 2018, was a meeting of representatives of 13 civil society organizations to discuss the Law on the Prevention of Violence in the Family, which was adopted in 2013. The discussion focused on gaps that have become apparent during the five years of the Law’s implementation and possible amendments.

On 27 November 2018 the Office conducted a one-day train-the-trainers course for some 20 members of Tajik Men Engage Network, members of Tajikistan’s parliament, politicians, young gender champions and civil society representatives. The topic of the course was “No excuses”. The participants discussed various forms of violence against women. They also learned about the history of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence global campaign. They made a joint peer-to-peer plan for action on challenging domestic violence and violence against women.

“Violence in the family destroys human lives and human potential, negatively affecting future generations. We tackle domestic violence through our projects implemented nationwide, and we work with prominent politicians, civil society and youth to challenge the difficulties and to address different forms of violence against women,” said Vesna Ivanovikj-Castarede, the Gender and Anti-Trafficking Officer of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe. “We also work very closely with the Tajik Government to support the implementation of the Law on the Prevention of Violence in the Family.”

Saidjafar Usmonzoda, member of Tajik Parliament and Head of Democratic Party of Tajikistan, said: “The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence are very important in order to raise awareness of all citizens, and we as Men Engage Network will support the efforts of our Government and international organizations to eradicate violence against women and domestic violence.”

Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Astana

A four-day training seminar on implementing administrative anti-corruption practices, co-organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana and the Civil Service Affairs and Anti-Corruption Agency, concluded in Astana on 29 November 2018. Some 50 representatives from the agency’s central and regional offices participated in the seminar.

The seminar covered such topics as the co-operation between state and society in countering corruption, contentious definitions of corruption, and what sets corruption offences apart from administrative corruption or disciplinary offenses. The participants also familiarized themselves with preventive practices and awareness-raising among public office holders, and conducted comparative analyses of anti-corruption agencies in OSCE countries.

The OSCE-supported local and international instructors also reviewed theoretical and practical aspects of administrative anti-corruption practices, and discussed methods of their effective application. During practical assignments, the trainees had the opportunity to audit existing administrative anti-corruption practices by identifying corruption risks and applying best international practices.

The training seminar was part of the Programme Office’s multi-year efforts to promote good governance by focusing on anti-corruption activities in Kazakhstan.

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region, compared with the previous reporting period.
• The SMM recorded ceasefire violations inside the Petrivske disengagement area. Its access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas.*
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable an assessment of a water pipeline near Popasna. It continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a protest at a shopping mall reportedly owned by a Russian businessman. It also monitored a public gathering in Mariupol on the developments at sea near the Kerch Strait.

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including, however, more explosions (about 150), compared with the previous reporting period (about 90 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas north-west of Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), south-west and west of Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk) and east, south-west and west of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), where 55 undetermined explosions were recorded.

On the evening of 27 November, the SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) recorded two projectiles in flight from south-east to north-west at an assessed range of 100-800m at easterly and south-easterly directions. The camera also recorded the subsequent impact of one of the two projectiles on the eastern edge of the entry-exit checkpoint area.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including about 160 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (13 explosions). More than half of the explosions were recorded near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk).

Disengagement areas[2] 

On the evening of 27 November, 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 2-4km north-north-west (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

During the day on 28 November, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded a projectile in flight from north-north-west to south-south-east at an assessed range of 0.5-1km east-north-east (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

On the same day, positioned about 2km north of Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM heard 24 undetermined explosions at an assessed range of 2-3km south-west (assessed as inside the disengagement area).

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.

Weapons that the SMM was unable to verify as withdrawn[3]

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

28 November:

• A surface-to-air missile system (9K35 Strela-10), 12 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) and one tank (T-64) were present while two surface-to-air missile systems (9K35), 23 MLRS (BM-21) and a self-propelled howitzer (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) continued to be missing.

