Central Europe

SARAJEVO, 12 October 2021 – The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) launched the report “The Enjoyment of Freedom of Peaceful Assembly in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Monitoring Observations of the OSCE Mission to BiH” today, 12 October 2021, in Sarajevo.

The Mission has systematically monitored public assemblies since 2017, including preparation activities, the conduct of local authorities during assemblies, and follow-up activities and, where relevant, prosecutions.

The report identifies issues in both legislation and practice by examining monitoring findings through the nexus of relevant international human rights treaties. 

“In many instances, we saw practices that are more lenient and human rights compliant than prescribed by the applicable legislation. However, we also noted practices that go against recognized international human rights standards,” said Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina. “The recommendations provided in this report for all levels of authority, including potential assembly organizers and participants, aim to encourage the highest degree of enjoyment of this fundamental right – in the interest of all citizens. Improvements in current practices are possible.  Brčko District BiH offers a positive example of how this fundamental freedom can be better protected.  .”

Brčko District BiH, with the assistance of Brčko District Police, the OSCE Mission to BiH and other international partners, became the first in Bosnia and Herzegovina to harmonize its Law on Peaceful Assemblies with international human rights standards.

“As proponents of the Law on Peaceful Assembly, we want to underline the fact that the responsibilities specified under the Law for participants are limited to reasonable effort and due care. These responsibilities are not meant to deter anyone from exercising their right to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression,” said Chief of the Cabinet of Brčko District BiH Police Mile Jurošević. “The aim is to foster co-operation with representatives of the police, who have the responsibility to maintain order and ensure compliance with the law for the organization of peaceful assembly.”

Along with other fundamental freedoms, the right to peaceful assembly rests at the core of any functioning democracy.

“A trend toward democratic backsliding and decline in the respect for human rights and the rule of law is unfortunately evident in many countries around the world. The pandemic has reminded us that progress on these areas cannot be taken for granted,” said John Skoglund, First Secretary at the Swedish Embassy. “The tolerant and open Europe we strive for requires that we together monitor, respect, protect and promote our fundamental rights, and I welcome this timely report launch.”

This report is part of the OSCE Mission to BiH's broader efforts to support BiH authorities in meeting their international obligations.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• In Donetsk region, between the evenings of 8 and 10 October, the Mission recorded 150 ceasefire violations, including 35 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 47 ceasefire violations in the region.
• In Luhansk region, between the evenings of 8 and 10 October, the SMM recorded 120 ceasefire violations, including 49 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded two ceasefire violations in the region.
• The Mission corroborated a civilian casualty in non-government-controlled Sentianivka, Luhansk region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. It recorded ceasefire violations inside the disengagement areas near Zolote and Petrivske.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to enable the operation and repairs of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at five entry-exit checkpoints and four corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM visited two border crossing points outside government control and monitored areas close to the border with the Russian Federation in Donetsk region.
• The Mission monitored the security situation in east and south-east Kherson region.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a checkpoint of the armed formations in Zhabunki, Donetsk region. Its unmanned aerial vehicles again experienced multiple instances of jamming.*

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• In Donetsk region, the Mission recorded 47 ceasefire violations, including nine explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 96 ceasefire violations in the region.
• In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded two ceasefire violations, both explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 17 ceasefire violation in the region.
• 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 and repairs of critical civilian infrastructure, and a transfer of funds from non-government to government-controlled areas.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at seven entry-exit checkpoints and three corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at two checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk region. Its unmanned aerial vehicles again experienced multiple instances of jamming.*

GENEVA, 8 October 2021 — The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Stephane Visconti of France, Andrew Schofer of the United States of America, and Igor Khovaev of the Russian Federation) released the following statement today:  

The Co-Chairs held consultations with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Vice President Gilles Carbonnier in Geneva 7 and 8 October.  The Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson in Office (PRCiO) Andrzej Kasprzyk also participated in the meetings.  All participants stressed the importance of full, unimpeded access by international humanitarian organizations to carry out their work.  In light of the recent constructive meeting between the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan on the margins of the UN General Assembly, the Co-Chairs welcomed Azerbaijan’s release of one Armenian serviceman and also discussed possible de-escalatory and humanitarian measures, including with regard to detainees, missing persons, and the voluntary return of all displaced persons.  The Co-Chairs emphasized their intention to continue working with the parties to find areas of agreement. 

The Co-Chairs have taken positive note of President Aliyev’s and Prime Minister Pashinyan’s public statements expressing their readiness in principle to meet with each other under the auspices of the Co-Chairs.  The Co-Chairs look forward to engaging the sides on modalities and details of such a meeting and reiterate their willingness to visit the region in the near future to discuss next steps in the process.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• In Donetsk region, the Mission recorded 96 ceasefire violations, including six explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 101 ceasefire violations in the region.
• In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded 17 ceasefire violation, including eight explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded one ceasefire violation in the region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to enable the operation and repairs of critical civilian infrastructure.
• 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 Mission monitored the security situation in south and south-east Kherson region.
• The SMM monitored a gathering in Kyiv.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at a checkpoint of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and a checkpoint of the armed formations, and while approaching a border crossing point near Novoazovsk, all in Donetsk region. Its unmanned aerial vehicles again experienced instances of jamming.*

The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan, in co-operation with the Supreme Court and Legal Policy Research Centre in Kazakhstan, co-organized an online roundtable discussion on access to justice during the COVID-19 pandemic on 8 October 2021.

Some 138 representatives of the Kazakhstan Supreme Court, Prosecutor General’s Office, the Ministry of Justice, academia, lawyers, parliamentarians, and civil society representatives, as well as local and international legal experts, discussed current challenges faced by legal practitioners and judges in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event provided a platform for dialogue to reflect on online trials and best practices.

Participants produced recommendations for strengthening access to justice during the pandemic. Four national and four international experts shared their views on the role of digital communications in the judicial system.

The roundtable discussion focused on ‘online’ delivery of justice during the pandemic, related information sharing and communication between all parties in court processes, transparency in court cases, decision-making and lessons learned.  

The event is part of the Programme Office’s long-standing efforts to strengthen the rule of law and support justice reform in the host country.

500470

On 1 October 2021, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan, Ruslan Kazakbaev, to discuss the current state of media freedom and freedom of expression in Kyrgyzstan.

Ribeiro and Kazakbaev addressed several issues, including safety of journalists, media pluralism, and the importance of free media in a democratic society.

The Representative extended her readiness to continue supporting Kyrgyzstan by providing legal reviews of legislation pertaining to media freedom. She also pointed to recommendations of the United Nations Universal Periodic Review for 2015–2019 to review Article 313 of the Criminal Code on incitement to racial, ethnic, religious, and other forms of hostility as to comply with Articles 19 and 20 of the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Minister Kazakbaev stressed that Kyrgyzstan attaches importance to further developing co-operation with the OSCE. Furthermore, he highlighted efforts by the authorities to ensure safety of journalists, adding that serious efforts are made to improve the media freedom situation in the country.

Representative Ribeiro thanked the authorities of Kyrgyzstan for the sustained support of and engagement with regional efforts, such as the third Judicial Dialogue in May and the 23rd Central Asia Media Conference in September. Both important platforms for strengthening media freedom and provide an enabling environment for free, independent and professional journalism accross the region.

VIENNA, 8 October 2021 — OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro today congratulated prominent journalists Dmitry Muratov and Maria Ressa for winning the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize and expressed her content with the importance the Nobel Committee attaches to freedom of expression and media freedom.

“This year’s Nobel Peace Prize underscores the significance of this essential foundation of democracy and peace,” Ribeiro said. “It also underlines the essential role of independent media and the right of journalists to carry out their work under safe conditions, without fear of reprisals. Those are part of the important commitments we also hold dear in the OSCE region.”

“Over the years, many journalists from Novaya Gazeta, which is tirelessly led by Dmitry Muratov, have faced harassment and intimidation in the Russian Federation, and some of them even paid the ultimate price for doing their professional work,” Ribeiro said. “Despite these grim challenges, the newspaper, a long-standing partner of my Office, continuously serves as an outstanding example of independent, determined, courageous and public interest journalism.”

“Maria Ressa has constantly spoken up for the importance of media freedom, despite repeated attacks and harassment throughout her career,” said Ribeiro. “Her relentless courage and journalistic skills, including by being a leader for other women journalists and media managers, have reminded us all of the importance of qualitative journalism, while also contributing greatly to my Office’s knowledge about online attacks against media. The awarding of this Prize shows the continuous need to improve the safety of female journalists online for the sake of all of us, an issue my Office has been working on for many years.”

“I sincerely congratulate Dmitry Muratov and Maria Ressa and wish both of them success in the persistent promotion of our shared ideals and values of freedom of expression, freedom of the media and freedom of access to information.”

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.

500455 Marina Živaljević

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro and Ministry of Interior’s Department for Fight against Trafficking in Human Beings (THB), organized a series of training courses for heads of security centres and police officers from all police stations throughout Montenegro, from 5 to 8 October.

This course, held in Podgorica, Budva and Kolašin, for police officers from the Sector of Public Order and Peace, was the first that focused exclusively on combating trafficking in human beings. Around 20 heads of Montenegrin security centres and more than 70 police officers, primarily those patrolling the streets who are the first line of contact with trafficked victims, participated. The course examined differences between trafficking and smuggling and participants discussed principles of dealing with potential trafficked victims, including children and sex workers.

Opening the first workshop in Podgorica, Stephen Harmon, Mission’s Security and Co-operation Programme Manager, said he hoped “that these workshops would reinforce the national response to combatting trafficking and strengthen protection of victim’s rights.”

Nikola Terzić, adviser to the Minister of Interior and Head of the Coordination Body for THB Strategy implementation, stressed the importance of training police officers, given that they are often the first to come into contact with potential victims. “In our future work, we will raise the level of operational activity in combatting human trafficking to achieve better results in the fight against trafficking in human beings,” said Terzić.

The police professionalization and supporting the police as a professional, democratic, accountable and efficient service, trusted by the society, remains high on the Mission’s agenda.

An advanced training programme on crime analysis, organized by the OSCE Presence in Albania, was held from 5 to 8 October 2021, in Durrës. Building upon last year’s training course on the concepts and techniques of crime analysis for Albania’s State Police, the course was tailored to the needs of the Crime Information Analysis Units of State Police and the Albanian Financial Intelligence Unit.

Fourteen officers from the Crime Information Analysis Units and Financial Intelligence Unit participated in the training delivered by a Canadian expert with vast experience in this field. The training course aimed at enhancing participants’ skills to tackle the new efficient global analytical concepts and approaches in crime analysis, which if implemented successfully will result in more high-quality analytical products.

As a result, Albania’s law enforcement’s overall capacities to report, investigate, and prosecute serious and organized crimes, and financial crimes in particular, will be further enhanced. The rapid implementation of the intelligence-led policing (ILP) model will also be enabled, especially in developing analytical products of strategic importance, such as the serious and organized crime threat assessment reports.

The need for more trainings in this area was reiterated by senior police officers in meetings held with the Presence from 2020 and onwards. Moreover, the material covered in the above-mentioned training course is in accordance with the goals and commitments contained in Albania’s “Strategy against Organized Crime and Serious Crimes 2021–2025” and the “Action Plan 2021–2022”. Supporting Albania’s State Police in developing and delivering training programmes to enhance skills and competencies in strategic and operational crime intelligence analysis is identified as a priority for the Presence for the foreseeable future.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

KYIV, 08 October 2021 — In his address to the OSCE Permanent Council yesterday, Ambassador Y. Halit Çevik, the Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, stated that since his last briefing a deterioration of the security situation, including increasing use of Minsk proscribed weapons, the intensification of fighting near certain sensitive areas, a growing number of civilian casualties, as well as persistent constraints on SMM’s freedom of movement had been reported by the Mission.

“The backsliding of recent months underlines the sides’ continued lack of interest to live up to their commitments,” Ambassador Çevik said.

The Chief Monitor drew the Council’s attention to the fact that in August alone, the number of corroborated civilian casualties due to shelling and small-arms fire was 12; the highest since the 22 July 2020 agreement on Measures to strengthen the ceasefire, and that this trend  continued in September.

He underlined that increased fighting close to civilian infrastructures and crossing points was unacceptable and called on the sides to invest more effort into safeguarding civilian infrastructure.

Ambassador Çevik reminded that more than a 95 per cent drop in civilian crossings due to requirements imposed by the sides since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the closure of all existing checkpoints, with the partial exception of two, has severely limited the opportunities to maintain social and family ties across the contact line, and access to services, including pensions, education, healthcare and documentation. He underlined that the longer this situation prevailed, the greater the reintegration challenges would become.

The Chief Monitor also pointed out worrisome trends regarding freedom of movement restrictions faced by the SMM, adding that if the Mission was unable to access its mandated area of responsibility, it would not be able to deliver what it was tasked by the OSCE Permanent Council.

He said that the SMM was willing to increase its monitoring activities quantitatively in areas near the border outside government control, including through the opening of new forward patrol bases, but it needs political support in removing freedom of movement impediments.

In closing, Ambassador Cevik warned about the long-term trajectory of the conflict, if no steps were taken to reverse worrying trends. At the same time he called on the international community to urge and encourage the sides to adhere to their commitments.

WARSAW, 8 October 2021 – Working towards an OSCE region free from capital punishment should be a priority for all OSCE countries, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said today ahead of the World Day against the Death Penalty on 10 October.

“I very much welcome the decision by both Kazakhstan and the US state of Virginia to abolish the death penalty this year,” said ODIHR Director Matteo Mecacci. “At the same time, more needs to be done both at national and international level to consolidate the positive trends we have seen over the years, by changing public attitudes, depoliticising the death penalty and achieving full abolition across the OSCE area. Strong and responsible political leadership will be essential to ensure that these efforts reach fruition.”

This year’s edition of ODIHR’s Background Paper on the Death Penalty in the OSCE Area focuses on how several OSCE countries have decided to abolish the death penalty in recent years, and identifies factors that influenced the process. It also highlights the crucial role of civil society organisations in moving politicians, criminal justice stakeholders and the wider public towards acceptance of abolition, particularly through debunking common myths around capital punishment.

“My story, and that of many I know, disrupts the too-easy image of a victim’s family member who finds closure in state-sanctioned death,” emphasises Jeanne Bishop, an activist for abolition of the death penalty and family member of a murder victim, and author of the introduction to this year’s report. “It would not bring my loved ones back. It would not honour their lives or what they stood for. It would not give me that thing people often say that murder victims’ families want and need above all: closure.”

Capital punishment disproportionately affects people who are already vulnerable. Notably, women on death row often come from marginalised backgrounds and are scarred by years of abuse. At the same time, a death sentence causes severe mental and physical suffering not only to the person concerned, but also to their family, family members of the victim, and many other individuals involved in carrying out executions.

There is a growing consensus around the world that the death penalty is a form of punishment that does not serve as a deterrent and that its implementation is cruel, inhuman and degrading. All OSCE countries have committed to exchanging information about the death penalty and keeping its use under review. The vast majority of OSCE states have either completely abolished the death penalty or maintain moratoria on executions as an important step towards abolition.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• In Donetsk region, the Mission recorded 101 ceasefire violations, including five explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 253 ceasefire violations in the region.
• In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded one ceasefire violation. In the previous reporting period, it recorded eight ceasefire violations in the region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske, and recorded ceasefire violations inside the disengagement area near Petrivske.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to enable the operation and repairs 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 Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted. Its unmanned aerial vehicles again experienced instances of jamming.*

Richard Wheeler

An OSCE-supported roundtable discussion on implementing the Aarhus Convention principles in Kazakhstan concluded on 7 October 2021 in Turkestan,  held in a blended format.

The event organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan and the Information and Analytical Center of Environmental Protection of Kazakhstan’s Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources Ministry (Information and Analytical Center) gathered some 60 representatives, including 30 online from government entities, Aarhus centres, the private sector and environmental NGOs from various regions of the country.

The two-day event focused on implementing the Aarhus Convention, including applying the Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTR) Protocol and the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) amendment under Kazakhstan’s new Environmental Code, which entered into force on July 1 2021. The participants discussed challenges faced in public participation during the COVID-19 pandemic, and emphasized the importance of broader  teleconferencing tools.

The Information and Analytical Center representative delivered a presentation on the main functional aspects of the newly launched environmental portal that includes several modules, including one for public hearings under the Aarhus Convention. As a result of the new legislative change, companies are obliged to publish information on the activities affecting the environment at a centralized location, which was possible to bypass under the previous practice. From now on, on ecoportal.kz, citizens can learn about environmental hearings through their own Personal Office on the web portal, register for participation at such events, and ask questions about topics of interest.

The event is part of the Programme Office’s multi-year activities to promote good environmental governance and assist the host country in meeting its commitments under the Aarhus Convention.

500215

New tools for preventing transnational organized crime were the focus of the 2021 OSCE Annual Police Experts Meeting (APEM) under the theme of “Preventing Transnational Organized Crime” held online and in-person on 7 October 2021 in Vienna.

“To prevent organized crime, we must address the root causes such as poverty, unemployment, lack of education and of prospects for the future. We must prevent societal marginalization and the downward spiral into organized crime through a comprehensive whole-of-society approach,” said Håkan Jeverell, Special Envoy on Organized Crime from Sweden’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

The APEM, organized this year by the 2021 Swedish OSCE Chairpersonship with the support of the OSCE Strategic Police Matters Unit, brought together over 100 law enforcement experts and other criminal justice practitioners, representatives of regional and international organizations, researchers, as well as civil society representatives from OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation.

Participants explored joint challenges and good practices for addressing transnational organized crime in a comprehensive and holistic way. They also discussed institution-building activities, co-ordination among national institutions and the part played by public-private partnerships in state efforts.

“The effects of organized crime are felt around the globe, eroding governance, infiltrating political processes, fuelling corruption and violence, exploiting vulnerable persons, undermining legitimate markets and posing a growing environmental threat. Responses to organized crime must therefore be holistic and address its many drivers and enablers,” said John Brandolino, Director of the Division for Treaty Affairs at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Alena Kupchyna, OSCE Co-ordinator of Activities to Address Transnational Threats, explained why prevention is essential to addressing this form of crime and how it disrupts crime groups’ behaviour and reduces the space for illicit activities. Calling on meeting participants to identify a way forward toward a common strategy, she said, “The fight against transnational organized crime can be effective only if we have a common and shared agenda and if we include a strong prevention component in all our endeavours.”

VIENNA, 8 October 2021 — Road to resilience: post-pandemic recovery and security in the OSCE and Mediterranean regions is the focus of the 2021 OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation conference, chaired by Poland, taking place online and in Vienna on 12 and 13 October.

Representatives of the 57 OSCE participating States, the six OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation — Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia — and several international organizations will participate.

The conference will start with a high-level discussion on “security and co-operation in the Mediterranean in light of the COVID-19 pandemic”. Participants will tackle the importance of sustainable and ‘green’ recovery, fighting pandemic-related organized crime, combating human trafficking in labour markets affected by the pandemic, and youth engagement.

The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Poland Zbigniew Rau, Deputy Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania Megi Fino and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid will open the conference.

Media representatives are invited to cover the opening of the conference from 13:00 to 13:30 via https://www.osce.org/live. There is no requirement to register.

The agenda and more information about the event are available here.

The OSCE has been holding annual conferences with its Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation since 1995.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• In Donetsk region, the Mission recorded 253 ceasefire violations, including 17 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 178 ceasefire violations in the region.
• In Luhansk region the SMM recorded eight ceasefire violations, including five explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded no ceasefire violations in the region.
• The Mission followed up on reports of damage to a coalmine facility near non-government-controlled Yakovlivka and five civilian properties in non-government-controlled Horlivka, Donetsk region.
• An SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was assessed as targeted by small-arms fire near non-government-controlled Nova Marivka, Donetsk region.
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. Near the disengagement area near Petrivske, it heard ceasefire violations assessed as a live-fire exercise.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localized ceasefires to enable the operation and repairs of critical civilian infrastructure.
• 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 visited four border crossing points outside government control.
• The Mission monitored the security situation in east and south-east Kherson region.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at three checkpoints of the armed formations in southern Donetsk region, at their checkpoint near Kreminets, Donetsk region, and at a border crossing point outside government control near Izvaryne, Luhansk region. Its UAVs again experienced multiple instances of jamming.*

CHISINAU, 6 October 2021 — OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde concluded her second official visit to the Republic of Moldova today.

“During my visit, I have been encouraged by the Sides’ interest and willingness to advance the Transdniestrian Settlement Process. Provided that the Sides engage constructively, I am willing to continue to give my political support to move the process forward,” Linde said.

Linde met in Chisinau with President Maia Sandu, Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Nicu Popescu, and Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Vlad Kulminski. She also met in Bender with Transdniestrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky and Chief Negotiator Vitaly Ignatiev.

Her talks focused on the current state of affairs in the Transdniestrian Settlement Process and identifying concrete steps to further build trust and constructive dialogue between the Sides to move the Settlement Process forward at all levels. She affirmed the Chair’s full support to facilitating dialogue between the Sides and supporting the Sides in advancing a comprehensive and lasting political settlement of the Transdniestrian conflict in all its aspects, strengthening the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova within its internationally recognized borders with a special status for Transdniestria.

“My meetings in Chisinau and Bender have reinforced my conviction that it is possible to achieve tangible results in the Transdniestrian Settlement Process if the Sides continue to engage constructively,” she said.

The visit also reaffirms the Chairpersonship’s support for OSCE engagement in the country, through the OSCE Mission to Moldova and the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian Settlement Process, Thomas Mayr-Harting, who accompanied the Chairperson on her visit.

Linde underlined the importance of achieving the full and continuous implementation of the ‘Berlin-plus’ package and to develop joint proposals on further confidence-building measures that will serve a solid basis for further advancing the Settlement Process, including starting an exchange of views on political aspects of a final settlement. Moreover, she reiterated the need of keeping women, peace and security as well as gender equality high on the agenda in this context.

“The Swedish OSCE Chairpersonship stands ready to call a result-oriented ‘5+2’ meeting in Stockholm this year,” Linde said.

The Chairperson-in-Office also met with civil society representatives from both banks of the river to discuss conflict resolution, human rights, anti-corruption and the women, peace and security agenda.

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 6 October 2021 – The municipal communities protection mechanisms have demonstrated gradual advancement in reaching their full potential, with incremental progress in meeting their substantive duties. Gaps in the legislative and policy framework continue to exist, however, the progress of these mechanisms has shown that they are capable of positively impacting communities across Kosovo, concludes the OSCE Mission in Kosovo’s report presented today. 

The report assesses the four key municipal-level mechanisms that have been created to promote and protect the rights and interests of communities at the municipal level, namely the Communities’ Committees, Municipal Offices for Communities and Return, Deputy Mayors for Communities and Deputy Chairpersons of the Municipal Assembly for Communities. It evaluates their compliance with the legal and policy framework, composition and performance.

“Protecting the values and interests shared by non-majority communities at the municipal level is essential to ensure that its members are able to significantly contribute to the society as a whole. Municipalities are crucial nodes of governance and critical in the promotion and protection of the rights and interests of communities, also through these mechanisms, and we believe that stronger co-operation between the government and municipal institutions is instrumental in the establishment and performance of these mechanisms,” said Nadica Pavlovska, Chief of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo Communities Section.

The report recommends that government and municipal level institutions strengthen the mandates of municipal communities’ protection mechanisms by incorporating their duties and responsibilities from policy documents into sub-legal acts. This will make them legally binding and will strengthen the government level ownership and sustainability over the process of monitoring the establishment and functioning of these mechanisms.

Full report is available at: https://www.osce.org/mission-in-kosovo/499819

499846 OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities High Commissioner builds on OSCE’s long-term co-operation with Hungary on national minority issues OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities meets new government in Ukraine, discusses integration and minority-related issues

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov visited Ukraine from 26 September to 1 October 2021.

The High Commissioner welcomed Ukraine’s progress on draft legislation regulating national minority affairs during his visit to the country. “I am pleased to note that consultations with minority communities on the draft law on national minorities have recently taken place, and I have offered the technical support of my office to intensify them,” Abdrakhmanov said. “In my meetings with both State officials and civil society representatives, I stressed the importance of developing a comprehensive legal framework regulating national minority rights, including in the spheres of language and education, that is responsive to the wishes and expectations of all minority communities.”

In Kyiv, the High Commissioner met heads and representatives of State authorities, including the Culture and Information Policy Ministry, the Internal Affairs Ministry and the Verhovna Rada. He also met with representatives of civil society, minority communities and international organizations. He thanked the Ukrainian side for the opportunities provided for a fruitful visit and reiterated his support for measures to improve the integration of Ukraine’s diverse society.

The High Commissioner also visited the ethnically diverse region of Zakarpattia to acquaint himself with the situation on the ground.

During his meetings in the cities of Uzhhorod and Berehove, Abdrakhmanov discussed issues related to national minorities with representatives of regional authorities and local communities. The implementation of education reforms featured prominently in these interactions. He welcomed progress in bilateral dialogue between Ukraine and Hungary on such issues. “I am glad to see that both parties are working to find much needed common ground and tangible solutions to outstanding challenges,” said the High Commissioner.