Central Europe

OSLO, 1 June 2018 – Global migration, digitalization and the role of women present modern challenges and opportunities to effective and balanced language policies, agreed participants at the close of a high-level conference on language policy and conflict prevention held yesterday in Oslo, marking the 20th anniversary of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities’ (HCNM) Oslo Recommendations.

“To respond to these new challenges is essential for effective conflict prevention,” emphasized the OSCE High Commissioner Lamberto Zannier, while noting that he observes a “renewed urgency” for States to engage in the issues of language policy and linguistic rights. Zannier thanked “the many high-level representatives of the OSCE participating States for contributing to the debate by sharing national best practices and lessons learned in the implementation of language-related policies.”

Taking stock of developments during the past 20 years since the launch of the Oslo Recommendations, former HCNM and former Norwegian Foreign Minister Knut Vollebaek said that the Recommendations, as “soft law”, helped to improve diversity management in Europe and that national legislation on minority rights has been adopted in many of European states.

Referring to the current challenge presented by migration, Audun Halvorsen, Norway's State Secretary to Minister of Foreign Affairs cited “breaches of fundamental freedoms, discrimination against minorities, diminishing respect for the rule of law, increasing nationalism and populism – all of which can lead to conflict. We are living in challenging times, and the need for tools to prevent conflict is great.”

UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues Fernand de Varennes referred to the increasing co-operation between his office and the HCNM, the Council of Europe and other actors, and recommended a “united front with other international actors and the use of joint letters, statements and specialized high-level conferences to address modern language rights challenges.”

Ambassador of Italy to Norway and Representative of the Italian 2018 OSCE Chairmanship Alberto Colella reiterated that national minority issues feature high on the agenda of the Italian OSCE Chairmanship. “Together with High Commissioner Zannier, the Italian Chairmanship will invite OSCE participating States to Udine, Italy, to debate the role of minorities in inter-state relations at an event marking the tenth anniversary of the HCNM’s Bolzano/Bozen Recommendations,” he said.

At the conference, HCNM staff officially launched the book, Language Policy and Conflict Prevention, which provides examples of best practices and recommendations to assist states in developing language policies that contribute to inter-ethnic peace. A video explaining the Oslo Recommendations was also screened during the event.

Photos from the event are available at: https://www.osce.org/hcnm/383187.

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BELGRADE, 1 June 2018 – The OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia launched today in Belgrade a three-year project entitled Support for Victims and Witnesses of Crime in Serbia.

The project aims to assist Serbian institutions in establishing a nationwide support service for victims and witnesses of crime in line with international standards and with Serbia’s strategic goal of EU accession. One of the most important project activities will be the drafting of the National Strategy for Victims’ Rights and its accompanying action plan. The project is being implemented by the OSCE Mission to Serbia and entirely financed by the European Union to the value of EUR 1.5 million.

Sem Fabrizi, the EU Ambassador to Serbia, stressed that "The EU's policy has put an increasing focus on support for victims and witnesses of crime at the centre of its legal and social services response in this area. In the framework of chapter 23 [of the EU accession process], the EU is glad to support Serbia in aligning its legislation on victims and witnesses of crime with the EU standards. Today, together with the highest Serbian institutions, we have launched an important project funded by the EU which will be of significant and direct help for the people of Serbia."

The Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Andrea Orizio, said that everyone could become victims of crime at some moment of their lives. “We are working in partnership with the Serbian institutions to set up an effective national victim support network, which places victims’ needs and their rights at the very heart of the criminal justice system in Serbia."

“Serbian citizens will be able to receive assistance and information from their very first contact with the responsible authority after having suffered or witnessed a crime, as well as support and guidance throughout the criminal proceedings and even after their conclusion,” said Orizio.

The project was presented to state officials, experts, judges, prosecutors, police officials and civil society organizations. It is part of the European Union’s and OSCE’s support to Serbia’s reform of its criminal justice system and alignment with international and EU standards on victims’ rights.

In addition to improving the legislative framework in this domain, the project will assist state institutions in strengthening their capacities, developing IT solutions to facilitate networking between service providers, educating a network of volunteers and raising awareness of the role of victim support services in Serbia.

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TASHKENT, 1 June 2018 – The first international roundtable discussion on Uzbekistan’s National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) against Torture, co-hosted by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan and the Office of the Authorized Person of the Oliy Majlis for Human Rights (Ombudsman), concluded today in Tashkent. 

The two-day event brought together some 60 high-level government officials, parliamentarians, representatives of national human rights institutions, a member of the UN Sub-Committee on Prevention of Torture, as well as local and international legal experts.

Participants discussed existing preventive mechanism models and the wide range of legal and practical aspects related to the establishment of the NPM against Torture in Uzbekistan.

The discussion especially focused on the development of a legislative framework in the light of international standards. Responsible officials from Georgia and Kazakhstan shared the experience of their respective countries in going through the process of ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) and establishing an NPM. Experts from the UN Sub-Committee on Prevention of Torture, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Penal Reform International, UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub and Amnesty International were able to provide recommendations on the draft legislation providing the basis of the NPM in Uzbekistan.

“I consider it an important achievement that we gathered here today to discuss the establishment of a National Preventive Mechanism against Torture in Uzbekistan,” said Juergen Becker, OSCE Senior Project Officer. “It is noteworthy that this process is being supported by the government of the country and that the goal is reflected in the 2018 State Programme on the Implementation of the 2017-2021 Strategy of Actions to Further Develop Uzbekistan in Five Priority Areas.”

The State Programme, recently adopted by the government, paves the way for the establishment of the NPM in accordance with international standards and good practices. “The OSCE stands ready to continue its support to this process,” said Becker.

Ulugbek Mukhammadiev, the Ombudsperson of Uzbekistan, said: “We are confident that the creation of the NPM will help ensure the rights and freedoms of human beings in line with the universally accepted norms, principles and standards of the United Nations and the OSCE commitments.”

Since 2012 the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan has been supporting the Authorized Person of the Oliy Majlis for Human Rights in working towards the establishment of a national torture prevention mechanism. This support has included providing training courses for the staff of the Ombudsperson Institution and several partner organizations on NPM models, as well as organizing study visits to the Netherlands, Poland and Austria.

