Central Europe

532511 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

Challenges to the rule of law as well as good practices in OSCE participating States and the work of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) were discussed at an OSCE-organized online seminar that took place on 29 November 2022.

The aim of the event, organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat in co-operation with the ODIHR, was to increase the awareness of government and justice sector officials about the OSCE commitments related to the right to a fair trial and judicial independence.  

ODIHR experts on the rule of law focused on means of strengthening judicial independence, trial monitoring and fair trial right. Discussions also centred on best practices of the OSCE participating States in promoting the rule of law and improving justice systems.

“The OSCE participating States have affirmed that pluralistic democracy and the rule of law are essential for ensuring respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to a fair trial,” said John MacGregor, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

“We organized this seminar as part of our support for the implementation of the National Human Rights Action Plan of Turkmenistan 2021-2025 and it is our belief that this event will contribute to the efforts of the host country aimed at strengthening the national system for monitoring, evaluation and implementation of state policies in the field of human rights.”

"ODIHR welcomes the initiative of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat to organize this event. ODIHR remains ready to provide further support to improve Turkmenistan’s implementation of their commitments to uphold the rule of law,” said Ghenadie Barba, Chief of the Rule of Law Unit at ODIHR.

The seminar brought together representatives of the Mejlis (lower chamber) of the Milli Gengesh (National Council) of Turkmenistan, the Prosecutor General’s Office, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Supreme and Ashgabat city courts, Institute of State, Law and Democracy, Ombudsperson’s Office and Bar Association of Ashgabat.

532478 Željka Šulc

29 November 2022, Sarajevo - The Press and Online Media Council in BiH, with the support of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), published the analysis of the “STOP! Hate Speech” campaign.  

From 1 September to 16 October, this campaign aimed to monitor user comments across 12 BiH web portals.

This research suggests that, whilst hate speech is still present online, it has reduced. The researcher for this project, Vuk Vučetić, noted:

“The results show that, before and after the elections, insults, vulgarities, and quibbling dominated online portal comments, while relatively few radical calls to commit murder, as well as extreme forms of hate speech, were registered. These results may suggest, among other things, that media outlet newsrooms have exerted additional efforts to reduce the number of negative comments.”

In light of this, Brian Aggeler, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH furthered this sentiment:

“I am glad to see that the trend of using offensive, divisive or humiliating language during election campaigns appears to be decreasing. These results highlight the success of efforts to date, and encourage that we all bolster our efforts to tackle online hate speech. For further success, it is crucial to raise public awareness of how dangerous and detrimental hate speech is.”

The Press and Online Media Council in BiH co-operates with editors who strive to clean their media space of harmful speech and discriminatory rhetoric. According to Dzenana Burek, Executive Director of the Press Council in BiH:

“Hate speech, discriminatory and inciting speech does not represent freedom of speech but is abuse and is punishable under the law.  In January 2022, the Press and Online Media Council adopted the Code for Print and Online Media in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which stipulates the editor's duty to remove comments that constitute hate speech. In extreme cases, editors are obliged to co-operate with the police and prosecutor's offices to reveal the identity of persons who abuse freedom of speech.”

The Mission will continue to work with partners across BiH to tackle online hate speech –during election periods and beyond.

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On 23 and 24 November 2022, 40 representatives from the OSCE Field Operations and other OSCE Executive Structures gathered in Istanbul to participate in a climate change and security training organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities and the Berlin-based think tank, adelphi.

“Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time. Its impacts are evident across the OSCE area,” said Esra Buttanri, Senior Advisor at the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities. Drawing the attention to the 2021 OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on climate change, which tasks the relevant OSCE Executive Structures with assisting the OSCE participating States in implementing its provisions, she added, “this training contributes to creating  a shared understanding of climate change and security issues among the OSCE Field Operations and other OSCE Executive Structures and paves the way for more efficient and coherent OSCE support in addressing the various challenges caused by climate change.”

“This event demonstrated how relevant the impacts of the climate crisis are for the work of the OSCE across different regions,” underlined Benjamin Pohl, Head of Programme Climate Diplomacy and Security at adelphi. “It also showed the many ways in which OSCE Field Operations can use and are already using co-operation around climate change issues to enhance stability and build sustainable peace.”

“This training helped us to acquire in-depth knowledge on climate-related risks and risk reduction measures, which are highly relevant for our work with our stakeholders in the parliament, governmental agencies, local administrations and civil society,” said Elton Qendro, National Programme Officer on Economic and Environmental Issues at the OSCE Presence in Albania.

