Far-right terrorism in Eastern Europe

Marta Sara Stempień

University in Siedlce


Abstract

Far-right movements are part of a “non-civil socjety” characterized by the acceptance of violence as a means of political struggle, racism and xenophobia, anti-state ideology and
anti-egalitarianism. It seems that such movements should not find a place in the mainstream political scene of democratic countries. However, reality contradicts this (Płatek 2015). As early as 2001, representatives of the extreme right won seats in the parliaments of Eastern European countries, and a large part of the population of these countries considers far-right activists to be defenders of traditional values. The spatial scope of the research in this article covers the region of Eastern Europe, with the following countries abstracted from it: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary. The subject of the research is the phenomenon of terrorism in the six mentioned countries and two distinguished groups: the “Visegrad countries” and the countries of the Black Sea region. The threat of terrorism in the countries surveyed remains relatively low compared to Western Europe. However, it should be remembered that the threat of endogenous terrorism may increase due to the exacerbation of social and political conflicts.


Keywords:

Eastern Europe, far-right terrorism, terrorism, European Union


BBC (2020), Bulgaria court convicts two over 2012 Burgas bus attack on Israelis, [in:] https://www. bbc.com/news/world-europe-54240101 (accessed: 20.04.2023).   Google Scholar

Burke, J. (2024), ‘You will not replace us’: a deadly attack on a Slovakian gay bar – and its link to a fast-spreading racist ideology, The Guardian, [in:] Ihttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/ jan/21/slovakian-gay-bar-attack-great-replacement-conspiracy-theoryfast-spreading-racist-ideology (accessed: 20.04.2024).   Google Scholar

Buzan, B. | Weaver, O. (2003), Regions and Powers: The Structure of International Security. Cambridge.
Crossref   Google Scholar

Dafinger, J. | Moritz, F. (2022), A Transnational History of Right-Wing Terrorism: Political Violence and the Far Right in Eastern and Western Europe since 1900. Londyn.
Crossref   Google Scholar

Deklaracja… (1991), Deklaracja o współpracy Czeskiej i Słowackiej Republiki Federacyjnej, Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej i Republiki Węgierskiej w dążeniu do integracji europejskiej.   Google Scholar

Deland, M. | Minkenberg, M. (eds.) (2024), Christin Mays In the Tracks of Breivik: Far Right Networks in Northern and Eastern Europe. Münster.   Google Scholar

Dunai, M. (2013), Four jailed for neo-Nazi killing spree that terrified Hungary’s Roma, [in:] https:// www.reuters.com/article/world/four-jailed-for-neo-nazi-killing-spree-that-terrified-hungary-s-roma-idUSBRE975089/ (accessed: 11.05.2024).   Google Scholar

European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (2023), Five right-wing terrorists arrested throughout Europe with the support of Eurojust and Europol, [in:] https://www.eurojust.europa. eu/news/five-right-wing-terrorists-arrested-throughout-europe-support-eurojust-and-europol (accessed: 20.04.2024).   Google Scholar

European Roma Rights Centre (2024), Bulgarian Supreme Court Acquits Four in Homemade Bomb Case that Killed a Romani Man, [in:] https://www.errc.org/news/bulgarian-supreme-court-acquits-four-in-homemade-bomb-case-that-killed-a-romani-man (accessed: 15.04.2025).   Google Scholar

Europol (2023), European Union Terrorism Situation and Trend Report 2023, [in:] https://www. europol.europa.eu/cms/sites/default/files/documents/European%20Union%20Terrorism%20 Situation%20and%20Trend%20report%202023.pdf.   Google Scholar

Farinelli, F. (2021), Conspiracy theories and right-wing extremism – Insights and recommendations for P/CVE Radicalisation Awareness Network. Luxembourg, [in:] https://home-affairs.ec.europa. eu/system/files/2021-04/ran_conspiracy_theories_and_right-wing_2021_en.pdf.   Google Scholar

Fitzmaurice, J. (1998), Politics and Government in the Visegrad Countries Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. London.
Crossref   Google Scholar

Gawliczek, P. | Pawłowski, J. (2003), Zagrożenia asymetryczne. Warszawa.   Google Scholar

Gizicki, W. (red.) (2012), Organizacje międzynarodowe wobec politycznych i społecznych problemów świata. Toruń.   Google Scholar

Global Terrorism Index 2014, measuring and understanding the impact of terrorism (2014), The Institute for Economics and Peace, [in:] https://www.economicsandpeace.org/wp-content/ uploads/2015/06/Global-Terrorism-Index-Report-2014.pdf.   Google Scholar

Global Terrorism Index 2015, measuring and understanding the impact of terrorism (2015), The Institute for Economics and Peace, [in:] http://economicsandpeace.org/wp-content/ uploads/2015/11/Global-Terrorism-Index-2015.pdf.129   Google Scholar

Global Terrorism Index 2016, measuring and understanding the impact of terrorism (2016), The Institute for Economics and Peace, [in:] http://economicsandpeace.org/wp-content/ uploads/2016/11/Global-Terrorism-Index-2016.2.pdf.   Google Scholar

Global Terrorism Index 2017, measuring and understanding the impact of terrorism (2017), The Institute for Economics and Peace, [in:] https://www.visionofhumanity.org/wp-content/ uploads/2020/10/Global-Terrorism-Index-2017.pdf.   Google Scholar

Global Terrorism Index 2018, measuring and understanding the impact of terrorism (2018), Institute for Economics and Peace, [in:] http://visionofhumanity.org/app/uploads/2018/12/Global-Terrorism- Index-2018-1.pdf.   Google Scholar

