OSCE

VIENNA, 20 January 2021 — Fulfilling commitments and rebuilding confidence and transparency are key steps to addressing new and long-standing politico-military issues in the OSCE region, said United States Acting Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Bureau Ambassador Philip T. Reeker in his video message to open the United States Chairpersonship of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) today.

Addressing representatives of the OSCE participating States, Reeker recalled the US FSC Chairpersonship 18 years ago and said that many of the top issues from then remain salient today — counterterrorism, small arms and light weapons, including man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), and emergency preparedness — but much has changed.

He underscored that the US FSC Chair “must confront new threats and security challenges that have come to the fore, in addition to longstanding issues and the dangers posed by stove piping our efforts to combat these threats.”

“[The] erosion of Europe’s security environment, in particular since 2014, is the biggest challenge we face today in this Forum,” Reeker said.

A first step to addressing that deterioration is “rebuilding military transparency and confidence,” he said, stressing that “more broadly, participating States of the OSCE need to hold each other to account for the fulfillment of the commitments they have made. There is no trust if commitments made by nations have no meaning.”

Elaborating on the US FSC Chair’s work programme, Reeker said it aims “to be well balanced, engages our partners in central Asia and addresses security concerns across the OSCE region.”

One of the US FSC Chair’s priorities is the Vienna Document, Reeker said. He noted that “updating the Vienna Document has been the Forum’s primary contribution over the years to confidence-building and military transparency.” He highlighted the call by the vast majority of participating States at the 2020 OSCE Ministerial Council to modernize the Vienna Document to strengthen military transparency and confidence and said the US FSC Chair will continue efforts to address its modernization.

He said that the US FSC Chair will hold its first security dialogue on NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence. The second security dialogue will be the eighth OSCE High-level Military Doctrine Seminar, which the US FSC Chair will host. The Seminar will focus on constructive and goal-oriented dialogue on conventional deterrence and the competition doctrine, as well as co-operative security measures and crisis response in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘Confidence-building amid strategic ambiguity’ will be the topic of a third security dialogue to invite discussion on a range of new security challenges and gray zone competition, Reeker said. He emphasized that these are “real, current day threats impacting all participating States in this Forum. We cannot afford to ignore this situation in this Forum. We must address it.”

Building on the efforts of the outgoing German FSC Chair, the US FSC Chair will also continue to focus on small arms and light weapons, including man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), and explosive hazards in Central Asia, a key region of the OSCE. Two security dialogues will be devoted these topics, he added.

“While the world continues to shift in dramatic ways, the overriding goal of this Forum remains to enhance our common security,” Reeker said, while underscoring that this “goal is unachievable without the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women in the FSC and the OSCE at large.”

The US FSC Chairpersonship will convene, with the Swedish OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, a joint FSC-Permanent Council session on implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security on the occasion of International Women’s Day in March. The joint session will focus on concrete proposals for incorporating the resolution into the work of the FSC.

The Chairpersonship of the Forum for Security Co-operation rotates three times a year. It takes the lead in setting the agenda for each meeting of the Forum and brings attention to issues concerning the implementation of commitments adopted by the Forum.

476062 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

High-level representatives from Tajikistan’s Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense (CoESCD), the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe and the European Union Delegation to Tajikistan participated in the official start of renovation work on the CoESCD Training Centre on 19 January 2021 in Karatag, Shahrinav district. The renovation will turn the CoESCD Training Centre into a facility providing training where the Committee will be able to strengthen the capacity of responders on how to react to natural disasters in border regions.

The renovation of the Centre was initiated as part of the OSCE’s project on the “Stabilization of Tajikistan’s southern border region with Afghanistan”, funded within the framework of the European Union’s Foreign Policy Instrument.

General Lieutenant Rustam Nazarzoda, Head of the Committee of Emergency Situation and Civil Defense said: “The first phase of the project began today and I hope that we’ll jointly complete the upgrade of the building with the support of project partners by 2022. This training centre is the only facility to provide training in eliminating the consequences of natural disaster risks in Central Asia. The Government of Tajikistan supports the construction of the Centre.” He also added that the Tajik Government will provide a helicopter and airplane fuselages to be used for rappelling training as well as undertake a partial renovation of the buildings. Nazarzoda thanked the EU, the OSCE and the Government of France for the latter’s particularly strong support to the Karatag renovation project.