“Addressing the challenges caused by climate change can contribute to food and water security as well as prosperity and stability on both banks of the Dniester/Nistru river” said Michael Schieder, Senior Political Officer at the OSCE Mission to Moldova.

"This training has enabled us to learn from each others’ experiences and best practices within and across regions and provided us with insights for our future work,” said Umid Pulatov, National Economic and Environmental Officer at the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan.

Representatives of diverse teams from all OSCE Field Operations along with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, and the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media participated in the training.

The Training on Climate Change and Security for OSCE Field Operations and Other OSCE Executive Structures was organized within the framework of the OSCE extra-budgetary project, Strengthening responses to security risks from climate change in South-Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia, which is implemented in partnership with adelphi and funded by Andorra, Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and the United States.

532358 Marina Živaljević

Citizens place the highest trust in the police (41.7%) and army (41.4%), followed by religious institutions, local governments, international organizations and the NGO sector. As many as 72.5% of citizens mostly believe that the situation in Montenegro is generally safe, while 61.4% of citizens are mostly satisfied with the police in protecting citizens’ safety. These are some of the key findings from a Perception of the Police in Montenegro survey, commissioned by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and conducted by the Damar Agency between 7 and 15 October 2022 on a sample of 1,000 respondents.

Results, presented to representatives from the Ministry of Interior and Police Directorate, show that 64.9% of respondents had a mostly positive attitude towards the police, a result that is slightly less than it was than last year. 55.3% of the respondents agree with the statement that the police in Montenegro serve as a citizens’ service, and 46.3% believe that the police mostly cooperates with citizens in their communities. However, half of respondents agree with the statement that the police are under the influence of the politicians.

As many as 91.5% of respondents believe that organized crime represents the greatest threat to citizens’ safety; while 89.8% of respondents name drug addiction, followed closely with drug trafficking 89.5% and corruption (85%). Of note, 81.5% of respondents perceive domestic violence as the greatest threat to safety, which is an increase of 6.2% compared to 2021 findings. Almost half of the respondents believe that a certain or small number of police officers are involved in corruption.

A novelty in this year’s survey were questions about citizens’ attitudes towards firearms. The survey showed that 83.9% of respondents believe that citizens should not possess firearms. Almost half of respondents (47.6%) said they would be ready to return an illegal weapon if offered amnesty, and 42.9% said that the Ministry of Interior and the Police Directorate should be engaged in legalization of weapons where there is a legal basis for possessing a firearm.

The Mission will continue to support activities aimed at development and further strengthening of the Police Directorate developing further a professional and democratic police service, capable of detecting and fighting corruption and organized crime, while increasing security in the community. The Mission will also work with the police in further empowering and increasing the number of women police officers.

The Mission supports the rapid adoption of amendments to the Law on Weapons, which will give the possibility to conduct a public awareness campaign in partnership with NGOs on the importance of legalizing and voluntary surrender of weapons.

532160 Marina Živaljević

A second opinion poll conducted in November 2022 reveals that RTCG is still the second most frequently watched TV station in Montenegro, and now perceived as more independent. In the previous survey, every fourth citizen believed that RTCG was a TV station that was under strong political influence; this perception fell from 24.9% to 8.9%. Additionally, the perception that RTCG was a TV station that "shows only one side" dropped from 16.2% to 9.3%. The perception of objectivity increased from 13.4% to 17.4% and currently ranks first. About 24 % of citizens follow RTCG on a daily basis. The majority of citizens still consider RTCG as synonym for the term ‘television’.

These are some of the key findings from a second RTCG Brand Strength Research commissioned by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and conducted by Damar Agency. A first research on RTCG’s brand realized in June measured the awareness of RTCG’s brand and the public’s perception of its programmes. It represents the second overview of the situation after the implementation of the new editorial policy. During a period of six months, the second research considered progress in RTCG’s brand awareness, sampling 1009 citizens.

Commenting on the survey, Dominique Waag, Head of the OSCE Mission stated RTCG has a specific and unique role to play within the Montenegrin media landscape. “As the Public Service Broadcaster in the country, it is mandated to produce and broadcast of radio and television programmes of importance to the citizens and be accountable to the public. The Mission believes that a strong public service broadcaster, producing quality public interest and informative content, that reflects the diversity of points of view, may contribute greatly to the promotion of social cohesion, including through educative and cultural programmes accessible to everyone and promotion of Montenegrin heritage,” said Ambassador Waag.

