PRESS RELEASE BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Maltese parliamentary delegation participates in the 25th Winter Meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

The Maltese delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly within the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE PA), led by Alex Muscat, and comprising Ramona Attard and Rebekah Borg, attended the 25th Winter Meeting of the OSCE PA held in Vienna between 19 and 20 February 2026.

The Winter Meeting brought together more than 240 parliamentarians from around the OSCE area to discuss key issues in security, human rights, democracy, and economic-environmental challenges. The meeting consisted of sessions of the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security, the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions and the General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment, together with a number of Joint Committees which gave space to all the delegates to air their concerns on different issues.

Meeting just three days before the four-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, many speakers lamented the impact of the war on the Ukrainian people and the principles upon which the United Nations and the OSCE are founded. They stressed that that the end of the bloodshed is long overdue and it is time to commit to building a peaceful future for Ukraine while safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In his opening speech, OSCE PA President Pere Joan Pons Sampietro noted that President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people are not only defending their sovereignty – they are defending European principles and values. He stressed that sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable.

The Winter meeting ended with the Standing Committee meeting, which brought together heads of national delegations and Bureau members, in order to discuss administrative issues and guide the work of the Assembly.

In the sidelines of the Winter Meeting, the Maltese delegation met with newly appointed Ambassador H.E. Francesca Camilleri Vettiger and they later had a meeting at the Maltese Embassy in Vienna for a discussion on the work done by the OSCE and how this is impacting Malta on an international level.

Photos: HoR