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

Government-controlled areas:

28 November:

An SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted:

• a probable infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP variant) near Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk) about 160m north of the Petrivske disengagement area;
• an IFV (BMP-1) near Orikhove-Donetske (44km north-west of Luhansk);
• an IFV (BMP-2) in Avdiivka (17km north-west of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas:

27 November:

• An SMM mini-UAV spotted a 100m trench extension (not visible in imagery from 28 April 2018) west of Kalynove (60km west of Luhansk);
• Two IFVs (BMP-1) and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) in the yard of a house used by armed formations near Mykhailivka (30km north-east of Donetsk).                                                            

28 November:

• 27 stationary armoured personnel carriers (APC) (MT-LB), seven of which had anti-aircraft systems (ZU-23, 23mm) mounted on top, on the southern outskirts of Pervomaisk  (58km west of Luhansk) (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 3 November 2018).

Presence of mines

On 28 November, an SMM mini-UAV again spotted 28 anti-tank mines laid in four rows across a road and in a field on the north side of the same road between Bohdanivka and Viktorivka (non-government-controlled, 42km south-west of Donetsk), about 170m north of the Petrivske disengagement area. About 100m east, on the same road, the mini-UAV again spotted 32 anti-tank mines laid in two rows across a road and in a field on both sides of the road.

Demining

The SMM saw five people wearing clothing bearing the logo of an international demining organization and a tractor with mine sweeping equipment conducting demining activities in a field 1.5km south-south-east of Kryva Luka (government-controlled, 98km north of Donetsk).

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable an assessment of a water pipeline near Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk) and to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.

Border areas not under government control

While at a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk) for about 60 minutes, the SMM saw four covered cargo trucks (three with Ukrainian and one with Belarusian licence plates) exiting Ukraine. During the same time, the Mission saw 15 cars (six with Ukrainian, three with Russian Federation and two with Georgian licence plates and four with “DPR” plates), two buses (one with Russian Federation licence plates and one with “DPR” plates) and seven covered cargo trucks (one with Ukrainian and five with Belarusian licence plates, and one with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine.

While at a pedestrian border crossing point near Ulianivske (61km south-east of Donetsk) for 30 minutes, the SMM observed two pedestrians entering Ukraine.

Hardships faced by civilians at checkpoints along the contact line

At the entry-exit checkpoint north of Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM saw two persons in civilian clothing carrying the body of a deceased man on a stretcher from a shelter towards the adjacent parking lot in government-controlled areas. A doctor from an international organization present at the aforementioned entry-exit checkpoint told the SMM that on the morning of 28 November, a man (in his sixties) had collapsed while waiting with his wife to enter government-controlled areas.

Protests in Kyiv and Mariupol

In Kyiv, the SMM again monitored a protest in front of and inside of a shopping mall at 176 Antonovycha Street. The SMM saw 20 men (ages 16-25) outside the mall entrance and about 130 people (mostly men, ages 16-25) inside the building, some holding flags of Sokil and calling for tenants to stop paying the rent to the mall operator. The SMM saw similar messages spray-painted on the windows and doors of the front entrance of the mall in English and Ukrainian. At the site, it also saw about 100 police officers, including about 50 in riot gear. One man was removed from the building and detained by police.                                                                                              

In Mariupol, the SMM monitored a peaceful public gathering at the Voiniv Vyzvolyteliv (Soldiers Liberators) Square, about 150m from the SMM office in Mariupol city, organized by a non-governmental-organization (NGO). The Mission saw approximately 90 people (mixed gender and ages) at the site. Four people gave speeches and two priests led the group in prayers. The SMM also saw about 20 police officers present. At the end of the gathering, a representative of the aforementioned NGO delivered a petition to the SMM related to developments at sea near the Kerch Strait, including the release of the affected sailors.

The SMM 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 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 28 November 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.

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:

• In the afternoon of 28 November, an SMM long-range UAV temporarily lost its GPS signal, assessed as due to jamming[5], while flying over areas near Stepanivka (government-controlled, 54km north of Donetsk).

[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. The SMM cameras in Hranitne, in Krasnohorivka and near Shyrokyne were not operational during the reporting period.

[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. 

[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 kilometers of the UAV’s position.

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TBILISI, 29 November 2018 – The second round of Georgia’s presidential election was competitive and candidates were able to campaign freely; however one side enjoyed an undue advantage and the negative character of the campaign on both sides undermined the process, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today. While the election was well administered, the absence of regulations for key aspects of election run-offs led to a lack of legal certainty, the statement says.

The campaign for the 28 November vote was marred by harsh rhetoric and isolated incidents of violence, as well as by an increase in the misuse of state resources, further blurring the separation of party and state, the observers said. Private media continued to demonstrate sharp polarization and bias in coverage, while the public broadcaster did not ensure editorial independence and impartiality, the observers said.

“Georgian citizens made their choice. Now all of the concerns raised in our preliminary conclusions today and in the upcoming final report on the election have to be dealt with by the authorities without delay,” said Kristian Vigenin, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission. “I believe that we have a common goal – to improve the electoral process, thus strengthening democracy in the country. I hope that now, after months of tense campaigning and polarization in society, the newly elected president will spare no efforts to ensure the unity of the nation.”

The second round of voting took place after no candidate received more than 50 per cent of valid votes in the first round, on 28 October. The decision by the Central Election Commission (CEC) on the run-off date of 28 November – a Wednesday – became a contentious issue and led to objections from opposition parties and calls from civil society to reconsider. While the CEC acted within its authority in choosing the date, the circumstances surrounding the decision reduced confidence in the body. At the same time, the election was well managed and the CEC provided training to address procedural shortcomings noted in the first round.

Campaign activities intensified in the run-up to the second round, and a number of anti-opposition and anti-government demonstrations before the run-off increased tensions between the two sides. The use of negative, harsh and at times violent rhetoric went unaddressed by authorities. Along with the misuse of state resources, a number of social and financial initiatives were announced, in particular debt relief for 600,000 people funded by a private financial institution linked to the chairperson of the ruling party. These incidents and the involvement in the campaign of senior state officials from the ruling party continued to blur the line between state and party, the statement says.

“We note that the choice of the date for the second round was not made in an inclusive manner and was not in the interest of all voters, leading to suspicions that it was politically motivated,” said Laima Andrikienė, Head of the delegation from the European Parliament. “The announcement just a few days before a fiercely contested second round of debt relief benefitting 600,000 citizens and made possible by an entity owned by the head of the ruling party could be considered an attempt at vote-buying. Cases of intimidation and pressure on voters have to be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted. Further, the practice of mass sending pre-recorded phone calls and text messages is highly questionable.”

Margareta Cederfelt, Head of the delegation from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, said: “In this run-off election the Georgian people once again expressed their commitment to democracy by actively participating in the electoral process. Regrettably, the increased use of harsh rhetoric in the campaign between the two rounds contributed to a rise in tension in the electoral environment.”

The gathering of voter data and political preferences raised concerns about the potential for intimidation and about voters’ ability to cast their ballots free of fear of retribution. These concerns were reinforced by the environment outside of polling stations on election day, as candidates’ supporters used lists of voters to track who was coming to vote, the observers said. Opening, voting and counting on election day were assessed positively in almost all polling stations observed, and procedures were generally followed, although citizen observers and media representatives often acted on behalf of political parties and, in some instances, interfered in the counting.

Campaign finance reporting requirements for the second round were determined less than two weeks before the vote. The substantial imbalance noted during the first round in campaign donations in favour of the candidate backed by the ruling party remained for the run-off. There is no requirement to report on campaign activities by third-parties, including public protest movements, which mainly benefitted the candidate supported by the ruling party. Both contestants received support from political parties without candidates in the second round, and these contributions went unreported. The fact that most campaign finance-related complaints from both rounds were still pending at the time of the second vote continued to raise concerns about the enforcement of campaign finance rules, the statement says.

“The second round of the presidential election confirmed concerns expressed by the PACE delegation after the first round – in particular, the surprisingly generous system of campaign and party funding from the state budget and private donations. In addition, one can question the timing, just before the second round, of the government’s announcement of a debt-relief operation for hundreds of thousands of electors, financed by a private foundation affiliated to the ruling party’s leader,” said Andrej Hunko, Head of the delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. “This increase in the role of money in politics in a country with a high level of poverty and without efficient control mechanisms did not contribute to public confidence in democratic elections.”