Boris Raonić, General Director of the RTCG said that the latest data is an extraordinary incentive and the best message for the occasion of the RTCG’s Day. “We are at the first place according to the needs and habits of the viewers. The criteria of recognition and understanding, uniqueness, perception of popularity and quality of our programme are growing. Since June, there has been an 8% increase in trust when it comes to the accuracy and objectivity of the information  on TVCG. It is crucial that 27% of trust directs us to a leadership position as a public media, since the objectivity and accuracy of information is our mission,” said director Raonić.

The Mission has supported RTCG since 2006. It will continue their support, including through digitalization and development strategies and related action plans as well as bespoke training sessions in line with RTCG’s mandate as public service and OSCE commitments of freedom of information.

WARSAW/VIENNA, 26 November 2022 - The 29th Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) will take place 1 and 2 December 2022 in Łódź, Poland.

The annual meeting of the Foreign Ministers and senior official of the 57 OSCE participating States will be held at the invitation of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Poland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau.

Media representatives are invited to cover the event, which will be held at the EC1 Łodź, Poland.

Accreditation for media representatives is open

The deadline for registration is 6 p.m., 28 November 2022 and late accreditations will not be accepted.

Media opportunities

The following media opportunities will be open for journalists accredited to the Ministerial Council.

Thursday, 1 December 2022

• 08:30–09:30:  – Side Event: A year in conflict: joining forces to prevent a human trafficking crisis in the region - pool attendance only
• 08:30–09:30:  – Arrival of Heads of Delegation at EC1 and welcome by Chairperson-in-Office Zbigniew Rau - pool attendance only
• 10:00–11:00:  – Opening Plenary Session, before the First Plenary Session – pool attendance only
• 12:00–13:00:  – Side Event: Climate Change and Security in Mountain Regions (OCEEA) - pool attendance only

Friday, 2 December 2022

• 13:30–14:00:  – Closing Plenary Session – pool attendance only
• 14:30: – Final press conference with Chairperson-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, the incoming Chairperson-in-Office, Foreign Minister of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid – open attendance

Accredited media interest in participating in any pool opportunities should email MediaOSCE@msz.gov.pl

Further information on the media arrangements for the Ministerial Council can be found in the media handbook.

Follow the Ministerial Council online

The arrivals of Heads of Delegations, opening and closing plenary sessions and the final press conference will be available via livestream on the OSCE website at: www.osce.org/live

Interview requests

Interview requests throughout the Ministerial Council should be sent to: mediaOSCE@msz.gov.pl

Detailed information about media facilities, instructions for accreditation, booking of hotels and the visa application procedure is available in the media handbook 

Follow for updates about the Ministerial Council on Twitter at @OSCE, @PLinOSCE and #OSCEMC2022 or the MC event page. 

532055 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

Some 100 law students from four institutions of higher education in Turkmenistan attended an OSCE-organized online course on the rights of suspects and defendants during all stages of criminal proceedings that took place from 14 to 18 November 2022.

The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized the five-day course to expose students to international human rights standards applied in criminal proceedings and investigations and contribute to the modernization of human rights education in Turkmenistan.

International experts focused on the right to human liberty at the stage of pre-trial investigation and delivered presentations on ensuring the right of suspects and accused persons to a fair defence and legal counselling, as well as standards for custody, guarantees against ill treatment and the use of force.

"All 57 OSCE participating States recognize human rights as an inherent right of all people, inalienable and guaranteed by law; therefore strengthening their protection throughout the OSCE region is a key component of our organization's work,” said John MacGregor, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

“The training course for students is one of those projects that we have been jointly carrying out for several years now and it is our firm belief that they will contribute to the implementation of the National Action Plan of Human Rights in Turkmenistan for 2021-2025,” MacGregor added.

The course also addressed gender-based violence, with an emphasis on domestic violence, and elaborated on the implementation of relevant international standards at the national level and best practices from OSCE participating States.

The event brought together students and teachers from the Institute under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Magtymguly Turkmen State University and International University for Humanities and Development of Turkmenistan.

VIENNA/WARSAW, 25 November 2022 - On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and the start of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, OSCE leaders called on participating States to enhance efforts on the prevention and elimination of violence against women in conflict.

Gender-based violence is a threat to comprehensive security, with at least one in three women surviving some form of violence in their lifetime. Violence increases in times of conflict and crisis, and has lifelong consequences for women affected by it – as well as their families and communities.

OSCE leaders expressed their grave concern about the reports of gender-based violence and, in particular, the increase of the violence against women and girls in conflict zones across OSCE region.

