The Open Society Policy Center pursues a variety of activities related to the Eastern Europe/Former Soviet Union region. These include:

Moldova

OSPC is conducting a program of education and advocacy to encourage a larger U.S. role in promoting democracy in Moldova. We are also promoting alternative strategies for resolving the separatist crisis in Transnistria.

Roma

OSPC is working with the US Helsinki Commission and the Congressional Human Rights Caucus to prepare a Hill briefing on the social exclusion of the Roma people in Southeast Europe. OSPC hopes that the briefing will highlight the importance of initiatives such as the OSI/World Bank "Decade of Roma Inclusion," facilitate US pressure on European governments to address the situation of the Roma in their countries, and persuade the relevant bureaus within the State Department to monitor this important human rights issue regularly.

Russia / Chechnya

OSPC continues to host the Chechnya working group as a forum for visiting speakers on human rights and humanitarian issues. The working group also tracks and advocates on appropriations issues for the North Caucasus.

The Open Society Policy Center weighs in from time to time in other Eastern European countries when there are threats to open society or opportunities to promote reform. In the past year, this has included the following:

Albania

Facilitated panel discussions and meetings with various government officials for representatives of civil society in order to bring attention to the June 2005 parliamentary elections, assess Albania's democratic progress and identify areas where improvements are needed.