Calls for co-operation, policy input and preservation of field operation budgets VIENNA, 11 October 2012 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Riccardo Migliori today called on diplomats in Vienna to heed the voices of the people by including parliamentary input in OSCE policy, protecting field operations, and enforcing the agreement that governs how the OSCE PA leads the election observation missions. On election observation he called for

Walburga Habsburg Douglas and Riccardo Migliori meet with presidential administration advisor in Kyiv. KYIV, 11 October 2012 – Walburga Habsburg Douglas (MP, Sweden), the Special Co-ordinator appointed to lead the OSCE election observation mission to Ukraine, today concluded a three-day pre-election visit to the country aimed at assessing the climate ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for 28 October. "I appreciate the authorities'

COPENHAGEN, 9 October 2012 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Riccardo Migliori (Italy) today issued the following statement in regards to the prison sentence given to Kazakhstan opposition leader Vladimir Kozlov, head of the unregistered opposition political party Alga!: "I am seriously concerned about the judgment handed down by a court in Aktau, Kazakhstan, that sentenced opposition leader Vladimir Kozlov to seven and a half years in

TIRANA, Albania, 6 October 2012 – The Standing Committee of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly today voted to call for all member countries to condemn in the strongest terms the deadly attack Syrian armed forces carried out on civilians in the Turkish town of Akcakale. The nine-paragraph resolution authored by Emin Onen (MP, Turkey) generated widespread support from parliamentarians incensed by the lack of international response to the ongoing

COPENHAGEN, 5 October 2012 - "In the weeks leading up to election day, I had the opportunity to travel with the Security Expert and Legal Analyst meeting local authorities and conveying the importance of the observation and informing them of the potential PA presence in their region. I met with staff of the opposition, attended embassy briefings as well as meetings with ODIHR staff and interlocutors. I also had the chance to get to know LTOs in

Albanian Speaker Jozefina Topalli and PA President Riccardo Migliori approach the podium at the opening of the Fall Meetings on 5 October 2012. TIRANA, Albania, 5 October 2012 – The Fall Meetings opened this morning in Tirana with host officials focusing on issues central to freedom, recalling the good work the OSCE has done promoting progress in South East Europe and urging global co-operation to promote freedom in places like Syria. OSCE PA