"The ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine continues to take a toll on the security and well-being of millions of women and girls in Ukraine. We witness not only unjustified military aggression and violence but also disregard for human dignity,” said OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau.

“The OSCE participating States invoked so-called Moscow Mechanisms to examine the human rights and humanitarian impacts of Russia's war. The experts' reports confirmed rape and other sexual violence committed by the Russian forces in Ukraine. We need to do our utmost to end violence against women," he stressed.

OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid called on participating States to strengthen measures to protect women and girls from violence, and to ensure sufficient funds for adequate and timely access to quality services for survivors.

“I unequivocally condemn all forms of violence against women and girls, in peace or in conflict. Lack of accessible support services for survivors, as well as prevailing stigma and impunity towards gender-based violence across OSCE participating States prevent survivors from receiving the support they need,” she said.

“States need to do more to implement their commitments on preventing and combating violence against women, and to protect and support women in conflict settings and other crisis situations,” Secretary General Schmid stressed.

Secretary General also reiterated how important it is for women and men alike to take a stand and work together to end gender-based violence.

“Sexual violence is a serious human rights violation, which in some cases can even constitute a crime against humanity or a war crime,” said ODIHR Director Matteo Mecacci. “Armed conflicts and fragile security situations allow perpetrators to commit sexual and gender-based violence on a large scale and with relative impunity, resulting in a higher number of cases. It is paramount that all allegations of such crimes are investigated and perpetrators brought to justice.”

ODIHR recently published a dedicated factsheet explaining the unique characteristics of sexual and gender-based violence during armed conflict, together with information about the international legal framework in this area and an overview of international and domestic efforts to hold perpetrators accountable.

All reaffirmed their call to put an end to the use of rape, sexual violence and other sexual crimes as a tactic of war in Ukraine and around the world. Such a heinous crime can have no place and must be stopped.

532049 Marina Živaljević

On 25 November, on the International Day against Violence against Women, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro joins the global “16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence” with a television campaign that encourages people to take action to prevent and combat domestic violence. This continues until 10 December, the International Human Rights Day.

The video, produced in partnership with the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights is designed to raise public awareness on the different forms violence against women and girls. Violence against women and girls affects families, communities, workplaces and societies in general. It manifests in a variety of forms that largely go unreported. Silence and stigma surrounds it, makes it one of most pervasive human rights violation.

The evidence is clear, as found in a recent survey commissioned by the Mission where a third of women respondents said that they had experienced at least one form of psychological violence and over half did not report it, while only a third turned to family and friends. Psychological violence often precedes physical. A disturbing fact was that one third of the respondents believed that women and girls make false claims of psychological violence to draw attention to themselves.

Domestic violence should not be hidden, minimized or ignored. The first step to end violence against women and girls is to trust survivors and encourage reporting. Montenegro has the legislative framework to protect citizens. It needs to be implemented. Neither society nor institutions should remain silent in the face of human rights violations.

Even though it is widespread, domestic violence can be eliminated. Therefore, the video encourages everyone to take action to prevent and combat violence .

Violence can be stopped. Let’s stop it together. LET’S REACT!

532037 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

From 21 to 25 November, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in close co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, organized a course on cryptocurrencies and Dark Web investigations at the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic.

“Both cryptocurrencies and the Dark Web have become useful aids and amplifiers of traditional crimes. The anonymity they offer makes them attractive for people with malicious intents. It is thus important that law enforcement officials understand key concepts in this area, and what implications they have for investigation of crimes,” stressed Alexander Eliseev, Head of the Politico-Military Department at the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, during the course’s opening.

Around 20 representatives from operational units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as the Academy’s staff, took part in the training. They learned about the main concepts and key trends in the areas of internetworking, anonymity and encryption, cryptocurrencies, obfuscation techniques, Dark Web, and Tor networks. They also practiced approaches and methods for cryptocurrency seizing, blockchain analysis, and searching on the Dark Web. The training was based on materials developed by the European Cybercrime Training and Education Group (ECTEG). It was delivered by two experts from Germany and North Macedonia.

“This is a second event related to cybercrime that the OSCE is organizing at the Academy this month. We are grateful that staff from the Ministry of Internal Affairs can benefit from international expertise and training materials,” said Tariel Abitov, the Head of the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The course was organized within the second phase of the OSCE extra-budgetary project “Capacity Building on Combating Cybercrime in Central Asia”, which is funded by the United States of America, Germany, and the Republic of Korea.

