Central Europe

530611 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe Farhod Nabiyulloev

On 5 and 6 November 2022, a group of four Permanent Representatives to the OSCE visited Tajikistan to reconfirm their strong support for strengthening the OSCE’s co-operation with Tajikistan.

The visiting group consisted of Ambassador Gesa Bräutigam, Germany; Ambassador Christine Fages, France; Ambassador Neil Bush, the United Kingdom and Ambassador Michael Carpenter, the United States. As part of their regional tour, the ambassadors will also visit Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.

During their visit to the country, the ambassadors met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan Sirojiddin Muhriddin and Commander of the Tajik Border Troops Colonel-General Rajabali Rahmonali.

They also conducted field visits to the Regional Explosive Hazards Training Centre of Tajikistan’s Defence Ministry in Chimteppa and the OSCE-supported Women’s Resource Centre in the Khuroson district of the Khatlon region.  

The ambassadors visited one of the OSCE flagship initiatives, the Border Management Staff College, and praised the College’s continued commitment and dedication to enhancing border security and management across the Central Asian region and beyond. They also met with the OSCE staff from the Programme Office in Dushanbe, as well as with civil society representatives.  

“Central Asia is an important region for us – that is why we are travelling here in the Quad format. In addition to visiting the OSCE-funded projects on the ground, we will meet with high-level government officials and representatives of civil society,” the ambassadors said ahead of the visit. “We will reiterate the importance of working together, discuss the OSCE’s engagement in promoting stability and security in Central Asia, and exchange views on our countries’ priorities and needs. We will also discuss the OSCE's comprehensive concept of security covering politico-military, economic and environmental, and human dimensions,” the ambassadors concluded.   

Željka Šulc

SARAJEVO, 8 November 2022 - Today, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina announced the winners of the “Proud of Our School” competition launched in April 2022. The Mission invited schools across Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to share their best practices that promote inclusivity, foster well-being and effective learning, and encourage students and parents to participate in school life.

Of the 103 applications submitted by 82 schools, the selection committee selected winners and runner-ups of the competition in four categories:

In the Roma inclusion category, the winning practice was nominated by Primary School “Miladije”, Tuzla, and the runner-up is the practice of Primary School “Hasan Kikić”, Sarajevo.

In the category of Reconciliatory inter-ethnic activities providing opportunities for increased interaction, co-operation and learning between parents, students and teachers the winner is the practice nominated by Secondary Vocational School, Janja and the runner-up is that of Primary School “Pasci,” Donje Dubrave (Živinice).

In the category of Inclusion of parents in school life and decision-making processes, the winning practice was nominated by “Sixth Primary School,” Mostar and the runner-up is the practice of Primary School “Grivice”, Banovići.

In the category of Student participation in school decision-making processes the winner is the practice nominated by Primary School “Vuk Stefanović Karadžić”, Doboj and the runner-up is that of Primary School “Drvar”, Drvar.

The selection committee evaluated school practices per the following criteria: relevance to the topic, involvement of members of constituent peoples, national minorities and others, where applicable, and the overall impact on school inclusivity, planning, promotion and sustainability. The winners and runners-up shall be awarded with smartboards or digital cameras for their schools. The Mission thanks all who participated and congratulates all the winners! 

530566 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

On 4 and 5 November 2022 on the Ohrid Lake, North Macedonia, the Regional Ideathon organized jointly by the Office of the Coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities and the OSCE Mission to Skopje gathered seventy young people aged 18-25 from the  Western Balkans’ region. Under the motto “Inspire, Connect, Enable”, the Ideathon is a creative problem solving exercise where youth come together and, guided by innovative start-uppers, dive into a social or an environmental challenge and consider possible solutions with the use of technology.

The Ideathon is one of the key activities of the OSCE YDEAS project that promotes reconciliation and cooperation at regional level  by leveraging innovation and digitalization for and a more inclusive, fair, energy-efficient and environmentally mindful economic post-pandemic recovery in the Western Balkans.

“Be the best version of yourselves,” was the encouragement of the OSCE Special Representative on Youth and Security, Maria Raczyńska. “We need the creativity and vision of young people to rebuild peace and security for everyone,” she added in her opening address.

Aneta Pasheva, Chairperson of the Economic Chamber of Information and Communication Technologies in Skopje, recalled the challenges she faced as a woman and a computer scientist and discussed her first steps in the IT business sector. “No one could believe that I was the CEO of my company. Follow your passion and your dream,” she said. “But do not forget that your community needs your talent. Today, 90 per cent of the IT companies in North Macedonia work for foreign companies in outsourcing. In the aftermath of the endorsement of the Western Balkans’ Common Regional Market Action Plan, youth’s skills are essential to transform the economic outlook of the region.”    

Thanks to the financial support of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the 2022 OSCE Polish Chairmanship as well as the South-Eastern Europe Cooperative Initiative (SECI), the YDEAS project offers the ideal platform for policy-relevant dialogue on digital and social economy and a valuable contribution towards inspiring a new generation of green and social start-uppers. 

“We want to trigger a digital revolution that is fair, socially and environmentally mindful. And we want the project to act as catalyst of cooperation with local authorities, universities, the private sector and regional organizations, such as the Regional Youth Cooperation Office and the Regional Cooperation Council,” said Teresa Albano, OCEEA Economic Affairs Officer and the YDEAS project manager. “In times of persistent inequalities, the YDEAS project intends to seize the transformative power of digital and social economy to build forward better after the COVID-19 pandemic.”

As the largest regional security organization, the OSCE is aware of the importance of reconciliation and multi-stakeholders’ engagement to ensure fair post-pandemic recovery, security and stability in the OSCE area. The YDEAS project is a key initiative in the long-term engagement of the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities to this end.

LONDON, 7 November 2022 – OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings Valiant Richey will visit the United Kingdom from 7 to 11 November. The visit is organized in co-operation with the national authorities to promote the full implementation of OSCE commitments in the field of anti-trafficking. 

Special Representative Richey will analyse comprehensively anti-trafficking efforts. In particular, he will focus on the impending amendments to the UK's Modern Slavery Act and the Nationality and Borders Bill's impact on the protection of trafficking victims. Richey will enquire about the current response to trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation, particularly online. He will also discuss prevention and protection measures to mitigate child trafficking and trafficking risks for Ukrainians fleeing the war. 

The Special Representative will meet key anti-human trafficking national stakeholders and NGOs, including: Home Office/Modern Slavery Unit's Deputy Director Hannah Pooley, UK Migration and Modern Slavery Envoy Andrew Patrick, MPs members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery, and All-Party Parliamentary Group on Commercial Sexual Exploitation (including MP Dame Diana Johnson), CEO of global network ‘Stop the Traffik's’ Ruth Dearnley, and Furnival Chambers' barrister Caroline Haughey. 

Richey will also meet the former UK Prime Minister, Lady Theresa May.  

He will then travel to Scotland and meet with the Scottish Government and relevant anti-trafficking stakeholders. 

For further information, please contact Lilia Rotoloni, Public Information Officer, by e-mail: Lilia.Rotoloni@osce.org.

VIENNA, 7 November 2022 – The OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid visited Oslo from 3 to 4 November to meet with Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt and other officials to discuss issues in the OSCE region including the energy crisis, the security impacts of climate change, and the ongoing war against Ukraine.

“Norway has long been a leader when it comes to multilateral co-operation in support of inclusive and sustainable peace and security. Norway is a steadfast supporter of the OSCE, politically and practically, and I am grateful for our continued co-operation,” said Schmid.

During the visit the Secretary General also met with Norwegian politicians who are members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly as well as the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and other members of civil society, and representatives from the Norwegian Refugee Council’s NORDEM programme. In addition, she met with analysts at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) – including students from the OSCE Academy in Bishkek – to discuss the OSCE’s role across the OSCE region in the context of the war against Ukraine. NUPI works closely with the OSCE Academy – including by hosting students in Oslo each year. The Academy promotes regional cooperation, conflict prevention and good governance in Central Asia through offering higher education, professional training and intellectual exchange. It is one of many initiatives within the OSCE that provides opportunities to engage with youth on peace and security – a priority for the OSCE and Norway alike.

The OSCE and Norway continue to enhance co-operation in a range of areas that benefit Norway and countries across the OSCE region and the Secretary General’s visit helped to advance this co-operation further.

“This summer we signed a new co-operation agreement with Norway that helps to advance the OSCE’s work on everything from Security Sector Governance and Reform to gender equality and media freedom. This kind of support will help ensure that the vital work the OSCE is doing to advance sustainable security continues to have a positive impact for the more than 1.3 billion people we serve across the 57 countries in the OSCE region.”

Norway is also one of the contributors to the new donor-funded Support Programme for Ukraine. The programme consists of 23 different projects that will build on prior work with OSCE’s long-standing partners in Ukraine and cover activities that include supporting humanitarian de-mining efforts, improving disaster risk reduction, and supporting the reform efforts of the Ukrainian government.

530497

The OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) organized two events from 1 to 4 November 2022 focused on supporting States in implementing passenger data programmes, enhancing coordination between participating States, international organizations, and private sector companies, and deepening regional co-operative partnerships.

