Elīza Ēlerte has been approved for the post of observer from 22 October 2017 to 31 March 2018, and Vladimirs Bobrovskis as observer from 29 October 2017 to 31 March 2018, that is, until the expiry of the mission’s mandate.
At present, there are four civilian experts from Latvia taking part in the OSCE SMM Ukraine. Upon the deployment of Elīza Ēlerte and Vladimirs Bobrovskis, that number increases to six.
So far, 43 experts from Latvia have applied for various vacancies in the OSCE SMM Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, and 12 of them have participated in the mission. Candidates are selected by the organisation’s Secretariat in Vienna.
The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (OSCE SMM Ukraine) was deployed on 21 March 2014 with the aim of monitoring the fulfilment or otherwise of the Minsk agreements which remain the basis for international efforts to stop the fighting in eastern Ukraine.
On 21 February 2017, the Cabinet of Ministers conceptually supported the sending of up to 15 civilian experts on the OSCE SMM Ukraine.