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From 24 to 25 November, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) and the OSCE Presence in Albania conducted a two-day regional training for representatives of civil society organizations and journalists from South Eastern Europe in Tirana, Albania. The training enhanced technical capacities and fostered discussions and knowledge sharing on the use of open data in preventing and combating corruption with a special focus on the transparency and oversight of public procurement processes.

The training provided participants with knowledge on relevant international legal and compliance frameworks as well as with practical open data tools and ways to analyse, visualise, use, re-use and investigate government disclosures on its decisions and expenditures of public funds, as an important anti-corruption measure used to ensure transparency and efficiency in public institutions’ functions.

“The future of transparent and accountable public processes lies in responsibly designed digital tools that enable full participation of all groups from all spheres of our societies. The role as civil society organizations and journalists is of the utmost importance and the OSCE stands ready to support them in fulfilling this important task,” said Professor Anita Ramasastry, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Corruption said.

Clarisse Pasztory, Acting Head of the OSCE presence in Albania emphasised: “I hope and believe that by gathering diverse speakers and participants such as yourselves, with representatives from civil society, media, international organizations and government, we will help to mend the gaps in open data and increase transparency. Transparency, which is crucial for trust and to counter misinformation or disinformation, and trust that is crucial for active citizenship.”

Around 40 participants representing international organizations, civil society organizations and media outlets from South Eastern Europe shared common challenges and good practices of their work through interactive discussions and a networking event.

The training was organized in the framework of the Presence in Albania’s unified budget and the extra-budgetary project, Promoting Good governance and a Positive Business Climate in the OSCE Region through Digitalization and the use of Open Data funded by the United States and Poland.

532007 Marina Živaljević

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro continued its cooperation with Parliament in providing specialized workshops to their staff on environmental protection and gender responsive budgeting.

On 22 and 23 November, Mission-engaged international experts from Finland, Portugal and Slovenia on sustainable development discussed with 12 parliamentary staff key challenges in Montenegro, focusing on restoration of the important areas, such as Tara River and Ulcinj Salina. They gave an overview of relevant framework, including sustainable development goals, European Green Deal and Western Balkan Agenda. They also discussed sustainable tourism and protection of nature through establishment of network of protected areas.

Opening the workshop, Dominique Waag, Head of the Mission, said that we are facing urgent challenges arising from climate change that includes our adaptation concerning reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and incorporating environmental norms into the rules of global trade, blue economy, and agriculture, in order to reach sustainability. “Taking into account the environmental dimension in all human activities, your role as parliamentary staff and your expertise in legislative drafting, will help Montenegro to fulfil its global and regional commitments and to face these new and concerning challenges,” said Ambassador Waag.

On 24 November, the Mission engaged experts to discuss with parliamentary staff how to ensure that the needs of women and men are equally taken into account in the budget process. Through practical examples and examining ongoing preparations of the new Law on Budget, the participants learnt how to incorporate the different needs of women and men into budget circulars.

The Mission will continue to support gender responsive budgeting at the Parliament and within ministries as a legal requirement, contributing to improving overall social justice and equality.

531986

Cryptocurrencies and virtual assets are gaining popularity around the world, and Moldova is no exception. The country actively works on tackling criminal use of cryptocurrencies and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) has offered their expertise to assist Moldovan authorities.

OCEEA, in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), is implementing an extra-budgetary project on innovative policy solutions to mitigate money-laundering risks of virtual assets, funded by the United States, Germany and Poland.

On 24 November 2022, OCEEA conducted a workshop for representatives of relevant agencies in Chisinau, Moldova, to discuss future prospects and best practices in implementation of the project on the national level.

The experts discussed the current situation in the national virtual assets market, the money laundering potential of cryptocurrencies, relevant regulations and legislation, and software tools for investigating illicit transactions conducted in cryptocurrencies. The participants also discussed measures to raise awareness of the money laundering risks of virtual assets and cryptocurrencies among the public.

Recent developments in virtual assets prove the relevance of the project and its activities, especially for the national authorities, lawmakers and other relevant agencies, in particular in Moldova.

“The ability of national authorities to counter the vulnerabilities that virtual assets present for money laundering is crucial, especially as cryptocurrencies become increasingly popular. The OSCE, in partnership with UNODC, will provide beneficiaries of the project with practical training on the money laundering and terrorism financing risks of cryptocurrencies, investigation, seizure and confiscation, regulation, and customer due diligence. We will also be assisting Moldovan law enforcement agencies in organizing awareness-raising activities and facilitating interagency and international co-operation in investigation of crimes conducted with the use of cryptocurrencies,” said Kurban Babayev, associate anti-corruption officer, OCEEA.

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On 24 November 2022, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, with the support of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, held a national workshop to update the national curriculum for law enforcement on gender-based violence (GBV) in North Macedonia.

The workshop gathered 21 participants (17 women and 4 men), including representatives from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Police Training Centre, Public Prosecutor’s Office, Office for Criminal Affairs in Prilep, Offices of Internal Affairs in Skopje, Shtip and Tetovo, Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Kumanovo, Public Security Bureau, National Network to End Violence against Women and Domestic Violence and the OSCE Mission to Skopje.

During the workshop, participants discussed the set of recommendations proposed by the OSCE to improve the curriculum and elaborated on the best way to institutionalize the changes. They also stressed the relevance of the project and their continued interest in its activities. 

Professor Stojanka Mircheva, an OSCE consultant, emphasized that "police officers need to address all forms of gender-based violence, as per the national legislation, not only domestic violence. They must have the appropriate skills and attitudes towards survivors and their needs, therefore fully implementing a victim-centred approach while holding perpetrators accountable."

Participants analysed and proposed improvements to the current curriculum, namely further aligning it with the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention and with a state-of-the-art curriculum piloted at the regional level. The main findings from the OSCE WIN project mapping of police and judicial training curricula on GBV were also taken into account.

This is the fifth workshop organized within the project “Enhancing Criminal Justice Capacities for Combating Gender-based Violence in South Eastern Europe”. It will be followed by a specialized training for police officers, planned to take place in 2023. The course will be organized together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Police Training Centre, and will ensure local ownership and a full customization to the national needs.

THE HAGUE, 24 November 2022 - “Georgia’s policies for ethnic minorities are evidence of the authorities’ efforts to shoulder their responsibilities and improve legislative and institutional frameworks. Thanks to these efforts, Georgia has been acclaimed as a forerunner among the post-Soviet countries. However, regions with predominantly ethnic minority populations continue to suffer from the lack of basic social infrastructure,” said Tamta Mikeladze, Director of Equality Policy Programme at the Social Justice Center.

Addressing representatives from governments, civil society and international organizations who attended the award ceremony, Kamran Mammadli, Researcher at the Social Justice Center, said, “We, the Georgian people, are in a unique moment of history where we can find our strength in solidarity. We are a diverse country that can make diversity work by cultivating inter-ethnic and inter-religious solidarity among various groups.”

They received the 2022 Max van der Stoel Award on behalf of the Social Justice Center at a ceremony at the Peace Palace in The Hague today.

“To make this happen,” Mammadli continued, “we need support for underrepresented, marginalised and oppressed groups. At the same time, we should work on raising the awareness of the dominant group about minorities. We, as an organization, and I, as a researcher, as a community organizer, as an ordinary citizen, do our best to build a better Georgia, where every person shares the idea that strength is in solidarity.”

Mikeladze added, “Activists with ethnic minority backgrounds, working tirelessly to build community centres, form self-organized groups, demanding respect for their dignity, rights and citizenship, give us hope. They have also proven their unwavering solidarity towards their fellow citizens regardless of ethnicity or disadvantaged groups faced by injustice, and by doing so, create the invaluable experience of active citizenship and political participation.”

Presenting the award, the Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said, “Civil society organizations persistently advocate for social change and minority rights. They advance public debate and spur governments to action. They fight to make sure that people are not left behind, and that important social issues are not forgotten. By doing all these things, NGOs form an essential bridge between the ideal of human rights, and the political act of making them a lived reality. Therefore, it is often the existence and liveliness of civil society that demonstrates the health and vitality of democracies. This is the immense value of groups like the Social Justice Center, which we honour today.”

Speaking on behalf of the jury, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Kairat Abdrakhmanov explained: “Since its foundation in 2012, the Social Justice Center has been working towards long-term political and socio-economic transformation in Georgia by giving a voice to minority ethnic and religious groups and supporting their interests. It does so with a particular emphasis on youth and women, and through programmes such as the Social Policy Programme, the Equality Policy Programme and the Justice and Democracy Programme. This has resulted in community organizations and campaigns to promote minority rights.”

Abdrakhmanov added: “I think it is important to come together not only to recognise the work of, but also see the value in, working together with entities and individuals that celebrate diversity and inclusion to build cohesive and resilient societies for peace and security of everyone, including national minorities.”