From 1 to 2 November, the second annual meeting of the Eastern Europe Informal Working Group (EEIWG) on Passenger Data provided an ongoing forum for intensive technical exchanges focused on: sharing good practices, lessons learned and methodologies in data collection from travelers; exchanging ideas and developments in technologies and new application of passenger data frameworks; and, exploring security analyses across different modes of travel. The meeting also laid the foundation for 2023 events related to the working group, which will be driven by participating States in co-ordination with the OSCE.

Nominations for the annual Chair and Vice-Chair positions were finalized during the EEIWG meeting. The Republic of Kyrgyzstan accepted the nomination by the group to continue as Chair for a second and final year, as did the current Vice-Chairs from Albania, Georgia, Mongolia and Montenegro. The development of informal working groups at the regional level will support the United Nations Countering Terrorist Travel Programme’s initiative to establish regional informal working groups in Eastern Europe as well as Western Africa, Southern Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The 2022 Iteration of the EEIWG also saw participation from Latvia (current European Union IWG Chair) and Sierra Leone (current Western Africa IWG chair), and a joint meeting of the three Chairs to discuss trends and means to build cooperation between regions.

“The regional IWG is a vehicle to promote peer-to-peer discussion, exchange of good practices and lessons learned for the Passenger Information Units (PIUs) in this region. It is also an excellent opportunity to advance implementation of UN Security Council resolutions mandating systemic collection, use and sharing of passenger data to prevent and counter terrorism and organized crime,” said Mauro Miedico, Deputy Director, Chief of Special Projects and Innovation Branch at the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism.

Held online and in-person, the second event, the 6th OSCE-wide Seminar on Passenger Data Exchange, brought together more than 200 passenger data experts from OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation, international organizations, private sector and other global border management partners. The experts discussed new means for cooperation on the implementation of passenger data programmes; good practices in legislation, operations and security analysis; and future use of passenger data systems in maritime environments.

“Considering the current global context with ongoing armed conflict, post-pandemic travel regulations, surges in traveler numbers and global market challenges affecting States’ economic interests, the importance of enhancing dialogue and increasing cooperation on travel security across the OSCE area cannot be overstated. We are all adapting and innovating to ensure this important exchange of ideas and these partnerships advance," said Alena Kupchyna, OSCE Co-ordinator of Activities to Address Transnational Threats in her opening address.

The continued growth in this event year-over-year speaks to the importance that States, international organizations, border management stakeholders and private industry all place on implementing national travel security systems, and building greater cooperative partnerships to strengthen the security of the OSCE region at large,” she added. 

The seminar also examined the technical assistance needs of States for implementing United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) 2178, 2396, and 2482. These resolutions mandate States to adopt and use Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) for identifying and detecting terrorists and serious criminals in accordance with international law and human rights principles.

Experts from participating States and international organizations also presented on how, in addition to data collected from air passengers, maritime passenger data can be used to provide a broader risk assessment of the threats facing a country. Additional presentations focused on the experience of passenger data system implementation in areas outside the OSCE with a focus on different approaches and lessons learned that could be applied by OSCE participating States.

The seminar also included a networking session for experts featuring IT services and API/PNR analysis systems available from various providers, as well as several air carriers.

Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Ambassador Brian Aggeler, visited Travnik today and met key local counterparts. Željka Šulc

Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Ambassador Brian Aggeler, visited Travnik today.

Ambassador Aggeler met key local counterparts, including Central Bosnia Canton Prime Minister Tahir Lendo, and Bojan Domić, Cantonal Minister of Education. Ambassador Aggeler used the opportunity to discuss political developments in Central Bosnia Canton, particularly as related to the education sector.

 “I am glad to be here today and have an opportunity to discuss one of the most important issues for the future of this county – education,” said Ambassador Aggeler.

In line with the Mission’s mandate to promote stability and reconciliation in BiH, the Mission has been encouraging equal access to education through the creation of inclusive school environments, the elimination of discrimination and the promotion of mutual understanding, tolerance and respect for diversity.

“Unfortunately, the question of ‘two schools under one roof’ has not yet been resolved. It is important to eliminate discrimination and provide all children with good quality education. Opening additional, mono-ethnic schools is also not a solution – this only deepens division,” stressed Aggeler.

Finally, Ambassador Aggeler met with Kenan Dautović, Mayor of Travnik and Vlatka Lovrinović, Travnik Municipal Council Speaker, to discuss the importance of good local governance. Ambassador Aggeler concluded his official visit with a tour of Travnik’s iconic historical sites.

“The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina enjoys long-lasting and positive co-operation with the authorities in Central Bosnia Canton. We stand ready to continue supporting authorities in the best interest of all citizens,” concluded Aggeler.

VIENNA, 4 November 2022 – Over the past six months, we have witnessed the sharpest deterioration of media freedom since the establishment of the mandate of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) 25 years ago; no one can afford to look away, not to act and not to stand up.

“Democracy and media freedom are too precious to be allowed to wither away. It is our shared responsibility to turn our political commitments into reality, in order to preserve our common security, our democracies and a free information space,” said OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro at her bi-annual meeting with the Permanent Council in Vienna yesterday.

In the report, the Representative outlined worrying developments that led to this grim situation. With the ongoing war by the Russian Federation against Ukraine and with the continued systematic crackdown on independent journalism and media freedom in the Russian Federation and in Belarus, the picture of media freedom is bleak.

“Those who freely speak their minds, who seek the truth, who hold those in power to account are under attack. As the latest incidents against Dmitry Muratov and the Novaya Gazeta show, not even a Nobel Peace Prize can protect from attacks and illegitimate persecution,” Ribeiro said.

Journalists and media workers reporting from the conflict zones of Ukraine are working under the most dangerous and difficult conditions, taking high personal risks and facing immense safety threats. In addition, outside of conflict situations, the media are often targeted.

“To be a journalist today requires a lot of resilience and commitment, especially as anti-media sentiment and distrust towards the media is rising, and the pressure on media actors is increasing, be it of political, economic, legal or financial nature,” the Representative said. “The risks, threats and attacks that journalists face these days for doing their job make journalism a dangerous profession.”

In her report, the Representative discussed the recent activities and initiatives of her Office to tackle the manifold challenges for media freedom in the OSCE region, from countering disinformation to promoting safety of journalists; from content moderation and artificial intelligence in times of crisis to promoting media literacy.

The year 2022 was also marked by the work of the Advisory Group of Eminent Experts on Freedom of the Media that was established in commemoration of the 25 years of the RFoM mandate. The group discussed current and emerging trends and challenges and the way they affect media freedom; how social, economic, and environmental developments affect media freedom; and how the digital transformation shapes the media landscape. The outcome report and recommendations therein will serve as a guiding tool for the work ahead.

In ending the report to the Permanent Council, Ribeiro underlined that the coming years will be most challenging for those upholding the cause of freedom of the media.

“We will need vigilance, collaborative thinking and collective action. It is our shared responsibility to ensure media freedom.”

The Representative’s full report is available here.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She 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.

530452 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

On 2 and 3 November 2022, over 70 participants representing a diverse group of stakeholders from the four protected areas of Korab-Koritnik, Mavrovo, Shar Mountain and Sharri/Šara convened for a workshop in Mavrovo, North Macedonia, to discuss a shared vision to reduce climate-related security risks and identify joint projects and co-operation formats.

The protected areas are part of the Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif, a biodiversity hotspot with outstanding natural value in South-Eastern Europe. The four protected areas combined cover more than 240,000 acres, making it one of the largest continuous protected areas in Europe.

“We are already witnessing the devastating impacts of climate change in our region. Over the past two decades, average temperatures have increased by 1.2°C, and heatwaves, floods, and wildfires are occurring more frequently and intensely. These present risks to the health and livelihoods of people, our shared ecosystems, food, water and energy security in the region,” said Naser Nuredini, Minister of Environment and Physical Planning of North Macedonia, at the opening of the workshop. “Today, together with our neighbours, we are embarking on a new initiative to explore joint measures to tackle these complex risks in this nature reserve,” Nuredini added.

The Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif area is one of the seven climate-security hotspots identified in the 2021 OSCE-adelphi report Regional Assessment for South-Eastern Europe: Security implications of climate change.

“Our work in the Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif is setting one of the first examples of seeking joint solutions to climate and biodiversity crisis through a security lens,” said Esra Buttanri, Senior Advisor at the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities. “This workshop is a major step forward by stakeholders in the region to develop a co-operation strategy and an implementation plan with concrete projects.”

“Challenges, such as illegal logging, uncontrolled hunting and limited livelihood opportunities, are shared across the four protected areas, and therefore require collaborative action,” highlighted Pia van Ackern, Advisor at the Berlin-based think tank adelphi. “In response, the stakeholders developed a set of concrete project ideas that would not only strengthen the resilience, security and livelihoods of communities in the area but also contribute to good neighbourly relationships.”

The Workshop “Climate Change and Security in the Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif Area: Developing a joint co-operation/adaptation strategy and an implementation plan” 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.

530356 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz

Election experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) presented the final report on Georgia’s 2021 local elections during a visit to Tbilisi that took place from 31 October to 3 November 2022.

The experts discussed the report’s key findings and recommendations with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Central Election Commission, the Parliament’s Legal Issues Committee, the State Audit Office, the Ombudsperson, Tbilisi City Court, as well as representatives of political parties, civil society and media.

“We appreciate the constructive discussions with our counterparts. During these meetings we underlined that political will to implement ODIHR’s recommendations through an inclusive dialogue with wide range of electoral stakeholders is crucial in the efforts to advance democratic reforms towards a genuinely pluralistic political environment,” said Ambassador Albert Jónsson, Head of the ODIHR Election Observation Mission. “We welcome the willingness of the authorities to engage in the follow-up activities and they can rely on ODIHR's support and expertise in this process.”

ODIHR drew attention to its priority recommendations contained in the report, including on a comprehensive review of election laws, addressing intimidation and pressure on voters and candidates, and misuse of state resources, improving the level playing field, enhancing transparency of the lower-level election commissions’ selection, strengthening the campaign finance oversight, protecting safety of journalists, and others. ODIHR experts also held a dedicated discussion related to the implementation of gender-related electoral recommendations.

The ODIHR experts learnt about the ongoing electoral reform process, and welcomed the decision of the authorities to request ODIHR and the Venice Commission opinion on the draft amendments to the Election Code. Moreover, the experts offered further forms of assistance, including expert discussions, thematic workshops and electoral stakeholders expressed commitment to engage in further discussions and follow-up activities with ODIHR to bring Georgia’s elections closer in line with international standards and commitments.

All OSCE participating States have committed to promptly follow up on ODIHR’s electoral assessments and recommendations.

530401 Marina Živaljević

On 2 November, OSCE concluded the series of national workshops in Montenegro on social re-use of confiscated illicit assets. The event highlighted the key role civil society organizations play in the fight against organized crime and corruption. It also raised the awareness on the possibility to assign assets confiscated from criminal groups to civil society, contributing thus to social, cultural and socio-entrepreneurial activities and reintegrating confiscated illicit assets into communities and the legal economy.   

Around 25 participants took part in the event, including representatives from six civil society organizations across the country, representatives from Ministry of Justice and the Cadastre and State Property Administration, the agency responsible for managing assets confiscated from organized crime and corruption cases.

Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, Ambassador Dominique Waag opened the event stressing the support that OSCE, both the Mission in Podgorica and the Secretariat in Vienna, are providing to the authorities and civil society in Montenegro on strengthening mechanisms to improve asset recovery processes. “Asset recovery remains one of the most powerful ways to disrupt, dissolve and weaken organized crime activities and groups. It allows States and communities to take back what was illegally been taken from them. Civil society organizations are an active component in addressing and preventing transnational organized crime and corruption,” said Ambassador Waag.  

US Ambassador to Montenegro, Judy Rising Reinke commended “efforts by the Ministry of Justice, in coordination with the EU, to pen important amendments to the Law on the Confiscation of Assets Gained by Criminal Activities”. “The forthcoming legislation will hopefully improve the legal framework in this area and provide a stronger basis for relevant institutions to act more effectively,” said Ambassador Reinke.

State Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Bojan Božović, said that the opinions from the European Commission experts to the new version of the Law on Confiscation of Property Gains from Criminal Activity, sent two months ago, were very positive.

Re-use of confiscated assets for the benefit of civil society comes as the last stage of the asset recovery cycle. Redirecting the illicitly generated profit for victim re-compensation and crime prevention contributes to strengthening the culture of legality and the rule of law. During the workshop, experts from other participating States presented their re-use and social re-use models as part of the overall effort to fight organized crime and corruption. The discussions aimed to support the Government of Montenegro and civil society organizations in devising the necessary mechanisms to allocate and distribute confiscated assets, in anticipation of the implementation of an amended law on confiscation of assets gained by criminal activities.

Speaking about the Italian experience, the Ambassador of Italy to Montenegro Andreina Marsella, stated that “since 1982, almost 40.000 real estate units have been confiscated in Italy and today, almost 900 associations and cooperatives have been assigned confiscated real estate and corporate assets” “They are committed to managing them for the purpose of inclusion, cooperative promotion and social economy, youth engagement, services to people, urban regeneration, and environmental sustainability. They are the best example of the key role civil society can play in raising the awareness of negative effects of organized crime and corruption to the society, influencing the policy-making, monitoring and being part of the asset recovery process,” said Ambassador Marsella.

The Transnational Threats Department and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities work jointly to promote and support a whole-of-society approach in the fight against organized crime and corruption. The event was organized as part of their regional project “Strengthening the fight against transnational organized crime in South-Eastern Europe through improved regional co-operation in asset seizure, confiscation, management and re-use”, financed by the United States, Germany, Italy and United Kingdom.

WARSAW/VIENNA, 3 November 2022 - The 29th Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) will take place 1-2 December 2022 in Łódź, Poland.

The annual meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the 57 OSCE participating States will be held at the invitation of the OSCE Chairman-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.

Advance accreditation of media representatives is mandatory. The deadline for registration is 6 pm, 28 November 2022.

For registration, please fill in the requested information and upload a passport photo through this portal: https://events.osce.org/2022-29th-ministerial-council-lodz-media/registration

Media representatives will be informed once the process is completed through the registration system. Please be advised to regularly check your personal registration page.

All personal information provided during registration will be processed in accordance with the GDPR.

Once media accreditation has been granted, badges can be collected upon presentation of a valid photo ID and media credentials at the Media Registration Desk on the following dates:

Wednesday, 30 November 2022 12:00 – 22:00

Thursday, 1 December 2022 07:00 – 20:00

Friday, 2 December 2022 07:00 – 18:00

Media wishing to park vehicles for live broadcasting from the event (SNG trucks) in a designated parking area must register the SNG trucks and their drivers in advance.

For this purpose, please send an e-mail to mediaOSCE@msz.gov.pl giving the following information: type of vehicle, license plate number, name of the media company, full name of SNG crew members.

The deadline for registration of SNG trucks is 25 November 2022.

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

Visa requirements must be met before arrival in Poland. Accredited media representatives are invited to make their own visa arrangements as soon as possible: Information on visas for Poland

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

Contact:

Press Office

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland

Phone: +48 22 523 93 56

mediaOSCE@msz.gov.pl

VIENNA, 3 November 2022 – The OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid will be in Oslo on 3 and 4 November for meetings with the Foreign Minister, Ministry officials, civil society, and academics from Norway.

Schmid will meet with Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt on Thursday 3 November.

Schmid will also meet with Norwegian Members of Parliament who are members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

In addition, the Secretary General will meet the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, NGOs, as well as with academia and students at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI).

530314 OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities welcomes efforts to promote integration on first visit to Serbia

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov visited the Republic of Serbia from 24 to 29 October 2022.

In Belgrade, he met with the President of the National Assembly Vladimir Orlić, President of the Government Ana Brnabić, Minister of Education Branko Ružić, Commissioner for the Protection of Equality Brankica Janković, the then-Minister of Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue Gordana Čomić, and other government authorities, as well as the Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovci, Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Porfirije.

The High Commissioner discussed progress on the integration of Serbia’s diverse society with the authorities, including recent updates to its legislative and institutional framework on national minorities. He noted the completion of a Draft Action Plan for the Exercise of the Rights of National Minorities by the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue and a Strategy and Action Plan for the Development of Education that mainstreams national minority issues. Abdrakhmanov described these outcomes as “important milestones in Serbia’s efforts to promote social cohesion.”

He also discussed the National Minority Councils in Serbia and the upcoming elections to these institutions. The High Commissioner highlighted the important function of the National Minority Councils in giving persons belonging to national minorities the opportunity to address matters that affect them.

In his discussions on the situation of ethnic Serbs in the region, the High Commissioner encouraged continued dialogue between Serbia and its neighbours.

In the southern municipality of Bujanovac, the High Commissioner met with representatives of the ethnic Albanian community, including Member of Parliament Shaip Kamberi, President of the Albanian National Minority Council Ragmi Mustafi, and President of the Municipality of Bujanovac Nagip Arifi.

The High Commissioner welcomed the recent rejuvenation of the Seven Point Plan on southern Serbia as a platform for social dialogue, as well as the participation of ethnic Albanians in the census. He welcomed the ongoing dialogue of the Serbian authorities and representatives of the ethnic Albanian community towards finding practical solutions to matters that require joint effort.

High Commissioner Abdrakhmanov had the opportunity to meet a diverse group of students and teachers in Bujanovac to discuss their experiences in education and society. They shared how multilingual competence in Serbian and Albanian opens doors to employment and social interaction. The High Commissioner praised the dedication of the teachers and encouraged the students to continue learning languages to unlock opportunities.

In Bujanovac, the High Commissioner co-chaired the Stakeholders’ Meeting of the Bujanovac Department of the Subotica Faculty of Economics of the University of Novi Sad together with Ambassador Jan Braathu, Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia. The stakeholders noted the Bujanovac Department’s achievements during the past year and established an agenda for progress next year. The High Commissioner stated, “I am glad that all stakeholders and actors remain actively committed to the Department, including by maintaining continuous communication. My institution looks forward to further co‑operation with the Department and fellow stakeholders in supporting this important initiative.”

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As part of the Cybersecurity Awareness Month, from 19 October to 2 November 2022, the OSCE Presence in Albania reached out to children, parents, teachers, school psychologists and social workers to increase community awareness on cyber threats. The information sessions, which took place in Korça, Pogradec, Shkodra, Malësi e Madhe, Rrëshen and Lezha, also aimed at helping young people protect themselves online as threats to technology and confidential data become more commonplace. The Presence organized these events in partnership with the National Authority on Online Certification and Cyber Security (AKCESK).

The topics discussed with 360 participants focused on threats that citizens face online such as cyber-bullying, personal data phishing, grooming, hate speech, violent extremism and radicalization among youth, as well as on the early identification and prevention tools. The roles and responsibilities of teachers, parents and school psychologists were also in focus.

One of the participants, Kledisa, 15 years old, from Korça, said: “Thanks to this information session, I started to think and better understand the importance of being cautious and thinking critically when navigating online. Violent speech through the internet is dangerous for our friends and the society – we have witnessed such cases among our friends”.

The teachers said they found the methodology very interesting and useful for their work with youth in the future, whereas parents appreciated learning about parental control and how to improve communication with their children regarding their online activity, without judging them.

In April 2022, the OSCE Presence supported AKCESK in organizing a regional cyber camp with youth and professionals from the Western Balkans. The event aimed at increasing regional cyber-security co-operation in the Western Balkans through the creation of a network where young people, institutions and other stakeholders can exchange experiences and best practices.

The Presence will continue to work together with AKCESK, the Ministry of Education and Sports, and the National Co-ordination Centre on CVE to increase knowledge and raise awareness on cyber threats among children, youth, parents, school staff and other groups.

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On 2 November, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in close co-operation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, organized a second webinar for cadets and lecturers from the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Tashkent. The purpose of this initiative is to raise awareness about key trends and developments in contemporary policing among students and staff of the Academy.

Following the first webinar on countering the use of the internet for terrorist purposes in October, this webinar was dedicated to cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime. It was delivered by three experts from the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Directorate, and the European Cybercrime Training and Education Group (ECTEG). The webinar outlined the most common forms of cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime, discussed the main security risks and threats posed by this type of crime, and identified key challenges for criminal justice actors in combating cybercrime. It also highlighted recent trends in evolution of cybercrime and what responses could be considered to mitigate the risks posed by cybercrime in the future.

“Law enforcement needs to understand present as well as future trends and challenges in evolution of criminal landscape. Only through such understanding can law enforcement actors be effective in preventing and investigating crime, and protecting the citizens and communities they serve,” said Sami Ryhänen, Head of the Strategic Police Matters Unit in the OSCE Transnational Threats Department when opening the webinar.

The event was attended by over 100 cadets and lecturers from the Academy. The upcoming webinars will focus on topics such intelligence-led policing, combating gender-based violence, promoting the meaningful participation of women in policing, leveraging innovations to fight trafficking in human beings, or new and emerging threats of trafficking in illicit drugs.

VIENNA, 2 November 2022 – Can there be security without media freedom? That is the title of the report that Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) Teresa Ribeiro launched today, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the mandate of the OSCE RFoM.

At the launch event, Representative Teresa Ribeiro, together with preceding Representatives, Dunja Mijatović and Miklós Haraszti, as well as several eminent experts on media freedom, discussed emerging challenges to media freedom and security.

“Looking back, we should be inspired by the leaders who, despite the stark divisions at the time, developed a vision and mustered the courage to put in place the foundations of the security system which have served us well for almost fifty years – but are now in jeopardy,” Ribeiro said.

Over the last 25 years, since the OSCE participating States decided to establish the Mandate of the Representative on Freedom of the Media, challenges to media freedom have grown in scale and complexity. Many developments are interrelated and interconnected – negatively affecting the media system and its essential function in society.

“The past 25 years have been a period of tectonic shifts for media freedom, bringing new opportunities and challenges. Many of these are not just a media freedom problem, but they endanger every aspect of comprehensive security,” the Representative said.

Together with nine eminent experts, the Advisory Group of Eminent Experts on Freedom of the Media, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media took a birds-eye view on the media freedom situation and its link to security.

“This exercise necessitated taking a risk. Without critically assessing the notion of free speech and media freedom, we cannot repair its faults or go beyond it,” Ribeiro said. “Challenges old and new, simple and sophisticated, all have mounted up over the years, and while I hold a mandate that is flexible enough to address all these issues, it has become necessary to prioritize the work of my Office, and strengthen our network to more strategically confront the many challenges that lie ahead.”

The Advisory Group includes Mira Milosevic, Joel Simon, Galina Arapova, Ingrid Brodnig, Maria Ressa, Marietje Schaake, Miguel Maduro, Yaman Akdeniz, and Erica Marat.

Throughout the year, the experts met and deliberated three critical questions, which frames the report launched today:

1. Is media freedom still relevant for human security today and tomorrow?
2. What is the current understanding of the ‘media’ element of the ‘freedom of the media’ concept?
3. How can media freedom be safeguarded by intergovernmental organizations, particularly the OSCE?

It is available to read here.

Along with the launching of the report, a virtual exhibition “The Future of Media” that features art created by school children was presented.

Live stream to the event here.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She 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.

WARSAW/VIENNA, 1 November 2022 – Today a new donor-funded Support Programme for Ukraine (SPU) was launched by contributing OSCE participating States. The Support Programme addresses some of the immediate challenges to civilians posed by the war waged against Ukraine and supports the long-term democratic and social resilience of Ukrainian institutions and civil society organizations.

“While the Russian Federation has forced the closure of the OSCE’s field operations in Ukraine by opposing the renewal of the mandates of the Special Monitoring Mission and the Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, we remain steadfast in our commitment to Ukraine,” said OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau.

The Support Programme currently consists of 23 projects that aim at supporting the civilian population affected by the war and further strengthening Ukraine’s institutions. The projects will build on the prior work with the OSCE’s long-standing partners and cover activities in the country that include supporting humanitarian de-mining efforts, improving disaster risk reduction, and supporting the reform efforts of the Ukrainian government, among others.

“With the Support Programme, OSCE donors want to make sure that we continue to support Ukraine in dealing with the full range of threats to security, from risks originating from environmental disasters caused by the war to ensuring that women who have been subjected to gender-based violence receive support,” said OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid.  

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office appointed Ambassador Henrik Villadsen, from Denmark, as Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office – Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, effective 1 November. Ambassador Villadsen will be the Chair’s focal point for the new Support Programme for Ukraine and lead dialogue with relevant stakeholders in the country.

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Eleven journalists covering parliamentary affairs from different media outlets in Albania and staff of the Communication Service of the Assembly of Albania traveled to Ljubljana, from 27 to 29 October, to share experiences with their Slovenian counterparts and learn from their best practices. The OSCE Presence in Albania organized the exchange workshop with the aim of supporting journalists in improving the quality of their work, as well as bringing parliament closer to citizens. Similar visits took place in North Macedonia in April and in Austria in September 2022.

In Slovenia, participants made a tour of parliament premises and met with the Secretary General and the Head of Communication and Public Affairs Department of Slovenian parliament. Vivid discussions focused on co-operation with media, parliamentary reporting and institutional outreach to citizens through the media. The Slovenian officials answered questions on the functions of Slovenia parliament, work of the parliamentary committees and their approach to the media.

The Albanian journalists also met with representatives of the Slovenian public channel dedicated to parliamentary affairs, the Slovene Association of Journalists, the Slovenian Press Agency, and learned about their functioning, media situation and media relations with parliament, the government and political subjects in general.

At the end of the meetings, the Albanian journalists sat at a discussion table with Albanian Assembly and OSCE Presence staff to reflect about their exchange visits in all three parliaments. They proposed the organization of periodic meetings to be informed in detail about parliamentary affairs, and invited for the Presence’s continued support.

This event was organized as part of the “Support to parliament and civic education in Albania” project, which is supported by the OSCE Presence in Albania and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

The Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina visits Foča Željka Šulc

Ambassador Brian Aggeler, Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), visited Foča today. The visit served as an opportunity for Ambassador Aggeler to meet key local counterparts.

On this occasion, he met with Miralem Hodžić, the Main Imam of Foča, to discuss opportunities for fostering inter-religious dialogue while also visiting the historic Aladža mosque complex. Ambassador Aggeler also met with Milan Vukadinoviċ, Mayor of Foča, Srđan Draškoviċ, Municipal Assembly Speaker and Izet Spahić, Municipal Assembly Councilor to discuss topics that impact all citizens of Foča. “I am glad to be here today and to have an opportunity to discuss local developments with a focus on human rights and trust-building. On the topic of trust-building: the Upper Drina Initiative is a brilliant step towards sustainable cross-entity co-operation. We expect to see more positive developments in the future that will be in the best interest of all citizens of Foča. Indeed, the Mission will continue to support the efforts of the authorities in Foča in achieving that,” said Ambassador Aggeler.

Ambassador Aggeler concluded his first official visit to Foča by meeting Jelena Vilotić, President of NGO “Tračak nade.”“I am impressed with the work of this service center and with the passion and dedication of people working here. Their tireless efforts to improve living conditions for the most vulnerable in society bring hope in a better future,” concluded Aggeler.