Unclear regulation of the campaign led to a lack of legal certainty and to inconsistent and contradictory interpretations. Further, recent amendments did not rectify problems identified in previous two-round elections or address previous recommendations by the OSCE for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to provide explicit run-off regulations.

The lack of clear regulation also effectively limited the period for official campaigning in the media. While not required by law, most national broadcasters did provide free airtime to both candidates. The national public broadcaster displayed a clear bias against the opposition. Private media continued to demonstrate sharp polarization and clear bias in reporting, some becoming more vocal about their political positions ahead of the second vote, media monitoring revealed.

“Georgia has a good international standing as a democracy, and the corresponding commitment shown by citizens and voters was visible and impressive. The quality of the election was undermined, however, by unnecessarily sharp confrontation, negative campaigning and personal insults by some members of the political class, who did this rather than dealing with issues really important for Georgia, such as the rule of law and economic inequality,” said Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens, Head of the ODIHR election observation mission. “These negative practices were even worse than in the lead up to the first round.”

Nearly 700 complaints were filed following the first-round election day, mainly concerning procedural violations during voting and counting. A large number of cases were dismissed on procedural grounds, demonstrating a limited understanding of the procedures by complainants. There was lack of proper consideration of the substance of complaints, and commissions adopted narrow or inconsistent interpretations of the law, all of which undermined the right to effective remedy.

For further information, contact:

Iryna Sabashuk, OSCE PA, +995 591 716 350 or +45 60 10 81 73, iryna@oscepa.dk

Thomas Rymer, ODIHR, +995 591 616 398 or +48 609 522 266, thomas.rymer@odihr.pl

Chemavon Chahbazian, PACE, +995 591 716 333 or +33 (0) 6 50 68 76 55, chemavon.chahbazian@coe.int

Karl Minaire, EP, +995 599 070 453 or +32 47 78 54 578, karl.minaire@europarl.europa.eu

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404690 OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan

Integrated domestic waste management was the focus of a workshop hosted by the State Committee of Uzbekistan on Ecology and Environmental Protection in co-operation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) and with the support of several private companies from 27 to 29 November in Tashkent.

The workshop, which brought together around 50 government officials and representatives from state-owned and private companies, aimed to increase the participants’ knowledge of the different aspects of sustainable domestic waste management as well as familiarize them with the latest technological developments in the field.

The first two days consisted of presentations from and discussions with several leading international experts, including from Russia and Germany. The final day of the workshop was dedicated to business-to-business seminars in order to offer the participants a concrete opportunity to modernize and further develop their capacity in the field of sustainable domestic waste management.

The workshop was organized as part of the project Support in Implementation of Green Economy Policies in Uzbekistan and represented the PCUz’s continued support for the sustainability efforts made by the government. It furthermore served as a follow-up to one of the panels of the Business Forum on Green Technologies, which was held in early June and co-organized by the PCUz.

Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Astana

Strengthening preparedness and protection against terrorist attacks aimed at critical energy infrastructure was the focus of a risk-assessment and crisis management exercise held in Kazakhstan’s capital on 28 and 29 November 2018, organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the OSCE Programme Office in Astana.  

The exercise, which was attended by 17 national experts from the state and the energy sector, was held as part of the OSCE’s efforts to advance the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2341 (2017) on the protection of critical infrastructure from terrorist attacks. It is the ninth national exercise organized by the OSCE to support participating States in enhancing their capacities to mitigate terrorist attacks emanating from cyberspace on their critical energy infrastructure.

The participants took part in the discussion-based simulation exercise called ”Black Kazakhstan”. The exercise provided them with an opportunity to test the effectiveness of their existing protection and crisis management systems, including co-ordination with external crisis management mechanisms, to mitigate the impact of a terrorist cyber-attack.