Georgia’s Ambassador to the Netherlands David Solomonia said, “Full-fledged integration of ethnic minorities, supporting cultural diversity, and ensuring a safe and tolerant environment are the main pillars of the government’s policy. In this important journey, we also count on the contribution and engagement of civil society and NGOs, as we have created a vibrant environment and various platforms for this endeavour.”

The Max van der Stoel Award –  a prize of €50,000 – has been organized by the HCNM and sponsored by the Dutch Foreign Ministry every two years since 2003. It is presented to a person, group or institution, in recognition of their extraordinary and outstanding achievements in improving the position of national minorities across the OSCE countries.

Max van der Stoel was appointed as the first OSCE HCNM in 1992 and served eight and a half years in the post. He was twice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and held seats in both the upper and lower houses of the Dutch Parliament. He served as Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the United Nations and was awarded the honorary title of Minister of State by the then Queen Beatrix.

Event material can be found here.

531959 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

Forty students from the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the International University for Humanities and Development completed an online course on the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and its role in the Central Asian region that took place from 21 to 23 November 2022.

The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized the three-day course to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of Turkmenistan-OSCE co-operation.

Addressing the students, John MacGregor, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, emphasized that “Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality is consistent with the comprehensive approach to security, which is the foundational core of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.”  

“In a near future, many of you will become diplomats and will represent the interests of neutral Turkmenistan in the international arena”, added MacGregor. "It is our firm belief that this course will help you better understand the role of our organization in international relations, during the different historical periods of its existence, and today.”

Ida Manton, an expert and a scholar in the field of negotiations and mediation, who delivered the course, introduced students to the history of the OSCE, its structure, principles of decision-making and commitments across three dimensions of security. Students learnt about the mediation and dialogue facilitation in the OSCE and discussed negotiation life cycle and negotiation styles. Special emphasis was placed on the role of gender equality and relevant OSCE commitments.

“The enthusiasm and curiosity I encountered among the students in Ashgabat tells me that these young people have a great potential to turn into engaged diplomats with problem-solving creativity and effective communication capacity,” said Ida Manton.

“It was a real pleasure to interact with them and to see how much the youth can learn from the OSCE, from its history and the negotiated commitments that were created from Helsinki onwards,” added Manton.

The course also featured a simulation exercise, which enabled future diplomats to practice multilateral negotiation skills.

BUCHAREST, 22 November 2022 – Enhancing efforts to implement the Women, Peace and Security agenda and assessing the situation of Ukrainian women refugees was at the centre of a two-day visit to Romania by Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office on Gender, Liliana Palihovici, and OSCE Senior Adviser on Gender Issues, Lara Scarpitta. 

In Bucharest, they visited  the Support Center, where they met Ukrainian women refuges and held discussion with Cosmina Simiean Nicolescu the General Director of the General Directorate for Social Assistance and Marian Ursan, the President of the Carousel Association that is managing the Support Center.

“This Centre proves once more that through good communication we can enhance the society's receptiveness and solidarity with Ukrainians who fled the country because of the war. I appreciate the partnership of authorities of Bucharest municipality and Carousel Association in providing assistance and doing it with the full respect for human dignity of all 39 women and children that are housed in this Centre,” Special Representative Palihovici said. 

With the aim of sharing best practices in providing support for Ukrainian women refugees, Special Representative Palihovici and Senior Adviser Scarpitta also held meetings with the high-level officials, including the representatives of the Prime Minister Chancellery, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, and the Romanian Border Police.

Gender-inclusive peace-making and gender equality were focus of discussion with representatives of the Commission for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in the Chamber of Deputies.

“This visit was an important opportunity to discuss the short- and long term strategies to address the needs of Ukrainian refugees, most of which are women, children and people with vulnerabilities. I commend the efforts of the national authorities in Romania to mainstream gender in border management, humanitarian responses and protect the survivors of gender-based violence and trafficking in human beings,” OSCE Senior Adviser on Gender Issues Scarpitta said.

”I was impressed by the efforts of civil society to provide safe and dignified spaces for the most vulnerable. The joint work of state institutions and civil society is critical and deserves full support,” she stressed.  

Special Representative Palihovici and Senior Gender Adviser Scarpitta emphasized the significance of keeping gender equality high on the political agenda of OSCE participating States, as well as enhancing capacities, sharing recommendations for further action, and collecting the best practices for increasing women’s political participation.