Global Terrorism Index 2019, measuring and understanding the impact of terrorism (2019), Institute for Economics and Peace, [in:] http://visionofhumanity.org/app/uploads/2019/11/GTI-2019web. pdf.   Google Scholar

Global Terrorism Index 2020, measuring and understanding the impact of terrorism (2020), The Institute for Economics and Peace, [in:] https://visionof humanity.org/wp-content/ uploads/2020/11/GTI-2020-web-1.pdf.   Google Scholar

Global Terrorism Index 2022, measuring and understanding the impact of terrorism (2022), The Institute for Economics and Peace, [in:] https://www.visionofhumanity.org/wp-content/ uploads/2022/03/GTI-2022-web-09062022.pdf.   Google Scholar

Global Terrorism Index 2023, measuring and understanding the impact of terrorism (2023), The Institute for Economics and Peace, [in:] https://www.economicsandpeace.org/wp-content/ uploads/2023/03/GTI-2023-web.pdf.   Google Scholar

Hoffman, B. (2018), Inside terrorism. New York.
Crossref   Google Scholar

Jones, S. G. | Doxsee, C. | Harrington, N. (2020), The Right-wing Terrorism Threat in Europe, Center for Strategic & International Studies, [in:] https://csis-website-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/ s3fs-public/publication/Jones_EuropeTerrorism_WEB%20FINAL.pdf.   Google Scholar

Kondor, K. | Littler, M. (2023), The Routledge Handbook of Far-Right Extremism in Europe. London.
Crossref   Google Scholar

Köttig, M. | Bitzan, R. | Petö, A. (eds.) (2017), Gender and Far Right Politics in Europe. London.
Crossref   Google Scholar

Laqueur, W. (2017), A history of terrorism. New York.
Crossref   Google Scholar

Liberties (2016), Slovakian Activist Beaten; Attack Was ‘Politically Motivated’, [in:] https://www. liberties.eu/en/stories/slovakian-activist-girl-beaten/9840 (accessed: 11.05.2024).   Google Scholar

Mareš, M. (2011), ‘Terrorism-Free Zone in East Central Europe? Strategic Environment, Risk Tendencies, and Causes of Limited Terrorist Activities in the Visegrad G roup Countries’, [in:] Terrorism and Political Violence 23 (2), 233-253, [in:] https://doi.org/10.1080/09546553. 2010.529389.
Crossref   Google Scholar

Newsweek (2012), Uprawomocnił się wyrok dożywocia dla Ryszarda Cyby za zabójstwo w biurze PiS, 19 kwietnia, [w:] https://www.newsweek.pl/polska/wyrok-dozywocia-dla-cyby-za-zabojstwo-w-biurze-pis-prawomocny/3j17gj9 (accessed: 19.05.2024).   Google Scholar

Petsinis, V. (2015), The ‘New’ Far Right in Hungary: A Political Psychologist’s Perspective, [in:] Journal of Contemporary European Studies 23 (2),1-16.
Crossref   Google Scholar

Płatek, D. (2015), Instytucjonalizacja skrajnej prawicy w Polsce. Warszawa, [w:] https://pl.boell. org/sites/default/files/uploads/2015/12/polityka_protestu_polska_platek_0.pdf.   Google Scholar

Płatek, D. (2020), Przemoc skrajnej prawicy w Polsce. Analiza strategicznego pola ruchu społecznego, [w:] Studia Socjologiczne 4 (239), 123-153.   Google Scholar

Radio Prague I nternational (2008), Country’s f irst-ever gay parade clashes with extremists, [in:] https://english.radio.cz/countrys-first-ever-gay-parade-clashes-extremists-8594598 (accessed: 17.05.2024).   Google Scholar

Radio Prague International (2019), Pensioner jailed on terror charge over fake “jihadist” attacks, [in:] https://english.radio.cz/pensioner-jailed-terror-charge-over-fake-jihadist-attacks-8141242 (accessed: 17.05.2024).130   Google Scholar

Słownik terminów i definicji NATO AAP 6 (2017), [w:] https://wcnjik.wp.mil.pl/u/AAP6PL.pdf.   Google Scholar

Stempień, M. S. (2020), Terrorist threat in the Visegrad Group member states in view of Global Terrorism Database and its social impact, [in:] Journal of Slavic Military Studies 33 (2), 198-213.
Crossref   Google Scholar

Townshend, C. (2018), Terrorism: A very short introduction. Oxford.
Crossref   Google Scholar

Trend News agency (2016), Czech PM condemns attack on refugee center in Prague Other News Materials, February 8, [in:] https://en.trend.az/world/other/2491229.html (accessed: 17.05.2024).   Google Scholar

United Nations Statistics Division, The Statistical Yearbook, Annex I – Country and area nomenclature, regional and other groupings, [in:] https://unstats.un.org/unsd/publications/ statistical-yearbook/files/syb58/Annex-1-EN.pdf.   Google Scholar

World Population Review (2025), [in:] https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries (accessed: 15.04.2025).   Google Scholar

Zachová, A. (2024), Controversial far-right coalition comes third in Czech EU elections, EURACTIV. cz, [in:] https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/controversial-far-right-coalition-comes-third-in-czech-eu-elections/ (accessed: 17.05.2024).   Google Scholar


Published
2025-12-30

Cited by

Stempień, M. S. (2025). Far-right terrorism in Eastern Europe. Przegląd Wschodnioeuropejski, 16(2), 115–130. https://doi.org/10.31648/pw.12118

Marta Sara Stempień 
University in Siedlce