28 June 2018

South East Europe must focus on common goals and continue reform, say OSCE PA leaders at London seminar

Participants at London seminar on the Western Balkans, 28 June 2018LONDON, 28 June 2018 – To achieve their goals and objectives, the countries of South East Europe must focus on their common interests, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli (Georgia) said at a meeting of the European Leadership Network at the House of Lords in London today.

The meeting was focused on the Western Balkans and featured the participation of a number of OSCE PA members, including Fatmir Mediu (Albania), Peter Bowness (United Kingdom), and Mark Pritchard (United Kingdom), as well as PA Secretary General Roberto Montella.

In his remarks at a roundtable focused on the region’s security and economic conditions, President Tsereteli stressed the importance of continuing reform efforts and strengthening democratic institutions. He noted that he visited Tirana at the end of May to reaffirm the region’s significance for the OSCE and its determination to pursue our engagement with Albania and the rest of South East Europe.

28 June 2018

OSCE PA human rights Chair condemns anti-Roma attack in Ukraine, raises alarm at increasing intolerance

Isabel SantosCOPENHAGEN, 28 June 2018 - The Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's human rights committee today expressed her deep concern about a recent deadly attack on a Roma community in western Ukraine. Isabel Santos (MP, Portugal), who also serves as a Vice-President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, offered sincere condolences on behalf of the Assembly to the families of the victims, and called for a thorough investigation into this apparent hate crime.

"This shocking crime should be a wake-up call to all of us that intolerance and discrimination are still far too prevalent in our societies," said Santos. "This brutal crime must be thoroughly investigated and those guilty brought to justice without delay. But perhaps even more importantly, politicians in Ukraine and across the OSCE must redouble their efforts to counteract the intolerance that appears to be behind such acts.”

26 June 2018

Progress in Transdniestrian settlement leads way for conflict resolution in OSCE area, says PA President in Moldova

OSCE PA President Tsereteli meets Moldovan President Igor DodonCHISINAU, 26 June 2018 – Concluding his first visit to Moldova, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) lauded recent achievements in the Transdniestrian settlement process and encouraged both Chisinau and Tiraspol to sustain the momentum of progress in the coming months to create the necessary conditions for a comprehensive and peaceful resolution of the conflict.

“In a period when European security and stability are threatened, Chisinau and Tiraspol are setting a positive example for the rest of the OSCE area, where conflict resolution has most often been characterized by lack of progress,” said President Tsereteli. “The local ownership and leadership demonstrated by Chisinau and Tiraspol in advancing the settlement process, which I have witnessed in my meetings, goes to show that dialogue and persistence produce concrete results and are the way forward.”

PA President Tsereteli and Secretary General Roberto Montella met in Chisinau on Monday with a range of officials, including President Igor Dodon, Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Cristina Lesnic, Secretary General of State for Foreign Affairs and European Integration Mihail Capatina and the Moldovan delegation to the OSCE PA led by Serghei Sirbu. Today, in Tiraspol, they held meetings with Transdniestrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky and the Speaker of the Transdniestrian legislature, Alexander Shcherba.

25 June 2018

Voters had genuine choice in Turkish elections, but incumbent president and ruling party enjoyed undue advantage, including in media, international observers say

Nacho Sanchez Amor and Peter Osusky speak to the press Ankara 24 June 2018ANKARA, 25 June 2018 – Voters had a genuine choice in the 24 June early presidential and parliamentary elections in Turkey, but the conditions for campaigning were not equal, with the incumbent president and ruling party enjoying an undue advantage, including in excessive coverage by government-affiliated public and private media outlets, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement today.

The restrictive legal framework and powers granted under the ongoing state of emergency restricted freedoms of assembly and expression, including in the media. Nonetheless, citizens demonstrated their commitment to democracy by participating in large numbers in campaign rallies and on election day, the observers said. Election day procedures were generally followed, although important legally prescribed steps were often omitted during the counting and tabulation of ballots.

“The restrictions we have seen on fundamental freedoms have had an impact on these elections. I hope that Turkey lifts these restrictions as soon as possible,” said Ignacio Sanchez Amor, Special Co-ordinator and Leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission. “I expected more co-operation from the Turkish authorities on such an important election observation mission, as we always act in good faith and in Turkey’s best interest.”

21 June 2018

Statement on Turkey's denial of entry to two election observers

ANKARA, 21 June 2018 – In response to the decision by the Turkish authorities to deny entry to German parliamentarian Andrej Hunko and Swedish parliamentarian Jabar Amin, who had been appointed as members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s election observation mission to the 24 June elections in Turkey, Special Co-ordinator of the OSCE short-term observer mission Ignacio Sanchez Amor and Head of the OSCE PA Mission Peter Osusky today issued the following statement:

“As the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has conveyed to Turkey’s diplomatic mission to the OSCE, we are disappointed with this step taken by the Turkish authorities, which could impact negatively on the work of the international observer mission. While acknowledging the basic right of any country to refuse access to its territory, members of an election observation mission in an OSCE participating State, following an invitation by the country’s authorities, must be able to perform their tasks. According to standard OSCE election observation methodology, the country that has invited the OSCE PA to observe should not – directly or indirectly – influence the composition of the Mission. The OSCE PA deplores the denial of entry to two election observers, which is reportedly based on political opinions they have expressed in the past.

“We express our hope that Turkish authorities will extend appropriate support to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly observers.”