The Conference is a part of a project of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan in support of the establishment of a National Preventive Mechanism against torture in Uzbekistan.

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VIENNA, 1 June 2018 – One year after the illegal detention of Stanislav Aseev, a blogger and contributor to the Ukrainian Service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today reiterated his urgent call for the journalist’s release. 

“The continued illegal detention of Stanislav Aseev is abhorrent and cannot be tolerated,” Désir said. “The journalist has already been held captive for one whole year, and the lack of access to the journalist only heightens concerns about his fate. I call for his immediate release for humanitarian reasons and as a matter of principle.”

Aseev was detained by the so-called “DPR” forces at the beginning of June 2017 in Donetsk. Representative Désir raised the case in a public statement one year ago and continues to raise attention to his case ever since including at the occasion of his visits to Ukraine and to Russia. 

“I call on all OSCE participating States to increase pressure on any relevant actors in Donetsk. All stakeholders with influence in this case should aid in Stanislav Assev’s release.”

 

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

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383235 Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Astana

An OSCE-supported regional training seminar for some 35 military officers from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia, on the practical implementation of the Vienna Document 2011 and the implementation of confidence- and security-building measures concluded on 1 June 2018 in Astana.

Military and civilian experts from Belarus, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre shared their expertise. The participants discussed developments in the field of confidence- and security-building measures, which are the focus of the Vienna Document, as well as its implementation aspects, such as inspection procedures, experience exchange and the demonstration of weapons and equipment systems.

The seminar included theoretical exercises and a simulated inspection visit to the 36th Air Assault Brigade near Astana. The participants carried out an evaluation in accordance with the provisions of the Vienna Document on compliance and verification, and produced an internal report.

The Vienna Document was adopted by all OSCE participating States and obliges them to share information on their armed forces and military activities. It also contains provisions on compliance and verification, such as conducting and hosting inspections and evaluations, as well as on risk reduction, military contacts and co-operation, and prior notification of certain military activities.

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana organized the four-day event in co-operation with Kazakhstan's Defence Ministry and with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek.

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana has been organizing seminars on the Vienna Document in Kazakhstan since 2006. The seminar is part of the Programme Office's long-standing efforts to promote OSCE confidence- and security-building measures and regional security.

CHERNIVTSI, 1 June 2018 – The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Madina Jarbussynova, concluded today a four-day visit to Western Ukraine. The trip aimed to raise awareness of human trafficking and the risks encountered by vulnerable groups as a consequence of the current crisis in and around Ukraine.

The visit covered the cities of Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi, where Jarbussynova met with representatives of state oblast administrations. She also delivered briefings to the staff of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine on best practices in monitoring and reporting human trafficking-related trends. Meeting with representatives from relevant international organizations and civil society to discuss the situation on the ground and issues related to the identification and assistance of victims of human trafficking, in particular in the light of vulnerabilities brought about by the ongoing crisis, was also part of her trip.

“Despite the distance, the repercussions of the events in the east are acutely felt across the whole of the country, including its western regions, with thousands of internally displaced persons hosted by local communities,” Jarbussynova said. “We must remain vigilant and ensure that, while searching for jobs and other sustainable economic opportunities, these people do not fall into the trap of human trafficking. In this regard, the important role of OSCE monitors in raising awareness of human trafficking risks can hardly be overstated.”

Ertugrul Apakan, Chief Monitor of the OSCE SMM, noted that “the SMM is well aware that conflict tends to exacerbate existing risks relating to human trafficking” and added that “the training provided by Ambassador Jarbussynova and her team will enable us to be better equipped to identify conflict-related trends and cases.”

The Special Representative travels regularly to Ukraine, engaging with high-level authorities, relevant stakeholders and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine. The work of her Office helps to strengthen the capacity of the Ukrainian institutions to effectively respond to trafficking in human beings. The Office also delivers training courses for OSCE monitors to enable them to spot human trafficking trends and report on alleged cases.

Next week, the Office of the Special Representative intends to deliver similar briefings on how to combat trafficking in human beings to the OSCE monitors in Donetsk, Luhansk, Sievierodonetsk and Kramatorsk.

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383190 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

On 28 May 2018 the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe commenced its annual awareness-raising campaign, Parents against Terrorism, with a series of one-day activities in the local communities of Shaartuz, Qabodiyon, Qushoniyon and Vakhsh in the Khatlon region of Tajikistan.

The campaign aims to improve community resilience against violent extremism and terrorist propaganda, enable parents to better safeguard their kids from exposure to violent extremists and establish partnerships between local communities and state bodies to prevent violent extremism and radicalisation leading to terrorism (VERLT).

Some 120 citizens – parents, teachers, local community leaders and social workers from local governance bodies – took part in the activities.

A woman from Shaartuz town, whose son was detained by Turkish authorities while on route to Syria, said during the workshop: “I so wish I would have known about the issues that were raised here before. I strongly believe I could have prevented my son from ending up where he is right now.” She added that she hopes the knowledge she gained will help her to prevent the rest of her children to follow their brother’s path.

“A group of young men from our community travelled to Syria. They joined violent extremist groups while working as labour migrants,” said Qayum Bobonazarov, another parent from Shaartuz town. According to Bobonazarov, the workshop helped him to better understand the topic and this would help him to be more vigilant while raising his children.

The next round of workshops will take place in the communities of Kulyab, Khovaling, and Muminobod throughout June 18 – 20, 2018. The planned is to reach out to 13 towns across Tajikistan until mid-July.

This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, compared with the previous reporting period. Small arms were fired in the direction of an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle near Krynychanske. The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty in Holmivskyi. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. It heard an explosion and saw dark grey smoke 200-300m from its position near the Petrivske disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere, including near Izvaryne and Dovzhanske at the border with the Russian Federation. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Novotroitske, Mykolaivka and Novoselivka. The Mission’s facilitation of the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to the Donetsk Filtration Station and of repair works and demining activities in the area, in order to keep the station operational, was interrupted due to ceasefire violations in the area, despite security guarantees. The SMM continued to monitor and facilitate repairs to high-voltage power lines near Yuzhna-Lomuvatka and Almazna and to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including, however, fewer explosions (about 130), compared with the previous reporting period (about 215 explosions).

