The Vilnius Declaration was a declaration adopted by the

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is the world's largest regional security-oriented intergovernmental organization with observer status at the United Nations. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, prom ...

(OSCE) during the 18th annual session of its parliamentary assembly, that took place in

Vilnius Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...

from 29 June to 3 July 2009. The declaration contained 28 resolutions that addressed a number of issues, including "...strengthening of the OSCE, election observation, the

food security Food security speaks to the availability of food in a country (or geography) and the ability of individuals within that country (geography) to access, afford, and source adequate foodstuffs. According to the United Nations' Committee on World F ...

in the OSCE area, the world financial crisis and the social consequences of that crisis, Iran, Afghanistan, human rights and civil liberties, arms control and disarmament in Europe, labour migration in Central Asia,

energy security Energy security is the association between national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption. Access to (relatively) cheap energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies. However, the uneven ...

, climate change,

water management Water resources are natural resources of water that are potentially useful for humans, for example as a source of drinking water supply or irrigation water. 97% of the water on the Earth is salt water and only three percent is fresh water; slightl ...

, freedom of expression on the Internet, and a moratorium on the death penalty." Its condemnation of

totalitarianism Totalitarianism is a form of government and a political system that prohibits all opposition parties, outlaws individual and group opposition to the state and its claims, and exercises an extremely high if not complete degree of control and reg ...

and support for the

European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism The Black Ribbon Day, officially known in the European Union as the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism and also referred to as the Europe-wide Day of Remembrance for the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian ...

provoked protests by

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

and international media attention.Resolution on Stalin riles Russia

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. 3 July 2009

Condemnation of totalitarianism

Its resolution on "Europe Reunited: Promoting Human Rights and Civil Liberties in the OSCE Region in the 21st Century" is notable for its condemnation of

. The resolution states that "in the twentieth century European countries experienced two major totalitarian regimes, Nazi and Stalinist, which brought about genocide, violations of human rights and freedoms, war crimes and crimes against humanity," urges all OSCE members to take a "united stand against all totalitarian rule from whatever ideological background," condemns "the glorification of the totalitarian regimes, including the holding of public demonstrations glorifying the Nazi or Stalinist past," and expresses support for the

, which was proclaimed by the

European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts ...

in 2008. The resolution was criticized by

, as Joseph Stalin "continues to be a hero to many Russians". The Russian delegation tried but failed to have the resolution withdrawn. Of 213 present delegates from 50 countries, 201 supported the resolution, 8 voted against and 4 abstained.The Kremlin rises to Stalin’s defense again
Kyiv Post

References

{{Prague Process Human rights instruments Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe 2009 in Europe History of Vilnius Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism