Incidents like shelling of OSCE SMM vehicle unacceptable - SMM Chief Monitor in Ukraine
The Chief Monitor of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Special Monitoring Mission (OSCE SMM) to Ukraine, Ertugrul Apakan, has condemned Saturday's incident in which small arms fire disrupted the work of the mission's monitors near Maryinka in eastern Ukraine.
"Given that these monitors are unarmed; that they have come to Ukraine with the aim of the normalization and stabilization of the security situation; and, that essentially they are peacemakers; these incidents - and others before them - are entire unacceptable," Apakan was quoted as saying by the OSCE press service in a press release published on the organization's website.
The SMM chief monitor also recalled an incident that occurred in the town of Horlivka, which is not controlled by the Kyiv authorities, nine days ago, when the mission's monitors "were removed from their vehicles and forced to the ground at gunpoint."
"If monitors are unable to perform their duties, there can be no security and there can be no stabilization," Apakan added.