On the evening of 29 May, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) recorded, in sequence, a tracer round in flight from south to north, six tracer rounds from south-east to north-west and three tracer rounds from north to south, followed by a total of seven projectiles in flight (two from north to south, three from south to north and two from east to west), all 200-500m west.

During the day on 30 May, positioned in Yasynuvata (non-government-controlled, 16km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard four undetermined explosions 2-3km south-west. Positioned about 1km north-west of the railway station in Yasynuvata, the SMM heard six undetermined explosions 3-5km west-south-west and a burst of small-arms fire 2km north-north-west.

On the evening and night of 29-30 May, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 19 explosions assessed as outgoing mortar rounds 1-2km south-south-east and their subsequent impacts 5-6km south-south-east, as well as 72 explosions assessed as impacts (45 of mortar rounds and the remainder undetermined), two undetermined explosions and more than 600 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun, infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon fire, automatic-grenade-launcher and small-arms fire, all 1-5km at directions ranging from south-east to south. During the day on 30 May, the SMM heard four explosions (two assessed as impacts of mortar rounds and two undetermined) 3-6km south-east.

On the evening of 29 May, while in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions and heard and saw four illumination flares, all 3-5km north-west.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including 21 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (two explosions).

During the day on 30 May, positioned 0.4km east of Mykolaivka (government-controlled, 77km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 14 explosions assessed as outgoing rounds as well as 15 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and 32 shots of small-arms fire, all 3-4km north-west (assessed as part of a live-fire training exercise outside the security zone).

Small-arms fire was directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Positioned about 600m west of Krynychanske (non-government-controlled, formerly Chervonohvardiiske, 42km west of Luhansk) while conducting three simultaneous mini-UAV flights in the area, the SMM heard 20 shots of small-arms fire 800-900m north-west, in the area where one of the mini-UAVs was flying. The Mission assessed the fire as directed at the mini-UAV, which the SMM landed without damage.

The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty in Holmivskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km north-east of Donetsk). Medical staff at hospital no. 2 in Horlivka told the SMM on 7 May that an 80-year-old man from Holmivskyi had been admitted with shrapnel wounds to the chest on 6 May and released the same day. On 30 May, the man’s daughter-in-law and a neighbour separately told the SMM that they had seen the man with shrapnel wounds in the garden of his house on 2 Zahorodnia Street in Holmivskyi during the day on 6 May. The neighbour also said that she had seen the shelling.

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), as foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016. The SMM’s access remained restricted, but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.*

On the evening of 29 May, while on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion and 19 bursts of small-arms fire, all 3-5km south-south-east and south (assessed as outside the disengagement area).

On 30 May, the SMM observed reinforcement works with tyres and sand bags at the forward position of the armed formations, south of the wooden ramps connecting the broken parts of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge.

On the evening and night of 29-30 May, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded, in sequence, two undetermined explosions, 11 projectiles and two bursts in vertical flight, four projectiles from south to north, a projectile from north to south and a projectile from south to north, all 3-14km east and south-east (all assessed as outside the disengagement area).

During the day on 30 May, positioned at the SMM camera site just outside the disengagement area near Petrivske, the SMM heard a whistling sound followed by an explosion and saw dark grey smoke 200-300m south-south-west, assessed as outside the disengagement area. The SMM assessed the explosion as an impact of a mortar (82mm) round (see SMM Spot Report 30 May 2018).

On 29 May, an SMM long-range UAV spotted four IFVs (BMP-2) north-east of Bohdanivka (41km south-west of Donetsk) and about 1.5km north of the Petrivske disengagement area.

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

In violation of withdrawal lines, in government-controlled areas, on 29 May, an SMM long-range UAV spotted an anti-tank gun (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) north-east of Novotroitske (36km south-west of Donetsk). On 30 May, the SMM saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) south of Mykolaivka (77km west of Luhansk), heading south-east.

In violation of withdrawal lines, in a non-government-controlled area, aerial imagery on 26 May revealed the presence of six towed howitzers (or mortars) (type undetermined) 1km east of Novoselivka (37km north-east of Donetsk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in a government-controlled area, on 29 May, an SMM long-range UAV spotted a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) near Kalynove (35km north of Donetsk).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles[2] in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 29 May, an SMM long-range UAV spotted two armoured reconnaissance vehicles (BRDM-2) and an IFV (BMP-1) near Nevelske (18km north-west of Donetsk), two IFVs (BMP-2 and a BMP variant) north-east of Novomykhailivka (28km south-west of Donetsk), an IFV (BMP variant) near Novohnativka (40km south of Donetsk), 15 IFVs (nine BMP variants and six BMP-1) near Novotroitske, an APC (MT-LB) and three IFVs (two BMP-1 and one BMP-2) near Berezove (31km south-west of Donetsk) and two IFVs (BMP variants) near Slavne (26km south-west of Donetsk). The same day, the SMM saw two IFVs (BMP-1) and an armoured recovery vehicle (BREM-Ch) near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk).

In non-government-controlled areas, an SMM long-range UAV on 29 May spotted three IFVs (BMP-1) near Styla (34km south of Donetsk), two IFVs (BMP variants) near Dokuchaievsk (30km south-west of Donetsk) and two IFVs (one BMP-1 and one BMP-2) near Olenivka (23km south-west of Donetsk).

In non-government-controlled areas, aerial imagery on 26 May revealed at least 115 impacts of undetermined weapon rounds (not seen in imagery from 28 April 2018) 2km north-west of Shyroka Balka (non-government-controlled, 34km north-east of Donetsk) and 9km west of Horlivka.

The SMM’s facilitation of the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to the DFS, as well as of repair works to the DFS and demining activities around the station was interrupted due to ceasefire violations in the area (see above and the table for ceasefire violations heard from the SMM’s positions in Yasynuvata and Avdiivka), despite explicit security guarantees. At the junction of road H20 and M04, about 1km south of the DFS, the SMM saw two armed men in military-style clothing walking along road M04.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to high-voltage power lines near Yuzhna-Lomuvatka (non-government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and Almazna (non-government-controlled, 55km west of Luhansk) and the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk). 