Valeriu Chiveri, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe said: “The renovation of the CoESCD Training Centre in Karatag is one of the most important elements of the project currently implemented by our Office. I am convinced that the newly renovated training centre will help the Committee train additional rescuers, who, in turn, will be able to provide the necessary assistance to Tajik citizens affected by natural disasters so frequently occurring in all regions of Tajikistan.”

Marilyn Josefson, Ambassador of the European Union, Head of EU Delegation to Tajikistan said: “The inauguration of the rehabilitation and construction of the National Training Centre of the CoESCD in Karatag, Shahrinav marks a new and unique co-operation between the Government of Tajikistan, the European Union and the OSCE in the area of strengthening National Civil Defense capacity and border co-operation with Afghanistan. The European Union hopes that this first phase will stimulate further co-operation in this area and deepen the Tajik Government’s engagement in cutting edge training courses in natural disaster reduction management with the European Union and its Member States, as well as with other bilateral and multilateral partners.”

During the ceremony, participants were taken on a tour of the construction site to get a better understanding of the scope of the renovation and what is expected upon its completion.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded 18 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous 24 hours, it recorded 38 ceasefire violations in the region.
• The Mission recorded one ceasefire violation in Luhansk region. In the previous 24 hours, it recorded eight ceasefire violations in the region.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. An SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle spotted people inside the area near Zolote during daytime.
• The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in a training area in a non-government-controlled area of Donetsk region.
• The SMM followed up on allegations of a damage to a gas pipeline near non-government controlled Hlafirivka and facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs, maintenance and operation 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.*

SUMMARY

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons decreased at both BCPs compared to the previous week.  

OPERATIONAL REMARKS

The OM is currently operating with 22 permanent international Mission members, including the Chief Observer (CO). The Mission is supported administratively by a staff member and the Chief of Fund Administration based in Vienna.

Update on COVID-19 measures

Activities have been impacted by COVID-19 and measures undertaken by the OM to ensure the safety and duty of care of its Mission members and compliance with measures set by the host country authorities. The Mission is continuing to keep the situation under review, in close contact with the OSCE Secretariat and the Chairmanship. Following the host country recommendations, the observers are adhering to social distancing. Due to the preventive measures taken by the central and regional authorities, the OM is faced with certain difficulties, but is still able to continue to fulfil its mandate without any limitations in its observation and reporting activities.

OBSERVATIONS AT THE BORDER CROSSING POINTS

Persons crossing the border                                                                                                                     

The profile of persons crossing the border can be categorized as follows:

1. Adults travelling on foot or by car with little or no luggage.
2. Persons in military-style outfits.
3. Families (often including elderly persons and/or children) travelling on foot or by car with a significant amount of luggage.

The average number of entries/exits decreased from 6,853 to 6,356 per day at both BCPs compared to last week[1].

During the reporting period, the majority of border crossings were to the Russian Federation, with an average net flow of 661 per day for both BCPs. The Donetsk BCP continued to experience much more traffic than the Gukovo BCP.

Responding to the COVID-19 situation, the host country has closed its borders for the majority of foreigners starting from 18 March 2020. Among the exceptions of persons allowed to cross the border (which entered into force on 19 March), are Ukrainian citizens and stateless persons holding passports or identification documents proving permanent residence in certain areas of Luhansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine. In addition, reportedly, due to the threat of the spread of COVID-19, starting from 10 April 2020, the organized passenger transport commuting between the non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region of Ukraine and the Russian Federation was temporarily suspended and restored from 25 June.

Persons in military-style outfits

During the reporting period, the number of persons in military-style outfits crossing the border was nine, compared to 17 last week; four persons crossed into the Russian Federation while another five persons crossed into Ukraine. These individuals crossed the border on foot.

Families with a significant amount of luggage

The OTs continued to report on families, sometimes with elderly persons and/or children, crossing the border at both BCPs with a significant amount of luggage, or travelling in heavily loaded cars. During this reporting week, two families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and one family was observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when 17 families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and 12 families crossing into Ukraine.

Bus connections                                        

Regular local and long-distance bus connections continued to operate between Ukraine (mostly from/to the Luhansk region) and the Russian Federation. During the reporting period, the OTs observed a decrease in the overall number of buses crossing the border at both BCPs (320 compared to 340 observed during the previous week). There were 169 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 151 bound for Ukraine.

On some occasions, the OTs noticed the bus drivers removing the itinerary signs from the windshields of their buses, while some buses did not display their route at all. The majority of long-distance buses commuting between the Luhansk region and cities in the Russian Federation had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region.

Trucks

During the reporting period, the OTs observed a significant increase in the overall number of trucks crossing the border at both BCPs (642 compared to 259 during the previous reporting week); 409 at the Gukovo BCP and 233 at the Donetsk BCP, 366 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 276 crossed into Ukraine. Most of the trucks observed by the OTs had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region; however, on a daily basis, the OTs also noted trucks registered in the Russian Federation, Belarus, Lithuania and trucks with “LPR” plates.

The OTs also continued to observe tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions. During the reporting period, the OTs observed a significant increase in the overall number of tanker trucks crossing the border at both BCPs (45 compared to 25 during the previous reporting week). These trucks were observed crossing the border at both BCPs. The trucks had the words “Propane” and “Flammable” written across the tanks in either Russian or Ukrainian. The majority of tanker trucks had hazard signs, indicating that they were transporting propane or a mix of propane and butane. All trucks underwent systematic inspection by the Russian Federation officials, which could include an X-ray check. Due to the unfavourable observation position at the Gukovo BCP, the OTs continued to be unable to observe any X-ray checks.

Compared to the previous week, the total numbers of X-ray checks at the Donetsk BCP significantly increased from 39 to 88. Of the total number of trucks scanned, 79 trucks (90 per cent) were bound for Ukraine, the remaining nine trucks (10 per cent) crossed into the Russian Federation.

Minivans

The OM continued to observe passenger and cargo minivans[2] crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs. The OTs observed minivans predominantly with Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region; however, the OTs also saw minivans registered in the Russian Federation. During the reporting period, the OTs observed a decrease in the overall number of minivans crossing the border at both BCPs (84 compared to 101 observed during the previous week); 45 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 39 into Ukraine.

Trains

The OTs continued to pick up the sound of trains on the railway tracks located approximately 150m south-west of the Gukovo BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on nine occasions; the OTs assessed that five trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and the remaining four trains were travelling to Ukraine (more details are provided in the sections “trends and figures at a glance” below).

Visual observation was not possible because of the line of trees located between the train tracks and the BCP.

Other observations

The majority of vehicles crossing the border had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region or Russian Federation licence plates. A significant number of vehicles with  ”LPR” plates were also observed crossing the border in both directions on a daily basis.

On 12 January at 13:55, the OT at the Donetsk BCP observed a funeral minivan entering the BCP from Ukraine. The OT noticed only driver onboard. After undergoing customs control procedures, the minivan crossed the border into the Russian Federation.

On 14 January at 15:07, a group of three brand- new vehicles "MAZ" special utility trucks for snow removal entered the BCP from the Russian Federation side. After undergoing customs control procedures, all vehicles crossed the border into Ukraine at 16:27.

For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 15 December 2020 to 19 January 2021, please see the attachment here.

[1]Based on data received from the Regional Representation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation for the previous two weeks.

[2]Cargo minivans: light commercial vehicles with a maximum authorized mass of more than 3.5 t and not more than 7.5 t; with or without a trailer with a maximum mass of less than 750 kg (small cargo vehicles which correspond to driving licence C1).                      

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Between the evenings of 15 and 17 January, the SMM recorded 83 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 184 ceasefire violations in the region.
• Between the evenings of 15 and 17 January, the Mission recorded eight ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded no ceasefire violations in the region.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.
• The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to, maintenance and operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at entry-exit checkpoints and corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Luhansk region.
• The SMM observed a calm situation in south and south-east Kherson region.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

475943 Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Ton van den Brandt

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) Teresa Ribeiro met today with Ambassador Jorge Lobo de Mesquita to discuss the situation of media freedom in Portugal.

Ribeiro raised her concern over recent reports that four journalists had been unlawfully surveilled over the course of two months (April – May 2018), with the purpose of identifying their sources. The order for the surveillance came from a Lisbon Public prosecutor, as part of the investigation into leaks related to the “electronic mole” corruption case launched in March 2018. In this investigation, prosecutors had accused soccer club Benfica Lisbon of illegally accessing judicial records to get tipoffs on other investigations involving the club.

Ribeiro welcomed the recent launch of investigations by the Portuguese authorities into the unlawful surveillance of the journalists, and she agreed with Lobo de Mesquita that the Portuguese authorities would inform her and her Office about further developments.

Ribeiro reminded all OSCE participating States of their agreement, in Ministerial Council Decision No. 3 of 2018 on the Safety of Journalists, to “[…] refrain from arbitrary or unlawful interference with journalists’ use of encryption and anonymity technologies and refrain from employing unlawful or arbitrary surveillance techniques, noting that such acts infringe on the journalists’ enjoyment of human rights, and could put them at potential risk of violence and threats to their safety”.

VIENNA/STOCKHOLM, 18 January 2021 — The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Sweden’s Minster for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde will visit Ukraine this week for meetings with high-level Ukrainian officials and travel to the east of the country.

Linde will hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on 19 January. The talks will focus on the crisis in and around Ukraine, and on strengthening the co-operation between the OSCE and Ukraine.

Linde will also meet with staff members from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine. She will also meet with civil society representatives.

On 20 January, she plans to visit eastern Ukraine, if the security situation allows, to see first-hand the situation in conflict-affected areas.

For more information about Sweden's 2021 OSCE Chairpersonship, please visit the OSCE website: https://www.osce.org/chairmanship.

COPENHAGEN, 18 January 2021 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s human rights leaders today decried the detention of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny. In response to his arrest Sunday at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, the officers of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, Chair Kyriakos Hadjiyianni (MP, Cyprus), Vice-Chair Michael Georg Link (MP, Germany), and Rapporteur Kari Henriksen (MP, Norway) issued the following joint statement:

“After surviving a recent assassination attempt and numerous previous politically motivated arrests by the authorities, sadly, Alexey Navalny’s troubles do not appear to be over, as he is now in custody again and facing up to 13 years in prison. His detention by Russian authorities as he was returning home is unacceptable. Political opponents of any government in the OSCE area must have the right to express their opinions. We urge the authorities to honour their OSCE commitments and obligations under the European Convention of Human Rights and to end politically motivated prosecution. Mr. Navalny's political program should be put to scrutiny by the voters, not by prosecutors.”

For more on the work of the Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, please click here.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded 184 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 49 ceasefire violations in the region.
• The Mission recorded no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it also recorded no ceasefire violations in the region.
• Small-arms fire was assessed as directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle in non-government-controlled Donetsk city’s Budonivskyi district.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable the assessment and operation 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’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded 49 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 47 ceasefire violations in the region.
• The Mission recorded no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 11 ceasefire violations in the region.
• Small-arms fire was assessed as directed at two SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicles near government-controlled Berdianske and non-government-controlled Vasylivka, Donetsk region.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable the operation of critical civilian infrastructure. It heard seven ceasefire violations close to the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS), near the time when a bus with DFS workers was driving towards the station.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at three entry-exit checkpoints and three corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM visited two border crossing points outside government control in Donetsk region.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

475907 Communication and Media Relations Section

A regional train-the-trainers seminar is guiding twenty future facilitators (18 women, 2 men) in learning how to train women leaders in civil society to prevent violent extremism. The Action against Terrorism Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department organized the seminar in co-operation with OSCE field operations in Central Asia.

The seminar is part of the OSCE’s Leaders against Intolerance and Violent Extremism (LIVE) Initiative, which emphasizes the role civil society plays to help identify and address grievances that make individuals more vulnerable to the influence of violent extremist groups.

The Initiative features three distinct training courses designed to meet the specific needs of youth, women and community leaders and promote context-specific efforts against violent extremism developed and led by civil society at the grassroots level.

To bolster the quality of the training courses for women leaders in Central Asia, a LIVE train-the-trainer seminar was launched in January 2021. Held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the nine-week course features two sessions per week that focus on strengthening participants’ facilitation skills and awareness of concepts covered by the LIVE curriculum. Topics include: trends in violent extremism; policy development; media literacy; increasing the share of positive narratives online; women leadership; security awareness; and a do-no-harm approach in prevention work.

“Through the seminar, future facilitators build their capacity to engage with civil society and to make a lasting impact in addressing violent extremism,” said Anara Jeenbekova, Senior Programme Assistant in the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek. “Being held at the regional level, the seminar is also a chance for facilitators to expand their discussions and knowledge beyond the national context.”

The seminar is the second in a series of train-the-trainer seminars tailored to Central Asia. At an earlier seminar, held from August to November 2020, twenty participants (12 women, 8 men) from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan learned how to use the LIVE curriculum to provide local training for youth leaders.

“The LIVE train-the-trainers seminar helps civil society leaders in Central Asia like me empower young women and men,” said Jamilya Nurkanova, founder of the Kazakhstan-based Center for Gender Security in Central Asia and one of the participants of the train-the-trainer seminar held in 2020. “Through this we can show how youth should no longer be seen solely as a group to be taught, but as a group that can teach and be fully included in the decision-making and implementation process on the ground.”

Facilitators in South-Eastern Europe took part in similar LIVE train-the-trainer seminars in 2018 and 2019. They have proceeded to train local youth and women leaders in co-operation with the OSCE field operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia, Montenegro and North Macedonia.

VIENNA, 15 January 2021 - The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Ann Linde, announced today the appointments of her Special Representatives for 2021.

The Special Representatives of the Chairperson-in-Office are appointed to assist the CiO in her work to resolve crises and conflicts in the OSCE region and to ensure better co-ordination of participating States’ efforts in specific areas.

“I am very pleased to present this list of competent colleagues, including representatives from a broad range of countries, as well as a gender balanced team. I feel confident that, together, we will have an efficient and successful year as the Chair,” Linde said.

Many of the former representatives of the Albanian Chair will continue their work in 2021. The newly appointed representatives of the Swedish CiO include Ambassador Kent Härstedt as Special Envoy of the Chairperson-in-Office; Rosaline Marbinah, Special Representative on Youth and Security; Liliana Palihovici, Special Representative on Gender; Professor Anita Ramasastry, Special Representative on Anti-Corruption, and Ambassador Annika Soder, Special Representative for South Caucasus.  

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the former representatives of the Albanian Chair for their dedication and important work,” CiO Linde said.

The representatives will support the CiO in her efforts within the Swedish Chairpersonship's prioritized areas: defending the European security order; upholding the OSCE’s concept of comprehensive security and supporting efforts to resolve conflicts in the OSCE region. In addition to this, Linde emphasized cross-cutting issues that are crucial to strengthening security in the region.

“Within their mandates, the representatives will contribute to strengthening gender equality across all aspects of the OSCE’s activities. This will include a strong focus on the Women, Peace and Security agenda as well as a focus on women’s economic empowerment. Another priority is the inclusion of civil society organisations in meetings and activities. The perspectives and contributions of civil society are valuable in the work of all three dimensions,” said CiO Linde.

The representatives will also draw upon the important work of the autonomous institutions in their endeavours.

Find the full list of representatives here.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded 47 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 76 ceasefire violations in the region.
• The Mission recorded 11 ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded no ceasefire violations in the region.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.
• An SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle spotted fresh impact craters near Molodizhne, Luhansk region, which were not seen in imagery from 8 January.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs and operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at three entry-exit checkpoints and two corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

VIENNA/STOCKHOLM, 14 January 2021 — Over the coming year, the Swedish Chairpersonship will do its part to ensure that the OSCE can make a real difference on the ground and defend the principles on which the Organization was founded, said OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Ann Linde in her virtual address to the Permanent Council today.

“In a situation where multilateral co-operation and international law are increasingly being challenged, and our agreements and instruments to strengthen security are being questioned, we need to remind ourselves why we designed them in the first place,” said Linde. “Sweden is convinced that multilateral co-operation is the best way to address our common challenges. Sweden has shown that we are ready to shoulder our responsibility for the multilateral system.”

Elaborating on the Chairpersonship’s priorities, she said they will focus on the principles and commitments shared by all 57 participating States, defending the European security order and upholding the OSCE’s concept of comprehensive security. Political and economic security, human rights, democracy, the rule of law and equality are interrelated and interconnected, she added.

“Through the shared commitments on which the OSCE was founded, the link between security and respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law is crystal clear,” said Linde. “Together we have declared all OSCE principles and commitments to be matters of immediate and legitimate concern to all participating States.”

“By holding each other accountable, we make sure that our commitments remain relevant. By honouring our commitments, we make sure that our region is safe. This is where the unique value of our organization lies.”

Conflict resolution efforts in the region is a high priority, Linde said, noting the ongoing conflicts and crises in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and Belarus.

“Threats to international peace and security, as well as the suffering caused by conflicts, are simply unacceptable,” Linde said. “We therefore need to keep the resolution of the conflicts in our region at the top of our agenda.”

She said that the Chair will call for respect for international law in all conflicts and will back measures to mitigate the humanitarian consequences and advocate an inclusive approach. The Chair remains ready to engage directly with stakeholders and offers OSCE’s good offices to facilitate solutions, Linde added.

She underscored that the OSCE “is only as effective as we, the participating States, allow it to be” and called on participating States to “engage constructively” on the OSCE Unified Budget. She said the Chair stands “ready to do our part in leading negotiations.”

She stressed that achieving comprehensive security throughout the region requires meaningful inclusion and empowerment of women. Linde emphasized that as Chairperson-in-Office, she would place special emphasis on strengthening gender equality in all aspects of the Organization’s work. She also raised the strong and unique joint commitment within the OSCE to the participation of civil society.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded 76 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 50 ceasefire violations in the region.
• The Mission recorded no ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded six ceasefire violations in the region.
• Gunfire was assessed as directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle near non-government-controlled Lebiazhe, Donetsk region.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs, construction and operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The SMM continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at entry-exit checkpoints and checkpoints of the armed formations, all in Luhansk region.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

VIENNA, 13 January 2020 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (CiO) and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Ann Linde will present the Programme of the Swedish OSCE Chairpersonship 2021 to the OSCE Permanent Council on Thursday, 14 January, in Vienna via video teleconferencing.

Journalists are invited to cover the OSCE CiO’s speech set to begin at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday 14 January. The speech can be followed on https://www.osce.org/live (no registration required).

An online press conference by OSCE CiO Linde and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid will take place from 14:00 to 14:20, following the formal inauguration of the Swedish OSCE Chairpersonship.

For the online press conference, a registration is necessary. Please register online for the press conference no later than 13 January at 18:00 via https://events.osce.org/2021-cio-press-conference-media/registration/Site/Register

The press conference will be held in English. The link to access the press conference via Zoom will be sent after the registration deadline.

Sweden took over the Chair of the Organization from Albania on 1 January 2021. OSCE CiO Linde will outline the Programme of the Swedish OSCE Chairpersonship 2021, with a focus on defending the European security order, addressing protracted conflicts and enhancing democracy and gender equality.

Updates and the latest news from the Swedish OSCE CiO can be followed via www.osce.org/cio and on Twitter @AnnLinde and @SwedeninATOSCE.

The OSCE Permanent Council is a decision-making body gathering representatives of all 57 participating States of the Organization and 11 Partners for Co-operation. It convenes weekly in Vienna to discuss developments in the OSCE area and to make decisions.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• The SMM recorded 50 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, including 36 explosions. In the previous 24 hours, it recorded 33 ceasefire violations in the region.
• The Mission recorded six ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous 24 hours, it recorded 16 ceasefire violations in the region.
• Small-arms fire was assessed as directed at an SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near Molodizhne.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. An SMM long-range UAV spotted a person inside the area near Zolote during daytime.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable the repairs, construction and operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The SMM continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at four entry-exit checkpoints and the corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at five checkpoints of the armed formations in southern Donetsk region and in border areas outside government control in and near Voznesenivka, Luhansk region.*

SUMMARY

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons increased at both BCPs compared to the previous week.  

OPERATIONAL REMARKS

The OM is currently operating with 22 permanent international Mission members, including the Chief Observer (CO) and one first responder[1]. The Mission is supported administratively by a staff member and the Chief of Fund Administration based in Vienna.

Update on COVID-19 measures

Activities have been impacted by COVID-19 and measures undertaken by the OM to ensure the safety and duty of care of its Mission members and compliance with measures set by the host country authorities. The Mission is continuing to keep the situation under review, in close contact with the OSCE Secretariat and the Chairmanship. Following the host country recommendations, the observers are adhering to social distancing. Due to the preventive measures taken by the central and regional authorities, the OM is faced with certain difficulties, but is still able to continue to fulfil its mandate without any limitations in its observation and reporting activities.

OBSERVATIONS AT THE BORDER CROSSING POINTS

Persons crossing the border                                                                                                                                                                              

The profile of persons crossing the border can be categorized as follows:

1. Adults travelling on foot or by car with little or no luggage.
2. Persons in military-style outfits.
3. Families (often including elderly persons and/or children) travelling on foot or by car with a significant amount of luggage.

The average number of entries/exits increased from 6,440 to 6,853 per day at both BCPs compared to last week[2].

During the reporting period, the majority of border crossings were to the Russian Federation, with an average net flow of 1,227 per day for both BCPs. The Donetsk BCP continued to experience much more traffic than the Gukovo BCP.

Responding to the COVID-19 situation, the host country has closed its borders for the majority of foreigners starting from 18 March 2020. Among the exceptions of persons allowed to cross the border (which entered into force on 19 March), are Ukrainian citizens and stateless persons holding passports or identification documents proving permanent residence in certain areas of Luhansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine. In addition, reportedly, due to the threat of the spread of COVID-19, starting from 10 April 2020, the organized passenger transport commuting between the non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region of Ukraine and the Russian Federation was temporarily suspended and restored from 25 June.

Persons in military-style outfits

During the reporting period, the number of persons in military-style outfits crossing the border was 17, compared to eight last week; 13 persons crossed into the Russian Federation while another four persons crossed into Ukraine. These individuals crossed the border on foot.

Families with a significant amount of luggage

The OTs continued to report on families, sometimes with elderly persons and/or children, crossing the border at both BCPs with a significant amount of luggage, or travelling in heavily loaded cars. During this reporting week, 17 families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and 12 families were observed crossing into Ukraine, compared to the previous reporting period when five families were observed crossing into the Russian Federation and 12 families crossing into Ukraine.

Bus connections                                         

Regular local and long-distance bus connections continued to operate between Ukraine (mostly from/to the Luhansk region) and the Russian Federation. During the reporting period, the OTs observed an increase in the overall number of buses crossing the border at both BCPs (340 compared to 267 observed during the previous week). There were 172 buses bound for the Russian Federation and 168 bound for Ukraine.

On some occasions, the OTs noticed the bus drivers removing the itinerary signs from the windshields of their buses, while some buses did not display their route at all. The majority of long-distance buses commuting between the Luhansk region and cities in the Russian Federation had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region.

Trucks

During the reporting period, the OTs observed an increase in the overall number of trucks crossing the border at both BCPs (259 compared to 145 during the previous reporting week); 184 at the Gukovo BCP and 75 at the Donetsk BCP, 171 of these trucks crossed into the Russian Federation and 88 crossed into Ukraine. Most of the trucks observed by the OTs had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region; however, on a daily basis, the OTs also noted trucks registered in the Russian Federation, Belarus and trucks with “LPR” plates.

The OTs also continued to observe tanker trucks crossing the border in both directions. During the reporting period, the OTs observed a slight increase in the overall number of tanker trucks crossing the border at both BCPs (25 compared to 20 during the previous reporting week). These trucks were observed crossing the border at both BCPs. The trucks had the words “Propane” and “Flammable” written across the tanks in either Russian or Ukrainian. The majority of tanker trucks had hazard signs, indicating that they were transporting propane or a mix of propane and butane. All trucks underwent systematic inspection by the Russian Federation officials, which could include an X-ray check. Due to the unfavourable observation position at the Gukovo BCP, the OTs continued to be unable to observe any X-ray checks.

Compared to the previous week, the total number of X-ray checks at the Donetsk BCP slightly increased from 36 to 39. Of the total number of trucks scanned, 37 trucks (95 per cent) were bound for Ukraine, the remaining two trucks (five per cent) crossed into the Russian Federation.

Minivans

The OM continued to observe passenger and cargo minivans[3] crossing the border in both directions at both BCPs. The OTs observed minivans predominantly with Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region; however, the OTs also saw minivans registered in the Russian Federation. During the reporting period, the OTs observed an increase in the overall number of minivans crossing the border at both BCPs (101 compared to 69 observed during the previous week); 58 crossed into the Russian Federation and another 43 into Ukraine.

Trains

The OTs continued to pick up the sound of trains on the railway tracks located approximately 150m south-west of the Gukovo BCP. During the reporting week, the OTs heard trains on 20 occasions; the OTs assessed that 11 trains were travelling to the Russian Federation and the remaining nine trains were travelling to Ukraine (more details are provided in the sections “trends and figures at a glance” below).

Visual observation was not possible because of the line of trees located between the train tracks and the BCP.

Other observations

The majority of vehicles crossing the border had Ukrainian licence plates issued in the Luhansk region or Russian Federation licence plates. A significant number of vehicles with “LPR” plates were also observed crossing the border in both directions on a daily basis. The OTs also observed vehicles with Armenian licence plates.

For trends and figures at a glance covering the period from 8 December 2020 to 12 January 2021, please see the attachment here.

[1]First responders are OSCE staff or Mission members deployed for a short period of time.

[2]Based on data received from the Regional Representation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation for the previous two weeks.

[3]Cargo minivans: light commercial vehicles with a maximum authorized mass of more than 3.5 t and not more than 7.5 t; with or without a trailer with a maximum mass of less than 750 kg (small cargo vehicles which correspond to driving licence C1).

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• Between the evenings of 8 and 10 January, the SMM recorded 74 ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 13 ceasefire violations in the region.
• Between the evenings of 8 and 10 January, the Mission recorded two ceasefire violations in Luhansk region. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 23 ceasefire violations in the region.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske. An SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle spotted people near former positions of the armed formations inside the area near Petrivske.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to localised ceasefires to enable repairs to and operation of critical civilian infrastructure. It recorded 24 shots and bursts of small-arms fire near the Donetsk Filtration Station during the time when a bus with DFS workers was driving from the station to Yasynuvata.
• The SMM continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at entry-exit checkpoints and the corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The Mission monitored the security situation in south-east Kherson region.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted.*

BISHKEK, 11 January 2021 – Despite a large number of candidates and initiatives to improve the election process, the integrity of Kyrgyzstan’s early presidential election was weakened by a major imbalance in the outreach and visibility of the candidates as well as allegations of misuse of public resources, international observers to the presidential election said in a statement today.

The international election observation mission is a joint undertaking of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), with ODIHR additionally observing the referendum that took place alongside yesterday’s election. While all candidates were largely able to campaign freely and fundamental freedoms were generally respected, the campaign was dominated by the former acting president, whose financial and organizational resources were far greater than all other contestants, the observers found.

“The past months have been dramatic for the people of Kyrgyzstan and chaotic for its politics, but yesterday we saw a generally well-run process,” said Peter Juel-Jensen, Special co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission.  “However, if Kyrgyzstan is going to live up to the aspirations of its people for a functioning democracy, fully fair competition on a level playing field is critical. This was not the case here.”

Approximately 3.5 million people were eligible to vote in the presidential election, which were called early after last year’s parliamentary vote was annulled following claims of fraud. Both the early presidential election and the referendum were generally well organized by the election administration. Citizen observers were able to participate actively throughout the process. Election day was calm and well managed, although voting secrecy was not always maintained and there were cases in which health safety measures in connection with the Covid-19 pandemic were not followed.

The legal framework has been amended several times since the last presidential election, addressing some previous ODIHR recommendations. However, the laws on elections and referenda revealed gaps and ambiguities requiring regulation. In addition, efforts to prevent vote buying by banning voters from temporarily changing their voting address created obstacles for some 300,000 citizens to take part in the election.

While candidates could generally campaign freely, only the former acting president’s campaign could be seen throughout the country. Differences in the campaign funds available to candidates increased the imbalance in scope and visibility of the campaigns. Overall, there was little policy debate during the presidential campaign, with discussion focused more on the personalities of the candidates.

“The political environment has evolved rapidly recently, but it was clear early on that this election was dominated by   Sadyr Japarov, whose visibility and funding dwarfed all others,” said Reinhold Lopatka, head of the OSCE PA delegation.  “While Kyrgyzstan has previously distinguished itself within the region for its level of political debate, discussion was more centred on personalities than programmes which may account for the relatively low turnout we have seen.

Despite a wide range of media outlets, there is little analytical or critical reporting amid excessive compensation claims in the courts for defamation charges, as well as the misuse of legislation designed to combat ethnic or religious hostility. At the same time, recent attacks on journalists have not been thoroughly investigated, creating an atmosphere of impunity and leading to self-censorship.

Although national legislation creates the basis for holding a referendum, it remains vague on important issues including the definition of a referendum campaign, registration deadlines, and referendum campaign financing, ODIHR observers noted. The vote taking place alongside yesterday’s election asked citizens to choose between a parliamentary and presidential system. While the campaign in support of the presidential model was conducted largely through the campaign of the leading candidate, doubts concerning its legal trajectory led some candidates to reject holding a referendum at all.

“While the referendum was well managed on the day, legal gaps particularly in the run-up to the vote raised concerns,” said Tamás Meszerics, Head of the ODIHR limited election observation mission. “We also saw that resources and outreach opportunities of the contestants in the referendum campaign were limited. This diminished the voters’ opportunities to make an informed choice, which is a serious shortcoming.”

The international election observation mission to the early presidential election in Kyrgyzstan totalled 84 observers from 24 countries, including 40 ODIHR-deployed experts and long-term observers, and 44 parliamentarians and staff from the OSCE PA.

For more information, please contact:

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

Andreas Baker, OSCE PA: +45 6010 8126 or andreas@oscepa.dk