The exercise further sought to raise awareness of the terrorist threat against Information and Communications Technology (ICT)-enabled critical energy infrastructure, its vulnerabilities and to improve inter-agency co-ordination and collaboration in order to increase resilience.

Timur Shaimergenov, Vice-Minister of Defence and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, emphasized the importance of protecting critical infrastructure and noted specific initiatives such as Kazakhstan’s Cyber Shield programme that have been created to address threats that may come from malicious cyber-attacks.

Colin McCullough, Political Officer at the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, said: “It is through international and inter-agency co-operation that risks can best be managed and crisis response options enhanced. This is critical in protecting all infrastructures from terrorist acts, including those emanating from cyberspace.”

“The disruption or destruction of critical energy infrastructure by terrorists could potentially have a devastating effect on the economy and society,” said Koen De Smedt of the Action against Terrorism Unit of the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department. “This exercise will help test and develop Kazakhstan’s national, sectoral and company-level capabilities to respond to a terrorist cyber-attack directed at industrial control systems.“ 

The training is based on the OSCE Good Practices Guide on Non-Nuclear Critical Energy Infrastructure Protection from Terrorist Attacks Focusing on Threats Emanating from Cyberspace.

404531 Andrii Dziubenko

On 28 November 2018 Ukraine’s Central Election Commission (CEC) installed equipment and software provided by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine for ensuring comprehensive technical protection of the State Voter Register, as part of efforts aimed at enhancing security of election administration systems from digital threats. This is an important step in the implementation of the CEC’s plans to enhance the cybersecurity of election administration during the 2019 votes.

The received systems of hardware and programmes make it possible to identify threats, prevent intrusions and respond to a range of possible cyberattacks.  By the end of November this year the CEC personnel will receive relevant training on the management of these solutions. 

“In today’s world powered by technological advance, it is a vital necessity to constantly upgrade defense against cyber threats. We hope that with our assistance both the personal data of Ukrainians and their right to vote in elections will be better protected,” said Jeffrey Erlich, Senior Project Officer of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.

“Through such comprehensive solutions, the system will be able to respond to threats and anomalies at various levels - workstations, network, and servers, as well as to various kinds of threats such as antivirus, spam, external network attacks or intrusions,” said Oleksandr Stelmakh, Head of the State Voter Register Administration.

The Chairperson of the CEC, Tetiana Slipachuk, emphasized that this timely technical assistance was a good illustration of the stable and effective co-operation between the CEC and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in the field of elections and, specifically, election cybersecurity.As of 10 October 2018, the State Voter Register contained personal data of more than 35.6 million Ukrainians eligible to participate in the presidential and parliamentary elections envisaged to take place next year.  The Register in digital form was established in 2007 with the Project Co-ordinator’s support in order to improve the accuracy of voter lists and ensure the effectiveness of election administration. 

The purchase and delivery of equipment is part of a project implemented by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator with the financial support of the Government of Norway and the United States Mission to the OSCE. 

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 observed towed howitzers in violation of the withdrawal lines near Mykhailivka.
• The SMM recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote and the Petrivske disengagement areas.
• The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.
• In Kyiv, the SMM monitored a protest against Russian businesses in Ukraine. It observed a calm situation in front of the Embassy and the Consulate of the Russian Federation.
• The Mission observed a calm situation at the crossing point in Chonhar and at a Ukrainian Border Guard Service position in Valok in the south-eastern part of Kherson region.
• The access for the SMM remained restricted in all three disengagement areas as well as near Markyne, an area close to the border with the Russian Federation,* and near Zaichenko.

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, and a similar number of explosions (about 90), compared with the previous reporting period (about 100 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas south-west and west of Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk) (including 44 explosions assessed as outgoing rounds), north-west of the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk) and south of Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including 13 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 60 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas north of Krymske (government-controlled, 42km north-west of Luhansk).

 

Disengagement areas[2]

During the day on 27 November, positioned in Zolote-4/Rodina (government-controlled, 59km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard two undetermined explosions at an assessed range of 4-6km east and south-south-west, both assessed as outside the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk). About an hour later, positioned on the northern edge of Zolote-4/Rodina, the Mission heard two undetermined explosions at an assessed range of 5-8km south-south-west, both assessed as outside the disengagement area.