The SMM visited two border areas not under government control. At a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk), a member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.* While there for about 20 minutes, the SMM saw nine cars and a bus (licence plates not visible) exiting Ukraine and three cars (two with Russian Federation and one with Ukrainian licence plates) and 26 pedestrians (15 women and 11 men, between 35 and 65 years old) entering Ukraine.

While at a border crossing point near Dovzhanske (84km south-east of Luhansk) for about 20 minutes, the SMM saw three cars with Ukrainian licence plates entering Ukraine. A member of the armed formations then approached the SMM and told it to leave the area.*

The SMM 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 (see below). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

• At a border crossing point near Izvaryne, an armed member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.
• At a border crossing point near Dovzhanske, an armed member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The SMM was prevented from accessing parts of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, with the exception of the main road, due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM by phone that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.[3]
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads in the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM by phone that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.5
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. An armed formation member positioned on the southern side of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.

Other impediments:

• An SMM mid-range UAV was jammed while flying over an area near Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol). The SMM landed the UAV without any damage. [4]
• Positioned west of Krynychanske, the SMM heard 20 shots of small-arms fire in the area where it was flying a mini-UAV and assessed them as directed at the UAV, which was landed without any damage.
• The SMM long-range UAV was jammed while flying over areas near Talakivka (government-controlled, 90km south of Donetsk), Mykolaivka (non-government-controlled, 70km south of Donetsk) and east of Novolaspa (non-government-controlled, 50km south of Donetsk). The UAV was then landed without any damage.

[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 camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Marinka was not operational during the reporting period.

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

[3] The SMM informed Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC. Russian Federation Armed Forces officers of the JCCC have withdrawn from the JCCC as of 18 December 2017.

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

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383092 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

“Good Governance and Economic Connectivity - best practices within the OSCE region” was the topic of the OSCE Regional Ministerial Conference organized by the OSCE and the Government of Turkmenistan that ended in Ashgabat on 31 May 2018.

The two-day conference brought together some 120 participants, including high-level officials and decision-makers from five Central Asian countries and Afghanistan and 21 OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation. Representatives of international organizations, academia, the private sector and non-governmental organizations also participated in the event.

The conference addressed a wide spectrum of topics ranging from trade facilitation and improvement of regional transit through harmonization of border and customs mechanisms to the latest developments in the digitalization and modernization of economies. The event highlighted the importance of good governance as a driver for economic growth and connectivity and the impact of good governance on the creation of a positive business and investment climate.

 The international experts provided insights on how to improve connectivity through e-business and digital trade, the security implications of the digital economy, and new technologies for secure transport management.

The participants discussed ways to enhance political dialogue on key economic issues in the region and share best practices on economic good governance. Other debated topics included how to promote co-operation among regional economic initiatives on sustainable transport and renewable energy issues. 

 Vuk Zugic, Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, referred to Ministerial Decision adopted in Hamburg in 2016, stating that it is “based on the fundamental assumption that comparable levels of good governance, transparency and accountability of public authorities in all OSCE participating States are conducive for establishing confidence”.

“Concurrently, engagement in trade and transport facilitation measures enhances the reliability of procedures and public services, which in turn can lead to higher levels of connectivity and trust,’ said Zugic. “This conference confirms the OSCE’s relevance as a platform for dialogue and as a mechanism for the implementation of our commitments.”

Halykdurdy Gurbanov, Chairman of the State Committee on Statistics of Turkmenistan, stated: “The ongoing global changes and new economic environment require the world community to undertake effective measures to improve the world governance architecture, in order to gain maximum benefit from globalization through concerted action and ensure sustainable and balanced development.”

“It is our belief that the conference will serve as an efficient platform for the exchange of opinions on topical aspects of multidimensional interaction,” Gurbanov said.

One of the outcomes of the conference was a set of recommendations, developed by international experts, for improving economic good governance, facilitating trade and transport, modernizing economies and strengthening public-private partnerships in energy infrastructure and sustainable transportation projects.

KYIV, 31 May – Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine Alexander Hug will hold his regular news briefing on Friday, 1 June, in Kyiv.

He will talk about the security situation throughout Ukraine and the Mission’s recent activities.

Journalists are invited to attend the news briefing tomorrow, 1 June, at 14:00 (Kyiv time), at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Centre, at the Ukrainian House, 2 Khreshchatyk Street.

Live streaming of the news briefing will be available at http://uacrisis.org/ru/stream/#eng

 

 

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Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Astana

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana supported the international roundtable "Exchanging experiences and best practices in combating human trafficking and illegal migration" held in Shymkent, Kazakhstan on 31 May 2018.

Some 40 officials from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan representing governmental departments on combating organized crime, border control, migration control and finance will discuss and exchange best practices in combating human trafficking as well as ways to promote co-operation. Border officials from Belarus and UK will present the best practices of their countries on ways of counteracting organized crime on human trafficking in their respective countries.  

The event aims to increase the effectiveness of co-operation among law enforcement agencies from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in the field of countering transnational organized crime, specifically human trafficking and illegal migration, as well as identifying and seizing illicit proceeds from these crimes.

The Deputy Head of the Criminal Police Department of the Interior Ministry of Kazakhstan, Sagat Madiyev, said: “Nowadays, our country has built a sufficient system of counteracting trafficking in human beings, which is constantly being improved. A set of legislative and organizational measures aimed at preventing the detection of the suppression and disclosure of crimes related to trafficking in persons was carried out.”

The Deputy Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, Diana Digol, said: “The process of protecting victims of human trafficking requires early identification and a thorough knowledge of how traffickers operate, so that the involved authorities can best co-ordinate and detect organized criminal groups. As this crime can be very complex in nature, it is crucial to learn from other countries and international experts how their experience has helped them to combat this modern form of slavery”.

“Helping victims is a key component in combating trafficking in human beings. I know that 11 state shelters for affected people were opened in Kazakhstan – this is a huge achievement,” said Paul Jukic, Political Counsellor, Chief of Political Section at the US Embassy in Astana. “Since Kazakhstan is a country of destination, where the overwhelming majority of victims are foreign, I hope that the next step will be the development of regulations that allow placing them in public shelters, too.”

The event was co-organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in co-operation with the Interior Ministry and the United States Embassy in Astana. It is part of the OSCE Programme Office’s long-standing efforts to support the host country in implementing the OSCE Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings.

Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

A three-day practical workshop on anti-corruption screening of legal acts for government experts concluded on 25 May 2018 at the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe.

Fifteen representatives from the Agency for State Financial Control and the Fight against Corruption, the Ministry of Justice, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the State Committee for National Security, the Agency of civil service and the Institute for Public Administration, the latter both under the jurisdiction of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, took part in the event. They learned how to formulate recommendations to eliminate potentially corruptive provisions in the Law on Pension Provision to Citizens of the Republic of Tajikistan as a part of the anti-corruption screening exercise.

The workshop was opened by Fabio Piana, Deputy Head of the Programme Office, who stressed the importance of inter-agency co-operation in the fight against corruption.

“Corruption has not been fully eliminated in any country and it can be found in any society. However, the level of corruption can be reduced to the stage when this phenomenon cannot interfere with the development of society and prosperity of the state,” said Denis Primakov, an international expert who delivered the workshop. “Anti-corruption screening of legal acts helps to identify provisions in the acts that potentially could lead to corruption and help to reduce the level of corruption in the country”.

Participants shared their experiences on anti-corruption screenings during the seminar to streamline inter-agency co-operation and information exchange in the framework of corruption prevention activities.

MINSK, 31 May 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 30 May 2018:

“I have repeatedly stressed that one of the main tasks of the Trilateral Contact Group is to ensure the security and decent living conditions for civilians in the conflict zone. With this regard, I would like to draw your attention to some alarming trends.

For the last two months, the number of civilian casualties has dramatically increased as compared to early 2018. Among them, child fatalities are of particular concern. The day before yesterday a 15-year-old girl was killed near Toretsk as a result of a mortar attack. On 22 May, a 14-year-old boy was killed and three children were injured in Debaltseve as a result of a grenade explosion in a bus.

This is unacceptable. The warm season has started and school holidays are ahead. With this in mind, I call on the sides to do their utmost to avoid civilian casualties and pay particular attention to the safety of children.

The situation around civilian infrastructure remains tense as well.

As you know, the situation around the Donetsk Filtering Station (DFS) was discussed at the previous TCG meetings. Unfortunately, despite the sides’ security guarantees and the reinforced patrolling of OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, further ceasefire violations have occurred near the DFS.

I also want to mention two recent incidents: the shelling of medical facilities in the government-controlled Toretsk and the undermining of Shterovsky road bridge in certain areas of Luhansk region.

In this regard, the security of civilians and critical infrastructure in the conflict zone and in particular, in the area of the Donetsk Filtering Station, were the focus of today's discussions in the Working Group on Security. At the same time, the Coordinator of the Working Group, Ambassador Ertuğrul Apakan, stressed that the withdrawal of heavy weapons, especially from the populated areas, is a key prerequisite for the cessation of fire in the conflict zone.

The Working Group on Economic Issues continued to discuss further steps to be taken to recover and improve mobile communication of Vodafone-Ukraine in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (CADR and CALR). The current issues related to water deliveries in the supply systems "Karbonyt" and "Voda Donbassa" as well as pension payments and environmental safety were duly considered, too.

The Working Group on Humanitarian Issues continued its discussion on the exchange of detainees and the conditions of their detention, as well as on the issue of missing persons.

The participants of the Working Group also discussed the improvement of conditions for crossing the contact line via checkpoints, in particular in Stanytsia Luhanska.

The Working Group on Political Issues continued to discuss issues related to the sequence of implementation of the so-called ‘Steinmeier formula’ and the modalities of the local elections in CADR and CALR”.

 

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At 10:22 on 30 May, an SMM patrol consisting of six members and two armoured vehicles arrived at the SMM camera site just outside the disengagement area near Petrivske (41km south of Donetsk). At 10:58 the patrol members were stationary in two vehicles with the doors open when they all heard a whistling sound followed by an explosion, and saw dark grey smoke coming from behind an abandoned brick farm building, 200-300m south-south-west, assessed as outside the disengagement area. The SMM assessed that the explosion was caused by an impacting mortar round (82mm). The patrol left the area immediately and returned safely to its base in Donetsk city.

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This report is for the media and the general public.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer ceasefire violations in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. The Mission heard and saw an explosion about 200m away near Nelipivka. The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty in Zaitseve. The Mission observed fresh damage caused by shelling in a residential area in Chermalyk. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske and recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area. The Mission’s access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including near Izvaryne at the border with the Russian Federation and at a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled part of Donetsk region. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Boikivske, Miusynsk, Myrne, Donetskyi and Sentianivka. It continued to facilitate the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to the Donetsk Filtration Station and monitor the security situation as well as facilitate repair works and demining activities in order to keep the station operational; it heard ceasefire violations in the area, despite security guarantees. The SMM continued to monitor and facilitate repairs to high-voltage power lines near Yuzhna-Lomuvatka and the Petrivske pumping station near Artema.

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1], including about 215 explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 115 explosions).

On the evening of 28 May, while in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard about 45 undetermined explosions and small-arms fire, all 2-5km north-west. On 29 May, while on the northern edge of Horlivka, the SMM heard four undetermined explosions 3-4km north and a shot of small-arms fire 500m north.

On the evening and night of 28-29 May, while in Svitlodarsk (government-controlled, 57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard eight explosions assessed as outgoing mortar rounds 2-6km south-east, eight explosions assessed as impacts 4-5km south-east and about 100 explosions (six as outgoing rounds of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1) cannon (73mm) fire, one as an artillery round and the remainder undetermined) and about 400 bursts and shots of IFV (BMP-2) cannon (30mm), anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm), automatic grenade-launcher and heavy-machine-gun fire, all 1-6km east and south-east. On 29 May, while at the same location, the SMM heard three undetermined explosions 3-5km south-east.

On 29 May, positioned on the southern edge of Toretsk (formerly Dzerzhynsk, government-controlled, 43km north of Donetsk), the SMM heard 12 explosions (two assessed as outgoing artillery rounds, one as an impact and the remainder undetermined), all 2-3km south-east.

Positioned at the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS), the SMM heard an undetermined explosion 1-3km north-north-west and three bursts of small-arms fire 400-500m north-north-east.

Positioned about 3km north-east of Nelipivka (government-controlled, 40km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard an explosion and saw a smoke column about 200m north, assessed as a probable ground-based explosion. The patrol also saw two cars (a possible 4x4 and a pickup truck) with four people in military-style clothing (two in each car) driving past the SMM patrol and away from where the explosion occurred. The SMM immediately left the area.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including two explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 35 explosions).

The SMM followed up on reports of a civilian casualty. On 24 May, a woman told the SMM that on 11 May her son (aged 36) had sustained shrapnel wounds to his neck and shoulder when two explosions had occurred near the yard of his house on 38 Artemivska Street in Zaitseve (50km north-east of Donetsk). Medical staff at a hospital in Horlivka told the SMM by telephone that a man (aged 36) from 38 Artemivska Street had been admitted on 11 May and treated for shrapnel wounds to his neck and shoulder. A community representative in Zaitseve relayed the same information to the SMM by telephone. The SMM has been unable to visit the injured man’s house in Zaitseve due to security reasons.                                                                                                  

The SMM followed up on reports of damage caused by shelling in a residential area in Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol). Accompanied by a Ukrainian Armed Forces Officer of the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC), at 18 Haharina Street, the SMM saw two shattered windows and minor shrapnel scarring on the north-facing wall of a one-storey house, as well as a fresh crater 8m north of the house. The SMM assessed all damage to have been caused by a 73mm cannon round fired from an easterly direction. A resident of the house (aged 40-50) told the SMM that she had been at home with her husband on the night of 28-29 May when the sound of glass breaking had woken them up and that they had sought shelter in the basement.

At 20 Haharina Street, the SMM saw a fresh crater in the soft soil about 4.5m south-east of a barn which had minor shrapnel damage to its south-east facing wall, assessed to have been caused by a 73mm cannon round fired from an easterly direction. Residents of 21 Haharina Street (a woman, aged 40-50 and her son, aged 20-30) told the SMM that they had been at home when they had heard shelling in the early morning hours of 29 May.

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), as foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016. The SMM’s access remained restricted, but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.*

On the evening and night of 28-29 May, the SMM camera in Zolote recorded totals of three undetermined explosions, 23 projectiles in flight (14 from south-west to north-east, four from south to north, three from north-west to south-east and two from west to east) and an airburst, all 3-9km east-north-east and east (assessed as outside the disengagement area), as well as a projectile from east-north-east to west-south-west 1-2km south-south-east (unable to assess whether inside or outside the disengagement area).

On 28 May, an SMM long-range UAV again spotted an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23) mounted on a green truck (KamAZ-4310) inside the Zolote disengagement area on its southern edge (see SMM Daily Report 3 May 2018), three rows of previously spotted anti-tank mines (TM-62) about 600m inside the southern edge of the disengagement area and a previously spotted trench system and footpath leading to a probable military position 1km further north (see SMM Daily Report 26 April 2018).

Positioned near the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, the SMM observed a calm situation.

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

In violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas, on 26 May, aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of three towed howitzers (or mortars) near Boikivske (formerly Telmanove, 67km south-east of Donetsk) and eight multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) (type undetermined) near Miusynsk (62km south-west of Luhansk) (see SMM Daily Report 17 May 2018). On 27 May, an SMM long-range UAV spotted seven MLRS (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) about 6km south-east of Miusynsk and seven MLRS (BM-21) in Myrne (28k south-west of Luhansk) (see SMM Daily Report 18 May 2018). On 28 May, an SMM long-range UAV spotted a mortar (2B11 Sani, 120mm) and a tank (T-64) in Donetskyi (49km west of Luhansk), as well as three mortars (2B11) near Sentianivka (formerly Frunze, 44km west of Luhansk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites in government-controlled areas, on 29 May the SMM saw 18 self-propelled howitzers (nine 2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm and nine 2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) travelling north on a road between Paraskoviivka (75km north of Donetsk) and Malynivka (82km north of Donetsk) and a self-propelled howitzer (2S1) on the north western outskirts of Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk).

In non-government-controlled areas, on 26 May, aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of 57 tanks (type undetermined) about 4km south-east of Ternove (57km east of Donetsk) (see SMM Daily Report 28 February 2018); 34 tanks (type undetermined) near Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk); 19 tanks (type undetermined), eight self-propelled mortars (or howitzers) and 24 towed mortars (or howitzers) near Myrne; 13 tanks (type undetermined) near Shymshynivka (27km south-west of Luhansk); eight tanks (type undetermined) and seven towed mortars (or howitzers) near Miusynsk; as well as 24 tanks (type undetermined) and four surface-to-air missile systems (type undetermined) near Buhaivka (37km south-west of Luhansk). On 27 May, an SMM long-range UAV spotted 34 tanks (24 T-72 and ten T-64) about 4km south-east of Ternove; nine self-propelled howitzers (2S1), seven towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm), seven tanks (T-64) and four surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10) 6km south-east of Miusynsk; as well as 21 tanks (11 T-64 and ten T-72), 12 towed howitzers (D-30), eight self-propelled howitzers (2S1), six anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) and 15 towed mortars (PM-38, 120mm) near Myrne.

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. In non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region, the SMM saw six self-propelled howitzers (2S1) and noted that 12 mortars (11 PM-38 and one 2B11) continued to be missing.

The SMM revisited permanent storage sites whose locations were beyond the respective withdrawal lines in areas outside government control in Donetsk region and noted that 18 tanks (ten T-72 and eight T-64), nine mortars (2B14 Podnos, 82mm) and 15 anti-tank guns (MT-12) continued to be missing.

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles (ACVs)[2] and indications of military-type presence in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, on 27 May, an SMM long-range UAV spotted an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (MT-LB) and an IFV (BMP-1) near Troitske (69km west of Luhansk). On 28 May, an SMM long-range UAV spotted an APC (BTR-70) near Klynove (68km north-east of Donetsk), four IFVs (three BMP-1 and a BMP-variant) near Novotoshkivske (53km west of Luhansk), three IFVs (BMP-1) and an APC (MT-LB) near Orikhove (57km north-west of Luhansk) and two APCs (BTR-80) near Zaitseve (62km north-east of Donetsk) and the SMM saw two IFVs (BMP-1) near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk). On 29 May, the SMM saw an IFV (BMP-2) near Sartana (15km north-east of Mariupol).

