Welcome to the website of the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Slovenia to the United Nations, OSCE and other International Organisations in Vienna.

Dear Visitor,

we are pleased to welcome you to the website of the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Slovenia to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. The OSCE first came into being as the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe in 1975 with the signing of the Helsinki Final Act by thirty-five heads of state and government from Europe, USA and Canada. Over more than three decades of its existence, the Organization has confirmed its position and the purpose of its activities. It played an important role in the collapse of the Iron Curtain, and been a key factor in alleviating tensions and ensuring security and stability in Europe and its neighbourhood in a number of tense and crisis situations. The democratization and transition processes for achieving greater prosperity and security in the OSCE region began with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the adoption of the Charter of Paris for a New Europe (1990) – the document that confirmed the end of the confrontation period and the divisions within Europe, and for the first time set a clear objective to promote democracy, respect for human rights and a market economy.

As the largest regional security organization today, the OSCE serves as a bridge between Eurasia and the Pacific, the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Middle East; it has 56 participating States that range from Vancouver to Vladivostok and are politically, culturally and economically different, but united through joint commitments and objectives – mutual cooperation and security. The OSCE has established partner relationships with Mediterranean and Asian countries – Mediterranean and Asian Partners for Co-operation.

The Organization is active in three main areas, representing the three OSCE dimensions: the politico-military, the economic and environmental, and the human. 

The OSCE ensures security through cooperation and a comprehensive approach to problems. Its priorities are:

• Consolidating common values among the participating States and building a democratic society based on the rule of law;
• Preventing local conflicts, stabilisation and building peace in conflict areas;
• Addressing security threats and preventing the emergence of new political, economic and social differences.

The OSCE's fundamental document is the Helsinki Final Act, which defines commitments in the politico-military, economic and environmental, and human dimensions.

The Organization’s main tasks: confidence and security-building measures, early warning, preventive diplomacy, conflict prevention, post-conflict rehabilitation, protection of human rights, arms control, strengthening civil society, democratisation, institution building, election monitoring, establishing judicial system, police training and fight against terrorism, organised crime and trafficking in human beings. Recently, the OSCE has faced new threats and challenges, including those regarding border security and the security of transport routes, migration, and environmental threats causing tensions and conflicts between countries.  

Through its field missions in South-Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the OSCE plays an important role in peace building, democracy and promoting progress, developing a market economy and education. 

The Republic of Slovenia became a CSCE/OSCE participating State on 24 March 1992, and chaired the Organization in 2005. On 1 July 2008, Ambassador Janez Lenarčič became the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights in Warsaw, one of the most important OSCE institutions.