The same day, positioned north of Petrivske, the SMM heard an explosion assessed as an outgoing round of an undetermined weapon and four undetermined explosions, all at an assessed range of 1-4km north and north-west, as well as about 150 bursts of small-arms fire at an assessed range of 2-4km west and west-north-west. The SMM assessed all above-mentioned ceasefire violations as outside the disengagement area.

The same day, the SMM saw two fresh holes in the south-facing wall at the forward position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces located 500m north of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk). The Mission assessed the damage as caused by small-calibre bullets fired from a southerly direction.

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:

27 November:

• Six towed howitzers (D20, 152mm) near Mykhailivka (37km north-west of Donetsk)

Beyond the withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites

Non-government-controlled areas:

24 November:

• Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed 11 self-propelled howitzers (types undetermined) and 12 towed mortars (types undetermined) at a training area south-east of Miusynsk (62km south-west of Luhansk).

26 November:

• An SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle spotted two tanks (T-72) at a training area about 4km south-west of Ternove (57km east of Donetsk).

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

Government-controlled areas[4]:

27 November:

• An armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-80) near Zolote-2/Karbonit (62km west of Luhansk)
• An armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) and an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) near Zolote
• An IFV (BMP-2) and two APCs (MT-LB) in Orikhove-Donetske (44km north-west of Luhansk)
• An APC (BTR-70) near Novobakhmutivka (28km north of Donetsk)
• An APC (Saxon) near Valentynivka (35km north of Donetsk)
• A trench digger (type undetermined) near Novoselivka (37km north-east of Mariupol)

Non-government-controlled areas:

• An anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) mounted on a truck near Zhovte (17km north-west of Luhansk).

Civilian infrastructure

The Mission continued to facilitate the operation of the Donetsk Filtration Station.

Situation of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints

At the checkpoint of the armed formations south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, the SMM saw around 600 people queuing to travel toward government-controlled areas. The Mission saw another 300 people queuing at a nearby bus stop and about 300 cars parked in an adjacent parking lot.

Border areas not under government control

While at a border crossing point near Marynivka (78km east of Donetsk) for about 70 minutes, the SMM saw 20 cars (six with Ukrainian and six with Russian Federation licence plates, and eight with “DPR” plates) and ten covered cargo trucks (five with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates, and four with “DPR” plates) exiting Ukraine. During the same time, the Mission saw also 22 cars (six with Ukrainian and 11 with Russian Federation licence plates, and five with “DPR” plates) and nine covered cargo trucks (five with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates, and three with “DPR” plates) entering Ukraine.

Protest in Kyiv

The SMM monitored a protest in front of a shopping mall at 176 Antonovycha Street. There it saw about 50 people (almost all men) holding flags of a political party and about 50 tyres in front of the mall’s main entrance, on which messages against Russian businesses in Ukraine had been spray-painted in the Ukrainian language. The Mission heard some protestors calling for a boycott of Russian products. At the site, it saw about 40 police officers.

The Mission observed a calm situation in front of the Embassy and the Consulate of the Russian Federation (for previous observations, see SMM Daily Report 26 November 2018).

The SMM observed a calm situation in Chonhar and Valok, south-east of Kherson

On 25 November, the SMM observed a calm situation at the crossing point in Chonhar (163km south-east of Kherson). The next day, at the same location, the Mission observed more officers of the Ukrainian Border Guard Service than usual. One of the officers told the SMM that the situation was calm but they had received instructions to be on full alert. The same day, at a Ukrainian Border Guard Service security position in Valok (188km south-east of Kherson), an officer told the SMM that the situation was calm but they were on full alert.

The SMM 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 (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 checkpoint about 1km north of Zaichenko (non-government-controlled, 26km north-east of Mariupol), two armed members of the armed formations again prevented the SMM from traveling west toward Pikuzy (formerly Kominternove, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Mariupol) and south toward Sakhanka (non-government-controlled, 24km north-east of Mariupol), citing “the SMM’s safety”. The SMM saw civilian cars pass through the checkpoint.
• At a military-type compound in Markyne (non-government controlled, 94km south of Donetsk), near the border with the Russian Federation, an armed member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area. During its presence, inside the compound the Mission saw members of the armed formations loading ammunition boxes onto a truck and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23).

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] 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.

[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] In the SMM Report of 26 November 2018, “an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) inside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area (see above)” should have been placed in the “non-government-controlled areas” subsection.

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

Some 120 criminal justice experts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan gathered in Bishkek from 27 to 29 November 2018 for the Seventh Expert Forum on Criminal Justice for Central Asia. The event was organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

Participants reflected on how recent changes to criminal procedural codes in a number of OSCE participating States in Central Asia impacted their criminal justice systems as a whole, as well as fair trial rights specifically.

"It is crucial that professionals working in the area of criminal justice have an opportunity to assess the effect of changes in legislation and policy on their day-to-day work and proceedings," said ODIHR Director Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir. "The Expert Forum is unique in that it provides this opportunity on a bi-annual basis across the region. We hope that like in previous years, the forum will encourage the emergence of legal and policy solutions that support adherence to human rights standards and more fair and efficient criminal justice systems."

Plenary sessions, working groups and side events allowed for in-depth assessments of new developments in the criminal justice system. This included the establishment of probation and the expansion of non-custodial measures and sanctions to ensure that imprisonment is a last resort, rather than ordered by default.

The participants, including policymakers, judges, prosecutors, lawyers, civil society representatives and academics, also discussed the need for criminal sanctions to be individualized and proportionate to the offence. Experience was shared on efforts to implement international standards for the treatment of prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules), reconciling the requirement of professional prison management with the observance of prisoners’ rights.

The event was organized in co-operation with the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). It was supported by the OSCE Programme Offices in Astana, Bishkek and Dushanbe, the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan.

404549 Communication and Media Relations Section OSCE supports Kazakhstan in implementing World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement

A two-day national workshop for representatives of the public authorities of Kazakhstan and the country’s business associations, aimed at implementing the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement, organized and moderated by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) and supported by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, was held on 27 and 28 November in Astana.

The workshop focused on minimizing the administrative burden on businesses and promoting secure and sustainable connectivity by reducing documentary requirements, adopting international documentary standards, enhancing communication and co-operation between authorities, and introducing a single entry point for submission and receipt of trade documents.

This activity was a continuation of the workshop held in October 2018. The workshop was designed to respond to the needs identified by the authorities of Kazakhstan in the national Draft Plan of Action on the Implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement. The workshop concluded with a document summarizing the main points and conclusions of the discussion.

Representatives of the Ministry of National Economy, the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry for Investments and Development, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Healthcare, the Ministry of Education, and the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs Atameken enhanced their competencies in available international standards for trade documents, including in the phytosanitary sphere, and in approaches to enhance co-ordination between stakeholders for successfully introducing a single window environment.

“Kazakhstan, as a member of many international organizations, is working actively to base national measures on international standards. Kazakhstan is also in the process of introducing a single window, and the workshop has been useful in this context,” said Gulnur Smagul, Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Trade Activity at the Ministry of National Economy of Kazakhstan.

“As Kazakhstan is looking to strengthen its role in global transport, a strong regulatory framework, improved inter-agency co-ordination, and digitalization are key factors for success,” said Jonas Grätz, OCEEA Economic Adviser.

The workshop was facilitated by experts from the World Customs Organization (WCO), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

This activity is part of an OSCE extra-budgetary project on promoting connectivity in the OSCE region. It is funded by Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Kazakhstan is one of the beneficiary countries alongside Moldova and Belarus.  

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 28 November 2018 – The OSCE Mission in Kosovo and the Association of Journalists of Kosovo will organize a workshop tomorrow in Prishtinë/Priština to discuss the role of media in reporting domestic violence and present a guide on how to improve reporting on this subject.