In non-government-controlled areas, aerial imagery revealed on 26 May the presence of 20 ACVs near Boikivske. On 27 May, an SMM long-range UAV spotted three IFVs (BMP-1) near Sofiivka (formerly Karlo-Marksove, 40km north-east of Donetsk) and three IFVs (BMP-1) and an APC (MT-LB) near Dovhe (22km north-west of Luhansk). On 28 May, an SMM long-range UAV spotted four IFVs (BMP-1) near Sentianivka and an IFV (BMP-1) near Znamianka (36km north-west of Luhansk). On 29 May, the SMM saw freshly dug trenches and firing positions near Ohulchansk (25km east of Luhansk), as well as five people in military-style clothing digging trenches between Zolote-5 (Mykhailivka) (61km north-west of Luhansk) and Berezivske (53km north-west of Luhansk).

The SMM observed a mine hazard sign for the first time at the crossroads between roads T1315 and T1303, about 2.5km north of Stepove (non-government-controlled, 27km west of Luhansk), reading “Stop Mines, Danger, Don’t leave the road, in case of danger call 101” in Russian and bearing the logo of an international organization.

The SMM continued to monitor and facilitate the access of Voda Donbassa water company employees to the DFS as well as repair works to the DFS and demining activities around the station. Positioned in areas near the DFS, the SMM heard undetermined explosions and small-arms fire (see ceasefire violation table below), despite explicit security guarantees.

The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to high-voltage power lines near Yuzhna-Lomuvatka (non-government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk) and to the Petrivske pumping station near Artema (government-controlled, 26km north of Luhansk) and facilitated demining as part of an international organization’s construction projected located between Maiorsk (government-controlled, 45km north-east of Donetsk) and Horlivka. 

The SMM visited two border areas not under government control. While at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw two cars (one with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates) exiting Ukraine as well as two cars (one with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates) and 21 pedestrians entering Ukraine. After about five minutes, an armed member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.* While at a border crossing point near Novoazovsk (102km south-east of Donetsk) for about 30 minutes, the SMM saw eight cars (five with Ukrainian licence plates, and three with “DPR” plates) and two covered cargo trucks (with Ukrainian licence plates) exiting Ukraine and six cars (three with Ukrainian and two with Russian Federation licence plates, and one with “DPR” plates) and a covered cargo truck (with Ukrainian licence plates) entering Ukraine.

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

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

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO), and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the 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 (see below). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

• At a border crossing point near Izvaryne, an armed member of the armed formations told the SMM to leave the area.
• At a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region, three members of the armed formations told the SMM it could not enter the site.

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The SMM was prevented from accessing parts of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, with the exception of the main road, due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.[3]
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads in the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM by phone that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC.5
• The SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. An armed formation member positioned on the southern side of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.

Other impediments:

• Medical staff at a hospital in Horlivka told the SMM that they could not provide any information about civilian casualties without written permission from senior members of the armed formations in Donetsk.

 

[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. The SMM camera at the entry-exit checkpoint in Marinka and the SMM camera at entry-exit checkpoint in Pyshchevyk were not operational during the reporting period.

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

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

[3] The SMM informed Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC. Russian Federation Armed Forces officers of the JCCC have withdrawn from the JCCC as of 18 December 2017.

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382924 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

The OSCE Office in Dushanbe’s Water Management and Energy Security Unit delivered a training seminar on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) to students of the Master’s programme in Economic Governance and Development at the OSCE Academy in Bishkek from May 14 to 23.

It was attended by 24 students from Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The seminar gave a broad overview of different topics related to IWRM and water sector reforms. The discussion focused on management of water resources boundaries, irrigation management transfer and water pricing as well as transboundary water management and the water energy nexus.

The participants also discussed case studies from Central Asia and Afghanistan to highlight current regional policy translations and practices on water resources governance. 

383002 Edita Buçaj

The OSCE Mission, in cooperation with the Press Council and the Radio Television of Kosovo, is starting this evening a series of eight TV programs on media and information literacy titled “EduMedia.”

The aim of the series which combines studio debate, interviews and features, is to inform the general public about the importance of media and information literacy, the needs and challenges for its further promotion and introduction in the formal education system and at grass-roots level in Kosovo.

Moderated by Imer Mushkolaj, Chairperson of the Press Council of Kosovo, debates will feature media experts, university professors, and representatives of institutions, the civil society and international organizations. They will discuss challenges that media present nowadays to the public and the need to further develop critical thinking and analysis for deconstruction of media content.

“Through these series, we want to inform the public that media and information literacy is not only about developing their critical thinking skills but also about equipping them with the knowledge to assess, analyse and deconstruct complex media messages online and offline,” said Dane Koruga, Chief of Media Section in the OSCE Mission in Kosovo. “A better informed public is better prepared to counter fake news as a rising global phenomenon.”

The initiative is part of wider Mission efforts to increase the knowledge on media and information literacy. Since 2016, the Mission has been promoting media and information literacy through presentations to the representatives of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, media institutions and journalist associations, and teacher trainings and presentations to schoolchildren, parents and teachers in 2017.

In addition, the OSCE Mission is planning to expand its scope of work and team up with public universities and private colleges to promote and hold practical courses on media and information literacy for university students and teachers.  

The first program airs on RTK 1 tonight at 20:10. The debate will be subtitled in Serbian language and broadcasted on RTK 2 on 3 June 2018 at 20:00. Other debates will follow on monthly basis.

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is mandated with human rights protection and promotion, democratization and public safety sector development. It helps safeguard freedom of media and freedom of expression and supports media development.

Communication and Media Relations Section

Thirteen representatives from six NGOs, working in different regions of Belarus, received practical training and exchanged experiences with Serbian experts on women’s empowerment during a workshop from 28 to 30 May 2018 in Belgrade. The main focus of the training was to provide hands-on tools and approaches to establish mentor networks for women, in order to enhance their economic participation. The event was organized by the OSCE Gender Section.

