Next year’s Chairmanship of the OSCE will be decided at the ministerial council in Skopje at the end of this week. Russia’s goal is to derail the OSCE but we will not give Russia a chance to destroy the organisation. Estonia is not withdrawing its candidacy because making concessions to an aggressor who is violating all the fundamental principles of the OSCE is out of the question.
However, since Estonia’s candidacy is conclusively blocked and the North Macedonian Chairmanship of the OSCE has proposed the alternative of asking Malta, another European Union member state, to assume the Chairmanship next year along with the extension of the mandates of heads of four structural units of the OSCE for one year, Estonia is not opposing this solution.
We consider it important that in a situation where the aggressor has vetoed Estonia as the European Union’s only candidate, the EU is standing firmly behind Estonia. The alternative solution was proposed by North Macedonia, who currently holds the Chairmanship and is therefore tasked with resolving the situation.
Estonia considers it crucial for the OSCE Chairmanship of 2024 to uphold the fundamental principles of the organisation, continue to address Russia’s aggression and offer every assistance to Ukraine.
