Kent Harstedt (left), the Special Co-ordinator of the OSCE’s short-term observers for Belarusian presidential election, meets with Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei, Minsk, 22 September 2015. COPENHAGEN, 24 September 2015 – The Special Co-ordinator of the OSCE’s short-term observers for the presidential election in Belarus, Kent Harstedt (MP, Sweden), met with high-level officials and a range of other interlocutors in Minsk and Homel this week to

COPENHAGEN, 23 September 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva decided last week that no OSCE PA delegation will deploy to observe the 1 November parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan, in line with an earlier decision made by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). The President announced his decision during the Assembly’s Autumn Meeting, saying on 17 September that if ODIHR would not send

COPENHAGEN, 22 September 2015 – OSCE parliamentarians will observe the upcoming presidential election in Belarus and provide leadership for the OSCE's short-term observer mission. OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ivica Dacic has designated Kent Harstedt (MP, Sweden) as Special Co-ordinator to lead the short-term OSCE observer mission for the 11 October vote. James Walsh (MP, Ireland) will serve as Head of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Delegation,

COPENHAGEN, 18 September 2015 – OSCE parliamentarians will observe the upcoming parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan and provide leadership for the OSCE's short-term observer mission. OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ivica Dacic has designated Christine Muttonen (MP, Austria) as Special Co-ordinator to lead the OSCE’s short-term observers for the 4 October vote. Ivana Dobesova (MP, Czech Republic) will serve as Head of the OSCE Parliamentary

OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Autumn Meeting, Ulaanbaatar ULAANBAATAR, 17 September 2015 – The deepening refugee crisis in Europe and the potential of the OSCE and its parliamentarians to help mitigate the situation was the focus of debate today at the conclusion of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Autumn Meeting . Dozens of parliamentarians, including from countries of arrival, transit and destination for refugees, addressed the scope and

The heads of OSCE field operations in Central Asia stand alongside OSCE PA President Ilkka Kanerva, Vice-President Christine Muttonen and Head of the Mongolian OSCE PA Delegation Batchimeg Migeddorg, Ulaanbaatar, 16 September 2015 ULAANBAATAR, 16 September 2015 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 2015 Autumn Meeting today hosted the heads of OSCE field operations in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan for a special