In his welcoming remarks Joseph Mellot, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission in Serbia, highlighted the importance of mentorship in helping women to overcome challenges they face in different social settings. Participants had an opportunity to hear personal experiences of successful mentees of the European Movement’s Mentor Programme “Share your Knowledge”, supported by the OSCE Mission in Serbia. “Mentoring is a great tool to promote gender equality and to support women from marginalized groups to be active members of the society,” stressed the lead trainer from European Movement, Svetlana Stefanovic.

During the highly interactive working group sessions participants learned new practical skills on how to conduct recruitment and mentor-mentee matching procedures. They received direct support in developing goals and objectives for their mentor programmes. The participants also had an opportunity to hear Serbian experiences and success stories in promoting gender equality and combating violence against women from the Adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister for Gender Equality, Ljiljana Loncar, and representatives from civil society organizations.

VIENNA, 30 May 2018 – In a special session to mark the 100th year since the end of the First World War, the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC), meeting today in Vienna under Slovenia’s Chairmanship, explored the impact of the so-called “Great War” and the lessons it holds for modern international relations and European security.

Ambassador Andrej Benedejčič, Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the OSCE and Chairperson of the Forum, opened the session by reminding participants that the First World War affected the entire OSCE region and all the participating States.  

“Some, like Slovenia, still deal with unexploded ordnance from this period,” said Ambassador Andrej Benedejčič. “In light of its profound impact, it is important to address the origins of one of the deadliest conflicts Europe has ever witnessed, as well as to consider its consequences and possible lessons for the current security context. As one of the surviving Slovenian soldiers wrote in his memoirs, ‘We never imagined such a war!’”

Dr. Božo Repe, Professor of Contemporary History at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Ljubljana, said that historians have been unable to pinpoint when a conscious decision about the war was made, because there wasn’t one.

“The world drifted into it step by step, until it became unmanageable. The war began with local conflicts over territories and geostrategic influence,” he said. “Since its horrors had to be justified, modern propaganda was born. The war divided Europe into a multitude of nation-states with poorly demarcated borders and numerous minorities, setting the scene for processes of ethnic cleansing. The main difference between then and now is that today there are international mechanisms in place, which may prevent a new catastrophe. The role of an organization like the OSCE is therefore extremely important.”  

The First World War can be seen as the result of the failure of political powers to solve crises at the beginning of the 20th century, said Dr. Christian Ortner, Director of the Museum of Military History in Vienna.

“At that time national actors believed in their military supremacy and in war as a means to solve outstanding problems in Europe,” he said. “War not only resulted from political discrepancies, but also from different socio-economic developments. Military planning and posture, as well as demographic developments, also influenced the decision to wage war. Just like it started, the war also ended in an unstructured and contradictory manner. The First World War can also be seen as the first industrialized war in Europe,” Ortner said.

Dr. Catherine Horel, General Secretary of the International Committee of Historical Sciences, spoke about "the end of empires" and the new map of Europe after the First World War, focusing in particular on the changes in Central and South-Eastern Europe.

Later in the day, the Slovenian Chairmanship of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation will welcome representatives of OSCE participating States to a reception at the Museum of Military History in Vienna, where a documentary film about the First World War battles along the Isonzo Front will be screened. In co-operation with the Museum, guests will be invited to guided tours of the Museum’s extensive exhibits from the First World War era. 

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ROME, 30 May 2018 – All aspects of the “package of eight” will be finalized by the end of the year: this was the historic outcome of the 5+2 talks on the Transdniestrian settlement process held in Rome on 29 and 30 May under the Italian OSCE Chairmanship. The commitment is reflected in the Rome Protocol (available in Russian and English) signed by the Sides, mediators and observers. The Protocol outlines clear timelines and mechanisms to ensure the rapid finalization of the outstanding issues from the “package of eight” priorities identified by the Sides in 2017.

“Agreements followed by implementation through local ownership and leadership have become the new norm of the Transdniestrian settlement process. The Protocol signed by the Sides today gives me confidence that the remaining priorities related to telecommunications, criminal cases and the freedom of movement will be achieved by the Sides by the end of the year if not sooner,” said Franco Frattini, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian Settlement Process. “The commitment to finalize all aspects of the ‘package of eight’ further builds trust and makes this year a historic one for the settlement process and most importantly for Chisinau and Tiraspol.”

The mediators and observers welcomed the adherence to the results-oriented approach called for by the 57 participating States in OSCE Ministerial Council Statements in 2016 and 2017. They also applauded the Sides for the remarkable achievement of concluding in April 2018 a complex agreement on the participation of vehicles from Transdniestria in international traffic.

“Over the past months, Chisinau and Tiraspol have demonstrated a genuine commitment to advance the settlement process. This was evident at all levels of the negotiations starting from the intense series of meetings of the working groups lead by the Chief Negotiators, to the personal engagement of the Moldovan and Transdniestrian leadership,” said Ambassador Michael Scanlan, Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova and the OSCE mediator in the 5+2 format. “I am confident the Sides will continue this results-oriented approach over the coming months, as the direct negotiations between the Sides in Chisinau and Tiraspol facilitated by the OSCE Mission move beyond the ‘package of eight’ to ensure continued progress in the settlement process.”

The 5+2 meeting in Rome follows remarkable progress made by the Sides on the ground with the breakthrough signing of five agreements from the “package of eight” in November 2017. This year Chisinau and Tiraspol have engaged in an active dynamic to implement three of the November agreements, related to the opening of the Gura-Bicului-Bychok Bridge, to the apostilization of diplomas and to the functioning of Moldovan Latin-script schools. The Sides have reconfirmed timelines to finalize the agreement on the use of farmlands in the Dubasari district by 1 August and to launch by 1 September the implementation of the so-called “licence plate agreement” signed by the Sides on 24 April 2018.

The 5+2 format includes representatives of the Sides, mediators and observers in the negotiation process – Moldova, Transdniestria, the OSCE, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, the European Union and the United States. The goal of the 5+2 talks is to work out the parameters of a comprehensive settlement based on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova within its internationally recognized borders with a special status for Transdniestria within Moldova, as reconfirmed annually in Ministerial Council Statements by all the 57 OSCE participating States.

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