The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Winter Meeting is taking place in Vienna February 25-26. Among the events planned to be held in the framework of the Assembly are meetings of the three General Committees of the Assembly (the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security; the General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment; and the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions), a joint meeting, and special debates on migration and refugee crisis in the OSCE area. During the meeting they discuss the situation with the implementation of the Assembly’s resolutions and decisions.
According to members of the Permanent Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, which is headed by MP Artur Herasimov and comprises people’s deputies of Ukraine N.Ahafonova, T.Ostrikova, I.Popov, N.Shufrych, D.Storozhuk and M.Nayyem, during the meeting they also plan to discuss topical issues of the international policy, the settlement of the crisis in Ukraine, restoration of respect for the fundamental principles of the OSCE. Also, much attention will be given to the following topics: "rights of migrants and refugees," "migration management: opportunities and challenges for the economy in the OSCE area," "transnational security in the OSCE area: fight against terrorism." There will be a special discussion with participation of the three General Committees dedicated to migration and refugee crisis in the OSCE area.
All three General Committees will listen to reports by deputy heads of the Committees connected with the implementation of the recommendations of the Helsinki Declaration, and preliminary draft reports and resolutions to be submitted for consideration at the 25th Annual Meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to be held in July 2016 in Tbilisi (Georgia).
The meeting involves parliamentarians from 57 countries of Europe and North America, as well as representatives of associated countries, international organizations and OSCE Mediterranean Partners.
In the framework of the 15th winter meeting, members of the Ukrainian delegation organized an informal event dedicated to gross violation of human rights by the Russian Federation in the occupied Crimea and Sevastopol. People’s deputy of Ukraine, Chairperson of Mejlis Refat Chubarov participated in the event.
Based on the provision of newly discovered facts of repressions by the occupation authorities in Crimea, they urged to strengthen efforts and force Russia to stop violating human rights and fundamental freedoms, immediately and unconditionally implement corresponding resolutions of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and to ensure unrestricted access of the OSCE to the occupied territories of the Crimean peninsula.