OSCE PA Vice President Aleknaite Abramikiene speaks in Warsaw, 25 September 2015. (courtesy of Piotr Markowski, OSCE/ODIHR) COPENHAGEN, 25 September 2015 – Addressing the OSCE/ODIHR’s Human Dimension Implementation Meeting in Warsaw today, OSCE PA Vice-President Vilija Aleknaite Abramikiene (MP, Lithuania) noted the enduring value of the 1990 OSCE Copenhagen Document in helping to promote democratic institutions. Speaking during the Meeting’s

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