The workshop, organized also as part of the OSCE’s activities during the campaign 16 Days of Activism against gender-Based Violence, will provide an opportunity for journalists from all over Kosovo to understand the powerful role of the media in exposing domestic violence, shaping public discourse and enacting policy change.

The guide should help journalists to report more effectively on domestic violence in a victim-sensitive manner and to address domestic violence as a serious concern, providing appropriate context and holding institutions to account. It includes an overview of the relevant legal framework, civil proceedings, victim-sensitive reporting and domestic violence shelters and helplines.

The event will be opened by the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Jan Braathu, and Gentiana Begolli, President of the Association of Journalists of Kosovo.

Media representatives are cordially invited to cover the workshop, Thursday 29 November 2018, starting at 10:00, in Prishtinë/Priština, at Hotel Sirius.

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404306 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe SDGs SDGs:  5 - Gender equality

A group of 15 young Tajik Gender Champions, eight women and seven men, visited Skopje to network and learn about the advancement of women in Macedonia during an educational visit from 17 to 21 November 2018. The visit was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe.

The Gender Champions attended a conference on women entrepreneurs, held meetings with civil society and discussed best practices with representatives from two centres in Skopje established by Health Education and Research Association, namely the Family Centre against Domestic Violence and the Youth Centre for Reproductive Health for Roma minority in the municipality of Suto Orizari.

Before and during the educational visit the Gender Champions worked on assignments to prepare their own projects on improving economic empowerment of women. They incorporated best practices learned during their educational visit to Macedonia on how to promote women to leadership positions and financial independence by improving entrepreneurial possibilities for women, with a focus on rural areas.

At the OSCE Mission to Skopje the Gender Champions met with staff of the Mission and presented the new Gender Champions’ Anthem written by them.

This was the second educational visit to Skopje by the Gender Champions from Tajikistan. The first one took place in the summer of 2018 and offered the possibility to visit the Parliament, the National Council for Gender Equality, the UN Women Office in Skopje and the Business Association of Women entrepreneurs.

“As a follow-up to these two visits, it is envisaged by the Programme Office in Dushanbe to conduct a summer camp for young people from the two countries in 2019 in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Skopje and other relevant organizations in Macedonia. The Gender Champions will also be supported by the Programme Office in Dushanbe to implement their projects in the upcoming year,” said Vesna Ivanovikj-Castarede, the Gender and Anti-Trafficking Officer of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe.  

404477 Anna Vorobeva OSCE Mission to Moldova

Fifty-five defence attorneys and police officers strengthened their capacity to identify and effectively address bias-motivated offences at training sessions conducted by the OSCE Mission to Moldova in Chisinau, Comrat and Vadul-lui-Vodă between 21 and 27 November 2018.

The training sessions are part of the Mission’s work to support the country’s Government in building a tolerant society and advancing policies that make Moldova’s diversity a tangible strength.

During the sessions, the participants improved their understanding of the complex phenomenon of hate crime and its damaging effects on the targeted groups and communities. The seminars were based on both national legislation and on international standards and good practices. They offered opportunities for group work and practical exercises. 

“Some might think that bias-motivated offences are not very widespread in our society, but unfortunately, such cases do happen and lawyers should be prepared to correctly handle them.  This training event was really inspiring for me and I will gladly share my new knowledge with my colleagues,” said a lawyer from Tiraspol, who attended the training event in Comrat. 

The training sessions build on a series of similar seminars for representatives of law enforcement agencies that were successfully piloted by the Mission in Bălţi and Cahul, Moldova’s north and south, in 2017. The seminars focused on data collection and recording methods and sought to improve qualification of bias-motivated crimes.

According to the OSCE/ODIHR Hate Crime Report released on 16 November 2018, 17 cases of hate crimes were recorded by law enforcement agencies in Moldova in 2017 compared to five in 2016, and none in 2015. More detailed information on these bias-motivated crimes is available on the OSCE/ODIHR Hate Crime Reporting website: http://hatecrime.osce.org/