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On 22 November 2022, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA), in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) conducted a workshop on regulating virtual assets for more than 30 experts from relevant agencies in Tbilisi, Georgia. The experts discussed the current situation on the national virtual assets market, the money laundering potential of cryptocurrencies, relevant regulations and legislation, and software tools for investigating illicit transactions conducted in cryptocurrencies. The participants also discussed measures to raise awareness on the money laundering risks of virtual assets and cryptocurrencies among the general public.

Recent developments in the area of virtual assets prove the relevance of the project and its activities, especially for the national authorities, lawmakers and other relevant agencies, in particular in Georgia.

“The ability of national authorities to counter the vulnerabilities that virtual assets present for money laundering is crucial, especially as cryptocurrencies become increasingly popular. The OSCE, in partnership with UNODC will provide beneficiaries of the project with practical training on the money laundering and terrorism financing risks of cryptocurrencies, investigation, seizure and confiscation, regulation, and customer due diligence. We will also be assisting Georgian law enforcement agencies in organizing awareness-raising activities and facilitating interagency and international co-operation in investigation of crimes conducted with the use of cryptocurrencies,” said Kurban Babayev, associate anti-corruption officer,  OCEEA.

The event is part of the extra-budgetary project on innovative policy solutions to mitigate money laundering risks of virtual assets funded by the United States, Germany and Poland.

531857 Kunduz Rysbek

Some 64 representatives of financial investigation units and law enforcement agencies from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation, Serbia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, as well as experts from international organizations attended a seminar on “Current Issues in Countering the Financing of Terrorism” held in Bishkek on 11 November.

The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek organized the seminar in co-operation with the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (EAG), the Commonwealth of Independent States Anti-Terrorism Centre, and the International Training and Methodology Centre for Financial Monitoring.

The participants discussed modern methods of collecting and moving money and instruments for terrorist financing purposes. In addition, the experience of countries in identifying persons moving from areas of heightened terrorist activity involved in terrorist financing was presented, and the terrorist financing risks associated with the movement of refugees from Afghanistan was examined.

Notably, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards for dealing with Non-profit Organizations, the experience of EAG member states and other countries in the NPO sector, common shortcomings in implementing the FATF standards and best practices, including conducting a sectoral FATF risk assessment for NPOs were presented and discussed as well.  

The seminar aimed to foster regional co-operation in addressing such a serious challenge to security and exploring potential terrorist financing risks through discussions and exchange of good practices related to countering terrorist financing.

531821 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

On 21 November 2022, an OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation Group discussion was organized in Vienna by the Swedish Chair of the Group in co-operation with the Republic of Korea to exchange experiences with the OSCE relating to confidence and security building measures with focus on the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

“The Cooperation with Asian partners is highly valuable. The Russian aggression against Ukraine has had a profound impact on security in the OSCE area and beyond. Sharing information and experiences from accountability mechanisms as well as confidence and security building measures is important,” said Ambassador Anna Olsson Vrang, Permanent Representative of Sweden to the OSCE and Chairperson of the OSCE Asian Partners for Cooperation Group during the opening session.

“The OSCE’s experience and opinion, especially with regard to Confidence and Security Building Measures (CSBMs) cannot be treated as a silver bullet solution to the problems from outside their zone of application, nevertheless some lessons learned can be useful,” added Ambassador Adam Hałaciński, Permanent Representative of Poland to the OSCE and Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council.

“As far as the CSBMs are concerned, the OSCE experience is both inspiring and grim. On the one hand, they contributed to an unprecedented period of stability in Europe after the Cold War. On the other, when one state – Russia – decided to question the security order based on the respect for the international law, they were unable to stop the military aggression,” he emphasized.

"The Korean government will work with the international community to respond firmly to any further provocation by North Korea, as peace on the Korean Peninsula is an important prerequisite for global peace and protects not only our freedom but also that of the international community. For sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula, in Northeast Asia, and beyond, the denuclearization of North Korea is essential,” said Ambassador Ham Sangwook, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the OSCE

“We will continue our unwavering diplomatic efforts to induce North Korea to cease the development of its nuclear program and embark on a genuine and substantive process for denuclearization. Strong and united support from the international community, including the OSCE, is indispensable for the peaceful resolution of North Korea's nuclear issue", he added.

“Confidence and security building measures can never be stronger than the collective will of the signatories, and their readiness to be bound and guided by agreed provisions”, underlined Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä, Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre.

The following thematic discussion focused more in-depth on the topic with panellists including; Ms. Liu Myoung Jin, Director for Korean Peninsula Peace Regime Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Kim Youngjun, Professor at the National Security College, and Dr. Ulrich Kühn, Head of the Research Area Arms Control and Emerging Technologies at the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg.