Central Europe

501673 Marina Živaljević

In co-operation with Parliament, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro organized two training modules for members of Parliament and parliamentary staff on parliamentary diplomacy, international relations and European integration, on 7 and 8 October and on 18 and 19 October 2021, in Podgorica.

During the first module, more than 20 parliamentary staff learned about trends and the development of parliamentary diplomacy, the role of parliament in international relations and the importance of participation in multilateral parliamentary bodies and forums.

The second module focused on the role, competencies and practice of the parliamentary Committee on European Integration, as well as parliamentary diplomacy in the context of co-operation with EU institutions and diplomatic missions in Brussels.

Ursula Gacek, a former member of the European Parliament and the Polish Senate, with over 30 years of professional experience in politics and diplomacy, conducted the workshops. She said that parliamentary diplomacy grows in importance as the role of traditional diplomacy declines. “The aim of these training sessions for Montenegrin MPs and staff of parliamentary committees is to increase the impact Parliament has on the international stage, but also to prepare it for new opportunities and challenges in the area of parliamentary diplomacy that will come with EU accession,” said Gacek.

The Mission will continue to support the work of parliamentary committees by providing expertise and sharing best international practices on how to improve specific areas of parliamentary work.

501652 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe organized a public discussion and presentation of the draft Information Code of Tajikistan on 14 October 2021 in Bokhtar, the Khatlon region.

The roundtable discussion was organized jointly with the International Affairs Committee of Majlisi Namoyandagon of Majlisi Oli (the Lower Chamber of Tajikistan’s Parliament), the National Association of Independent Mass media of Tajikistan and the Open Society Foundation.

Twenty-two participants, including the senior representatives of Tajikistan’s parliament and Ministry of Justice, civil society, local government stakeholders and media, including a strong representation of female journalists, attended the event.

The meeting’s main objective was to facilitate an open discussion, aimed at gathering a concrete set of recommendations on the draft Information Code. By facilitating open discussions, including setting up working groups on the final text of the Information Code, the meeting ensured inclusivity and took into consideration feedback from local media such as “Nabzi Bokhtar” newspaper, TV Qurghonteppa, TV Khatlon, and the Union of Journalists of Tajikistan in the Khatlon region.

“The OSCE Programme Office is happy to support this timely initiative, and further help our Tajik partners in all necessary steps, leading to the completion of this important piece of state legislation,” said Michal Prawdzik, Media Officer at the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe.

Usmonzoda Hairiddin Usmon, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs of Majlisi Namoyandagon of Majlisi Oli of the Republic of Tajikistan said: “The main purpose of codification of legislation within the framework of Information Code, is to provide a systematic, legal structure for the development, and regulation of this area. As a result, it aims to eliminate the inconsistencies in existing legislation, in connection with the emergence of new conditions and the use of information and communication technologies.”

Similar discussions were organized in Khujand, the Sughd region, as well as in Dushanbe, earlier in September 2021.

Richard Wheeler

An OSCE-supported series of seminars on enhancing the role and capacity of maslikhats (local self-governance bodies) was launched, in a blended format, from 19 October to 23 November 2021. The event covers all fourteen provinces and the three major cities – Almaty, Nur-Sultan and Shymkent. Some 140 deputies of the district, city and province-level maslikhats of the Kostanay province attended the first event. 

The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan organized the event in co-operation with the Ministry for Information and Social Development of Kazakhstan, the Public Administration Academy under the President of Kazakhstan, the Fund for Parliamentary Development in Kazakhstan, Internews Kazakhstan and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Three national experts gave presentations on the main competencies of deputies, and their rights, duties and responsibilities in exercising their powers according to the respective legislation. They also examined best practices of civic engagement at the local level in the decision-making process and focused on accessibility to budget information and open budget data opportunities in the regions.

The series of seminars is a part of the Programme Office’s efforts to promote good governance and democratic development in Kazakhstan.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 255 ceasefire violations, including 29 explosions. In the previous 24 hours it recorded 522 ceasefire violations in the region.
• In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded 135 ceasefire violations, including 36 explosions. In the previous reporting 24 hours, it recorded 72 ceasefire violations in the region.
• The SMM resumed patrolling at its Forward Patrol Base in Horlivka in the afternoon of 18 October.
• The Mission observed that the gathering in front of the hotel where Mission members reside in non-government-controlled Donetsk city continued. There was no patrol movement in and out of its premises on 18 October. The gathering continued on 19 October.*
• The SMM observed a poster with a message critical of its activities attached to the fence of its office premises in Luhansk city.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.* It recorded ceasefire violations inside the disengagement area near Petrivske.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to enable the operation, repairs and construction of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at five entry-exit checkpoints and two corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Luhansk region.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including due to the presence of an anti-personnel mine near a checkpoint of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Popasna, Luhansk region. Its unmanned aerial vehicles again experienced instances of probable jamming.*

BISHKEK, 19 October 2021 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an election observation mission (EOM) for the 28 November parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan, following an invitation from the national authorities.

The mission is led by Ambassador Audrey Glover and consists of a core team of 12 experts based in Bishkek and 26 long-term observers, who will be deployed throughout the country from 26 October. In addition, ODIHR plans to request OSCE participating States to send 350 short-term observers, to arrive several days before election day. 

The mission will observe the elections for their compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation.

Observers will closely monitor the voter registration process, campaign activities, the work of the election administration and relevant governmental bodies, election-related legislation and its implementation, and the resolution of election-related disputes. As part of the observation, the mission will also monitor the media coverage of the campaign.

Meetings with numerous representatives of state authorities, political parties, civil society, the media and the international community form an integral part of the observation.

An interim report will be published to update the public and media during the course of the observation. The day after the elections, a statement of preliminary findings will be presented at a press conference, and ODIHR will publish a final report summing up the observation and making recommendations for improvements approximately two months after the end of the election process.

The ODIHR Election Observation Mission and the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek operate separately and independently under their own mandates. For further information on ODIHR’s election observation activities in Kyrgyzstan, please visit: https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/kyrgyzstan

Media contacts:

Ivan Godarsky, Media Analyst with the Election Observation Mission: ivan.godarsky@odihr.kg  or +996755855019

Katya Andrusz, ODIHR spokesperson: Katya.Andrusz@odihr.pl or +48 609 522 266

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• In Donetsk region, between the evenings of 15 and 17 October, the SMM recorded 734 ceasefire violations, including 139 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 236 ceasefire violations in the region.
• In Luhansk region, between the evenings of 15 and 17 October, the Mission recorded 78 ceasefire violations, including 13 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 273 ceasefire violations in the region.
• From 17 to 18 October, members of the armed formations prevented the SMM from leaving its Forward Patrol Base in non-government-controlled Horlivka, Donetsk region.*
• The Mission saw that a gathering in front of the hotel where Mission members reside in non-government-controlled Donetsk city continued, and there was no patrol movement in and out of its premises on 16 and 17 October. The gathering continued on 18 October.*
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.* It recorded ceasefire violations inside the disengagement areas near Zolote and Petrivske.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to enable the operation and construction of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The SMM monitored the security situation along the Black Sea coast.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at three entry-exit checkpoints and the corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Luhansk region.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at the corresponding checkpoint of the armed formations near Kreminets, Donetsk region and a checkpoint of the armed formations south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, Luhansk region. Its unmanned aerial vehicles again experienced multiple instances of jamming.*

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

On 18 October, at 15:40, the SMM saw that the previously observed padlock and chain (see SMM Spot Report 20/2021 of 17 October 2021) had been removed from the vehicle gates of its Forward Patrol Base (FPB) in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), and that the gates were open. In front of the FPB, the Mission observed a previously installed tent, but saw no people or vehicles nearby. The SMM left its FPB to conduct a patrol, and returned at 16:03.

The OSCE Permanent Council Decision No. 1117 specifies that the SMM shall have safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. Unrestricted and unconditional access to all areas is essential to ensure effective monitoring and reporting of the security situation, as well as other mandated tasks. The mandate also tasks the Mission to report on any restrictions of its freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate.

COPENHAGEN, 18 October 2021 – The governments of Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland must work together to ensure that persons trapped in the border area between their countries have access to food, water, adequate health care and temporary shelter, the leadership of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committee on Migration and the Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions said today.

Kristian Vigenin (Bulgaria), who chairs the migration committee, along with Sereine Mauborgne (France), Michael Georg Link (Germany) and Johan Büser (Sweden) who lead the human rights committee, stressed the need to uphold the fundamental human rights of migrants and locals in the border areas of Belarus and neighbouring countries. They reiterated the 25 August 2021 ruling of the European Court of Human Rights which called upon Polish and Latvian authorities to “provide all the applicants with food, water, clothing, adequate medical care and, if possible, temporary shelter.” They also called upon Poland to allow unimpeded access of medical and humanitarian aid, as well as legal assistance and urged authorities to respect the right to seek asylum and the right to legal recourse.

“Regardless of why and how these persons have arrived in this border area, we have a duty to protect them,” said Mauborgne, Chair of the human rights committee. “We simply cannot allow children, women and men to suffer in dire conditions in the woods and being used as pawns in a political game. This clearly constitutes inhuman and degrading treatment.”

“We appeal to Polish authorities to lift the state of emergency in order to allow for the provision of humanitarian and legal assistance to these persons,” said Michael Link, Vice-Chair of the human rights committee. “Allowing access of humanitarian organizations and the media would also serve the general public interest of transparency. The state of emergency which has been extended until the end of November is not only disproportionate to the situation, it also punishes local communities which rely upon cross-border trade and tourism.”

In reference to steps by Poland to enshrine ‘pushbacks’ in national law, following the adoption of legislation on 14 October, Vigenin emphasized that all persons are entitled to request asylum, regardless of the method of entry, as well as to seek legal recourse, and that the proposed legislation was in clear contravention of Poland’s international legal commitments. The principle of non-refoulement, he underlined, applies at all times, irrespective of migration status or method of entry.

“Ensuring respect of the right to asylum and protecting the state’s borders are not mutually exclusive. In the face of challenges presented by irregular migration, it is important to develop a co-ordinated policy response with all countries along the migration path to prevent further irregular arrivals rather than penalize the migrants themselves. The tragic death of yet another migrant on 14 October is a reminder that lives are at stake,” said Vigenin.

He called upon the countries affected by the influx to make the best use of EU resources to ensure the effective protection of external EU borders. Vigenin also strongly condemned the actions of smugglers and other actors who have misled vulnerable persons and encouraged them to travel towards the European Union along illegal routes. He encouraged the authorities of Poland and neighbouring states to draw upon the expertise of the OSCE and other organizations in combating migrant smuggling and trafficking.

“Belarusian authorities have tried to ‘weaponize’ innocent migrants in a deeply cynical way,” said human rights Rapporteur Johan Büser. “However troubling this may be, it is incumbent upon bordering countries to care for these migrants and respect their rights and those of others in the affected areas.”

Poland, Latvia and Lithuania have all been experiencing a sharp increase in the number of irregular migrants from Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen arriving from Belarus since early August. So far, at least seven persons are known to have died in the border areas of Belarus and neighbouring countries.

Poland imposed a state of emergency in the area along the border with Belarus on 2 September, prohibiting movements and access by humanitarian organizations, NGOs and media. Latvia and Lithuania also adopted states of emergency in response to the sharp increase in irregular arrivals over the summer. On 4 October, Belarus passed legislation allowing it to refuse to take back asylum seekers from the EU.

On 14 October, Poland’s parliament passed legislation aiming to legalize pushbacks of migrants across its borders, enabling local border guards to send back migrants and allowing for asylum applications to be disregarded in the case of a foreigner immediately caught after illegally crossing the border. The legislation must be signed by Polish President Andrzej Duda to take force.

COPENHAGEN, 18 October 2021 – More than 70 OSCE parliamentarians from 24 countries will deploy this week to Uzbekistan for the 24 October presidential election. The OSCE PA observers will work closely with colleagues from the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, as well as the European Parliament.

Vice-President Reinhold Lopatka will serve as Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission, following an appointment by the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde.“The scale of our mission demonstrates the strong willingness of the international community to support a democratic path forward for Uzbekistan and its people,” noted Special Co-ordinator Lopatka. “A number of reforms have been undertaken in recent years, and this election will be an important test of how these are implemented in practice.”

Today Lopatka delivered a welcoming address for the OSCE short-term observers during an online briefing. He thanked them for their commitment and efforts and highlighted the important role of international observers in assessing the electoral process against the democratic commitments all OSCE participating countries have subscribed to.  

“Despite the numerous challenges still posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, I am very glad that we are able to deploy high numbers of observers for this election,” said Vice-President Daniela De Ridder, who will lead the OSCE PA observer delegation. “We hope to see a vibrant and competitive contest and we look forward to offering our full and impartial assessment.”

OSCE PA observers will deploy in Tashkent and surroundings, as well as Kokand, Samarkand, Bukhara and Nukus.

Altogether, the international election observation mission will have more than 300 observers in the country.

Observers will be comprehensively briefed prior to election day by representatives of the election administration and civil society, candidates and experts. The leaders of the mission will deliver the post-election statement of preliminary findings and conclusions at a press conference in Tashkent on 25 October, which will stream live on the OSCE PA website, www.oscepa.org.

The October 2021 mission marks the second time the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has observed the vote in Uzbekistan. For previous OSCE PA assessments of elections in the country, please click here.

501310 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

Members of the OSCE Gender Equality Platform on Border Security and Management and representatives of border agencies from the OSCE region and beyond discussed the importance of an inclusive approach to gender equality in the security sector on 18 October 2021.

The networking event was held in a blended format, in Vienna and online. Forty representatives from border agencies of 18 OSCE participating States and Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation attended.

The event was organized by the Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the Gender Issues Programme.

At the event, the upcoming Needs Assessment of the OSCE Gender Equality Platform was launched and its aim is to analyze current gaps and needs in border services regarding women’s equal participation on all levels was launched. The Assessment is part of the project entitled “The Women and Men Innovating and Networking (WIN). Strengthening Comprehensive Security through Innovating and Networking for Gender Equality” implemented by the Gender Issues Programme.

Participants discussed the crucial role men play as partners in promoting gender equality. OSCE representatives highlighted the importance of leadership’s engagement and the need to create appropriate gender-inclusive conditions for men and women to work in law enforcement.

“If the leadership is not engaged in efforts towards gender equality, no sustainability is guaranteed,” said Dennis Cosgrove, Head of OSCE’s Border Security and Management Unit, in his opening remarks.   

Representatives from North Macedonia shared successful practices of the Mentoring Programme for women in North Macedonian Police and discussed possible ways of initiating a mentoring network within the Gender Equality Platform.

International expert and retired Belgian Major Stefan Steyaert engaged participants in several practical exercises following interactive discussions on gender-inclusive border security and management.

The  Gender Issues Programme’s multi-year WIN project aims to build capacity and increase participation of women in conflict prevention, mediation and other processes relevant to comprehensive security. This event was possible thanks to the financial support of Sweden and Ireland.

501331

The seventh OSCE Dialogue Academy for Young Women concluded on 16 October 2021 in Mavrovo, North Macedonia. Eighteen participants from Prishtinë/Priština and Belgrade attended the Academy.

The 10-day programme included intensive team-building exercises and lectures on the topics ‘dialogue, mediation and confidence building’, ‘women in politics’ and ‘strategic planning for positive impact’, delivered by international experts. Through panel discussions, participants had a chance to exchange views on women empowerment with prominent speakers, including members of the ‘Follow Us’ Initiative.

Participants had the opportunity to hear from the OSCE Secretary General, Helga Maria Schmid, who shared personal experiences from her career and high-level negotiation processes she has led, and reflected on her role as the first woman Secretary General of the OSCE.

In her message to the participants, Secretary General Schmid emphasized the importance of networks and mentoring in making women’s voices heard, increasing their visibility and empowering each other. As a huge believer in women’s empowerment at an early age, she highlighted that the Dialogue Academy is an excellent initiative where women can get support to be leaders of tomorrow. She also said that peace agreements are more sustainable when women are key actors, and encouraged them to get involved to increase women’s participation in these processes.

As a follow-up, participants will meet in November for an alumnae exchange visit to further develop their ideas and activities within the Dialogue Academy Alumnae Network, which now counts 160 members.

The Academy is organized annually under the auspices of the ‘Follow Us’ Initiative, supported by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and the OSCE Mission to Serbia, as part of their work to enhance women's participation in dialogue, conflict resolution and decision-making processes.

The Initiative, which includes prominent women from Belgrade and Prishtinë/Priština, was launched in 2012, and has been facilitated since then by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and the OSCE Mission to Serbia.

SKOPJE, 18 October 2021 – Candidates could campaign freely and fundamental freedoms were widely respected in North Macedonia’s local elections, but numerous gaps in the law and legislative changes close to election day undermined legal stability and the largest parliamentary parties enjoy systemic advantages in the distribution of public resources for campaigning, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a statement today.

“It was good to see a large number of candidates freely campaigning throughout the country,” said Tana de Zulueta, head of ODIHR’s election observation mission. “But it was apparent from our observation that the biggest parties have used the law to carve out a predominance in the political field. This clearly skews the system to their advantage.”

Biometric voter identification was introduced in North Macedonia for the first time in these elections, and while the step was generally welcomed as a fraud-prevention measure, the timeline for its nationwide implementation lacked any pilot project or comprehensive testing. On election day itself, frequent problems with the biometric identification devices were noted. The opening and voting process was positively assessed across the country, but there were issues such as group voting, as well as procedural errors during the counting and tabulation.

Amendments to election legislation had broad political support but were adopted only a month before the election with no public debate or consultation, which is not in line with international good practice. The election administration met most legal deadlines and made efforts to adapt to several late amendments. However, its capacity and ability to carry out its work independently was strained by a lack of permanent staff and vacancies in key positions.

Despite an active and generally peaceful election campaign, issue-based debates were overshadowed by increasingly negative rhetoric, which particularly targeted women candidates. Gender equality and women’s rights were largely absent from party campaigns, in which women also remained under-represented. Observers also noted isolated cases of candidate intimidation, as well as allegations of pressure on candidates to withdraw and vote-buying.

Election legislation stipulates that all media outlets, including online media, cover the elections in a fair, balanced and unbiased manner. However, the stringent regulation of news programmes by the public broadcaster during the campaign undermines its editorial independence. Paid media advertising during the campaign is funded directly and exclusively from the state budget, and its distribution provided a significant advantage to some parliamentary parties, which is not in line with international good practice.

“ODIHR has repeatedly underlined the need for parliament to undertake a comprehensive reform to North Macedonia’s election legislation accompanied by meaningful public consultation,” Ms de Zulueta added. “That would enable solid legislation to be passed that serves the people of this country.”

ODIHR’s Election Observation Mission to North Macedonia took up its work on 7 September with a team of 16 experts based in Skopje, and totals 165 observers from 29 countries. The mission is continuing its observation now for the second round, assessing the extent to which the elections are held in line with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation.

For further information, please contact:

Katya Andrusz, ODIHR: +48 609 522 266 or katya.andrusz@odihr.pl

Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

The OSCE’s Strategic Police Matters Unit, in co-operation with six OSCE field operations in South-Eastern Europe and the Shortest Path Training Company from the United Kingdom, held on 4 to 6 October 2021 the advanced round of a series of online training courses focused on utilizing IBM’s i2 software packages Analyst’s Notebook and iBase for criminal intelligence analysis.

The advanced round of courses builds on the previous refresher set of online training courses organized in July and August 2021 with a target-group of criminal analysts from law enforcement authorities in South-Eastern Europe

It focuses on enhancing the participants’ technical skills to professionally analyze law enforcement data and conduct nuanced inquiries through the IBMs software tools, as well as to present their findings more efficiently to their management and relevant law enforcement stakeholders.

The advanced course featured participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Further courses will be held in mid- and late October and include participants from Albania, Kosovo[1], North Macedonia and Serbia.

Both the refresher and advanced rounds of the training courses were organized as part of the OSCE extra-budgetary project, Building Intelligence-Led Policing capacities on regional and national levels in the OSCE area. The project aims to enhance the use of mechanisms and tools for intelligence-led policing toward preventing and reducing crime. It currently involves 20 countries from around the OSCE region and is open to all interested OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation who can request its capacity-building support.

[1] All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text should be understood in full compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

On 17 October, an SMM patrol consisting of three vehicles and nine people arrived at a checkpoint of the armed formations on road H-15 near the Kargil plant in Kreminets (non-government-controlled, 16km south-west of Donetsk) at 12:01, intending to travel to non-government-controlled areas. Another SMM patrol, consisting of two vehicles and six people, intending to cross to government-controlled areas, arrived at the same checkpoint ten minutes later. At the checkpoint, two members of the armed formations denied both patrols passage, referring to instructions of their superiors “not to let the SMM pass through the checkpoint in either direction”.

At 12:30, a man (in his thirties) in military-style clothing arrived at the checkpoint from non-government-controlled areas. He allowed the patrol travelling to government-controlled areas to pass. However, he denied the patrol travelling to non-government-controlled areas passage, stating that “SMM patrols will not be allowed to travel to non-government-controlled areas until they bring with them the captured member of the armed formations.”

At 12:33, the patrol travelling towards government-controlled areas continued on its journey with a 43-minute delay. At 13.08, the other patrol returned towards government-controlled areas after having been refused passage.

The Mission notes that such denials at checkpoints of the armed formations not only restrict the SMM’s freedom of movement across the contact line, but also prevent the SMM’s logistical operations, which are essential for the effective functioning of the Mission.

The OSCE Permanent Council Decision No. 1117 specifies that the SMM shall have safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. Unrestricted and unconditional access to all areas is essential to ensure effective monitoring and reporting of the security situation, as well as other mandated tasks. The mandate also tasks the Mission to report on any restrictions of its freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

On 17 October, at 16:03, the SMM observed that the vehicle gates of its Forward Patrol Base (FPB) in Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk) was being locked with a chain and a padlock, and that a vehicle with blue “DPR” plates was parked south of its gates, blocking the exit. It also saw two members of the armed formations standing next to the vehicle.

The owner of the hotel where the FPB is located (a man in his sixties) informed SMM staff that the Mission would be prevented from leaving the premises citing “orders from  the ‘Mayor’ of Horlivka”. He also said that all exits had been blocked by members of the armed formations. Using CCTV cameras at the hotel, the Mission saw three tents pitched in front of the hotel, and four people (unknown genders and ages) were gathered near the tents.

At 17:00, two men (in their thirties) in civilian clothing entered the hotel and informed SMM staff that they were allowed to move freely throughout the hotel and the parking lot behind the hotel, but that they were not allowed to leave the hotel premises until the member of the armed formations reportedly detained by the Ukrainian Armed Forces inside the disengagement area near Zolote on 13 October had been released. The situation continued past the end of the reporting period [and is ongoing]. The SMM observed a calm situation.

The Forward Patrol Base in Horlivka is an OSCE/SMM Office, enjoying immunities and privileges. Restriction of access to and from the Office should be considered a violation of such immunities and privileges as well as the commitments of those in control.

The OSCE Permanent Council Decision No. 1117 specifies that the SMM shall have safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. Unrestricted and unconditional access to all areas is essential to ensure effective monitoring and reporting of the security situation, as well as other mandated tasks. The mandate also tasks the Mission to report on any restrictions of its freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 236 ceasefire violations, including 72 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 32 ceasefire violations in the region.
• In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded 273 ceasefire violations, including 214 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 207 ceasefire violations in the region.
• The SMM corroborated reports of a man and a woman injured in non-government-controlled Dokuchaievsk.
• The Mission saw recent damage to a working school in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka, Luhansk region.
• From the morning of 15 October, the SMM observed a gathering in front of the hotel where Mission members reside in non-government-controlled Donetsk city, which prevented any patrol movement in and out of its premises on 15 and 16 October.*
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.* It recorded ceasefire violations inside the disengagement area near Petrivske.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to enable the operation, maintenance and repair of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at four entry-exit checkpoints and three corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM monitored gatherings in Kharkiv, Dnipro, Odessa, Ivano-Frankivsk and Mukacheve, Zakarpattia region.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at checkpoints of the armed formations south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge and on the southern edge of the disengagement area near Zolote.*

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) is closely following the recent developments related to the incident in the disengagement area near Zolote on 13 October. On that day, the SMM patrols were present on both sides of the contact line near the disengagement area where they were monitoring adherence to a localized ceasefire to enable vegetation clearance along the road that traverses the area. All relevant observations concerning this activity were duly reflected in SMM Daily Report of 14 October 2021.

The SMM did not observe the event directly. It received information from the Ukrainian Armed Forces and from the armed formations only after it had occurred. In compliance with its reporting methodology, uncorroborated indirect information cannot be included in the Mission’s reports. However, the SMM stands ready to facilitate the dialogue on the ground between the sides should they wish to seek such facilitation, and this readiness has already been communicated to the sides.

The SMM is a civilian Mission tasked by the OSCE Permanent Council to gather information and report on the security situation; establish and report facts in response to specific incidents and reports of incidents; monitor and support respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as to facilitate dialogue on the ground in order to reduce tensions and promote normalization of the situation. The Mission reports on all relevant facts which it observes directly, and includes this information in its publicly available reports.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 32 ceasefire violations, including 20 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 230 ceasefire violations in the region.
• In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded 207 ceasefire violations, including 157 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 95 ceasefire violations in the region.
• The SMM corroborated reports of a boy injured due to an explosion in non-government-controlled Luhansk city.
• The Mission followed up on reports of damage to a residential house in non-government-controlled Pikuzy, Donetsk region.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to enable the operation and repair of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The SMM continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at four entry-exit checkpoints and three corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The Mission monitored four border crossing points outside government control in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as areas near the border with the Russian Federation in Donetsk region.
• The SMM observed convoys of cargo trucks in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The Mission monitored gatherings in Lviv and Kyiv.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at checkpoints of the armed formations south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge, on the southern edge of the disengagement area near Zolote, and at a border crossing point near Izvaryne, all in Luhansk region.*

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COPENHAGEN, 15 October 2021 – Following an invitation of President of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly Valentina Matvienko, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Vice-President Pia Kauma (Finland) represented the PA at the Third Eurasian Women’s Forum in St. Petersburg on 13-15 October.

Kauma, who serves as the PA’s Special Representative on Central Asia, actively took part in the forum, which since 2015 has become one of the largest international platforms uniting female leaders from all continents for discussions on the role of women in developing new approaches to solving global problems. The event featured welcoming remarks by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and brought together some 1,500 women leaders, including politicians, entrepreneurs, and public activists from over 100 countries, who engaged in more than 50 thematic discussions.

Speaking at the opening plenary session on 13 October, Kauma stressed that the PA has always actively promoted women’s empowerment and women’s rights as essential elements of the OSCE’s concept of comprehensive security. “Traditionally, women in parliaments have been particularly active on issues of gender equality,” she said. “Today, we should look beyond traditional areas. Women should seek for political positions in all fields including security, foreign policy and the economy. This includes also peace-making.”

Vice-President Kauma argued that no nation can afford to exclude the potential of half of their population and emphasized that more should be done to eliminate gender-based discrimination, violence and stereotypes. Pointing to the opportunity to change the futures of women and girls around the world, she urged for greater co-operation and determination with partners and allies.

On the sidelines of the forum, Vice-President Kauma had a number of bilateral meetings with representatives of parliaments and international organizations, including former Speaker of the Parliament of Moldova, Zinaida Greceanii; Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, Tanzila Narbaeva; Chairperson of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Natalia Kochanova; and Natali German, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Central Asia, Head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, to underline the ways for greater engagement with the OSCE PA in addressing world’s most pressing challenges.

In her meeting with Greceanii, Vice-President Kauma discussed the situation in Moldova following the recent elections, and the two sides explored the existing OSCE PA instruments that could be of use to the country’s development. In the meeting with Kochanova, the sides agreed to further utilize OSCE PA as a platform for enhancing dialogue and reaching mutual understanding in the interests of the people of Belarus.

Meeting with Narbaeva, Kauma highlighted the strong co-operation between the OSCE PA and the parliament of Uzbekistan. Kauma welcomed progress of democratic transformations in the country, and the sides discussed the Assembly’s plans for election observation for the presidential election on 24 October.

Kauma also exchanged with Speaker of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation and CIS IPA President Matvienko on the margins of the forum, as well as Deputy Speaker Konstantin Kosachev.

Kauma expressed appreciation for Matvienko’s invitation to the forum and reiterated the importance of maintaining an engaging relationship with the Russian Federation in the context of the OSCE PA, which she stressed is an inclusive forum for open dialogue based on mutual respect and shared values.

Eighteen young journalists from the Western Balkans gathered in Tirana from 10 to 14 October 2021 to discuss media challenges across the region and brainstorm on ways of tackling them.

The event, called ‘Youth Trail’ is now a tradition of the OSCE Presence in Albania, which has been bringing together young people from the region since 2017 to connect and debate about democracy, security, peace and co-operation. This was the first time that ‘Youth Trail’ focused on one specific topic – the media – to concur with the OSCE’s 8th South East Europe Media Conference (SEEMC) that took place in Tirana on 11 and 12 October 2021.

The young journalists worked together to develop a document – Tirana Media Platform – where they recognized the importance and urgency of tackling some of the most pressing media issues, such as low ethical standards, limited self-regulation, low level of media literacy, fake news and disinformation, limited possibilities for gatekeeping, poor working conditions, and lack of safety and protection particularly for women journalists. On behalf of all Youth Trail participants, two of them – Ljubica Ivanova from North Macedonia and Lazar Convs from Serbia – presented the Platform at the SEEMC. They called upon the attention of state institutions, media and international organizations to their set of recommendations, and stressed that young journalists see themselves as part of the solution.

During their stay in Albania, the young journalists met, among others, Youth Minister, Bora Muzhaqi, Tirana Mayor, Erion Veliaj, General Director of National Youth Agency, Kleina Kasanai, Head of Journalism Department, Mark Marku, Secretary General of the Regional Youth Co-operation Office (RYCO), Albert Hani, Dutch Ambassador, Reinout Vos, as well as the OSCE Representative of Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, and Head of OSCE Presence Vincenzo Del Monaco.

They also visited the former political prison of Spaç and listened to testimonies from Albania’s communist past as a reminder that freedom and freedom of the media are not to be taken for granted.

The OSCE Presence in Albania organized 'Youth Trail 2021' with the support of the Austrian Development Agency, the embassies of Greece and Italy in Albania, and in co-operation with the Municipality of Tirana, RYCO, Tirana University’s Journalism Department, and other OSCE field operations in the region.