CEP Webinar: Extremism Meets Paramilitarism in Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe

(New York, N.Y. / Berlin) – In 2020, the Counter Extremism Project (CEP) conducted an extensive project, commissioned by the German Federal Foreign Office, on the transnational connectivity of the violent right-wing extremist and terrorist scene(s) in Western Europe and the United States. The research demonstrated that during the last decade, the global extreme right—dominated by American or Western European influences and organizations—has seen the arrival of new players as well as the development of new arenas or conduits for its activities. One pivotal event was the start of the conflict in Ukraine in 2014, which galvanized violent right-wing extremist individuals and networks in Europe and beyond.

This rising importance of extreme right-wing networks in Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Balkans for the transnational movement as a whole has not been sufficiently understood outside expert cycles. This virtual event focuses on analyzing these networks in Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe, including in the Balkans. The event will introduce three (bi)national perspectives (Ukrainian/Polish, Czech/Slovak, and Bulgarian/Serbian) along two thematic axes:

Geographic: linking Western European extremists with organizations in “the East,” including connections to Russian networks, and
Functional: highlighting travel activities of right-wing extremists eastwards, in particular to receive paramilitary training in the region.

Finally, the presentations will also outline to what extent such travel and training activities could be a source of revenue for the “Eastern” or transnational violent extreme right, outside other income streams such as music production and festivals, mixed martial art events, sale of merchandise, donations, and criminal activities.

The webinar will feature presentations from three eminent experts located in the region:

Kacper Rekawek, PhD, affiliated researcher at CEP will focus on networks in Poland and Ukraine.

Daniel Milo, JUDr., senior advisor and research fellow at GLOBSEC will analyze the activities in the Czech and Slovak Republics.

Ruslan Trad, journalist and author, will outline the networks and training activities in Bulgaria and Serbia.

The event will be held in English via Zoom on

Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. ET / 16:00 CET

The agenda is as follows:

Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, senior director, CEP

Opening remarks and moderation

Bernd Heinze, head of division, International Cooperation against Terrorism, Drug Trafficking and Organized Crime, Foreign Office, Federal Republic of Germany

Opening remarks

Kacper Rekawek, PhD, affiliated researcher, CEP

Networks in Poland and Ukraine

Daniel Milo, JUDr., senior advisor and research fellow, GLOBSEC

Networks in the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic

Ruslan Trad, journalist and author

Networks in Bulgaria and Serbia

Participants will have the opportunity to discuss the issues with the speakers following their respective presentations in Q&A segments.

If you like to participate in this webinar, please register via the following link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_IqfmNDK1R_mOn2NkVDb1yA

You will receive the login details after the approval of your registration. Kindly register up to 1 hour prior to the start of the event. Thank you.

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