Section: OSCE (EU)
Time to tackle the OSCE’s lack of legal status, say participants at Helsinki +40 seminar
COPENHAGEN, 28 April 2015 – The OSCE’s lack of a clear, international legal status and the challenges that result for its personnel, particularly during crisis situations, was the topic of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s latest Helsinki +40 seminar, held on 27 April in Copenhagen. Participants in the event, including diplomats,...
Journalists should not face criminal charges for their work, OSCE Representative says following criminal indictment against journalist in Luxembourg
VIENNA, 28 April 2015 – Following criminal charges recently brought against an investigative reporter in Luxembourg, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today said that journalists should not face criminal charges for what they say or write. According to several reports, on 23 April criminal charges were brought against...
Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30 (Kyiv time), 27 April 2015
The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by third parties and security considerations.* The SMM observed that the security situation around the Donetsk airport has seriously deteriorated. The SMM continued to monitor the situation in the area of...
OSCE Troika urges advancement in political process aimed at solving crisis in Ukraine
BELGRADE, 28 April 2015 – OSCE Chairperson in Office, Foreign Minister of Serbia Ivica Dačić, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter met in Belgrade today at the Ministerial Meeting of the OSCE Troika. During the meeting, the Foreign Ministers of Serbia, Switzerland and Germany, together with...
OSCE Representative calls on authorities in Skopje to ensure journalists’ safety; investigate all attacks on journalists
VIENNA, 28 April 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today called on the authorities in Skopje to guarantee a healthy media environment in order to ensure journalists’ safety, following a recent wave of threats and acts of intimidation targeting members of the media across the country. “These latest threats...
Fostering co-operation in corruption prevention between government and private sector in focus of OSCE-led seminar in Moldova
CHISINAU, 28 April 2015 – Over 50 senior and mid-level anti-corruption professionals from Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus, as well as experts from international organizations, Europe and the United States gathered in Chisinau for a three-day regional seminar on fostering co-operation in corruption prevention between government and private...
An advance on Mariupol by illegal separatists could have ‘disastrous consequences,’ OSCE PA President says
COPENHAGEN, 27 April 2015 – A military advance by illegal separatists in Ukraine on the city of Mariupol could have “disastrous consequences” for efforts to achieve a diplomatic solution to the crisis in the country, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) said today following a meeting of the Assembly’s Bureau in...
Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30 (Kyiv time), 26 April 2015
This report is for the media and general public. The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by third parties and security considerations*. The SMM continued to observe ceasefire violations in and around the wider area of Donetsk airport and...
Second International Conference on Strengthening Peace and Security Co-operation towards Democracy and Development to take place in Vienna
VIENNA, 27 April 2015 – A high-level conference focusing on how to enhance co-operation in conflict prevention and peacebuilding among the UN, regional organizations and civil society organizations will take place on 29-30 April 2015 in Vienna, Hofburg. The event is organized by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe...
Spot Report by OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:00, 26 April: Intense fighting in Shyrokyne and amassing of forces
On 26 April, the SMM observed what it assessed to be the most intense shelling in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) since fighting began in the area in mid-February 2015. For the last 12 hours, and on-going at the time of this report, the SMM has observed sporadic to continuous exchanges of fire involving small arms, machine gun, rocket propelled...
