The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine continues to encounter barriers to free movement within the area of the armed conflict in Donbas, particularly in territories not controlled by Kyiv.
In order to get to Debaltseve today, OSCE SMM monitors came to the checkpoint of Mayorsk and were stopped there for more than 30 minutes, Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE SMM Alexander Hug said at a press briefing on July 17. The prohibited access is a typical situation, particularly in territories not controlled by Kyiv, he said.
As in the cases of ceasefire violations and presence of mines, restrictions of freedom of movement take place because some people refuse to observe the rules set out in signed documents, Hug said.
The freedom of movement and travel for SMM observers is particularly guaranteed by Chapter 3 of the Memorandum of understanding on deployment of the SMM, Article 26 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Mission’s mandate approved by all OSCE member countries, Hug added.
Hug went on to emphasize that respect for the agreements, respect for law and rules lie at the very core of an answer to the question of why violence in eastern Ukraine does not cease.
Hug also informed that currently, the SMM includes 641 monitors, of whom 562 are working in eastern Ukraine.
