"Violent Extremism in the Western Balkans: External Influences and Local Drivers" Conference at SEEU

The Max van der Stoel Institute of the Southeast European University (SEEU Tetovo), Columbia University Program on Peace-building and Human Rights (New York), the Foundation Alliance of Civilizations (Skopje), the Kosovar Center for Security Studies (KCSS/Pristina), and the Albanian Center for Good Governance (Tirana) hosted a conference at SEEU Skopje focused on

VIOLENT EXTREMISM in the WESTERN BALKANS: External Influences and Local Drivers

on Wednesday, February 22.

The Director of the van der Stoel Institute and Vice President of the SEEU Board, Veton LATIFI opens the conference

The Western Balkan region has become a source of fighters in Iraq and Syria.  The panelists at the conference were experts from Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania who addressed issues related to the underlying causes of radicalization (at home as well as external sources of funding and support for those radicalization activities) and efforts to combat extremism.

Speakers suggested that when citizens have little trust in government institutions because of corruption, when government officials are acting out of their own self-interest rather than addressing concerns of ordinary people, then the possibility of extremism is exacerbated.  While the discussion of radicalism and violent extremism may be a taboo topic, the researchers argued that it must be recognized as a problem so that it can be addressed.


One panelist referenced a a speech delivered by US Secretary of State John Kerry in which he described (in the context of discussing ways to combat violent extremism) corruption as the enemy of global peace.

You can see  CNN coverage of Sec John Kerry remarks about corruption and violent extremism in this link.   Secretary of State John Kerry said "The fact is there is nothing, absolutely nothing, more demoralizing and disempowering to any citizen of any nation than the belief the system is rigged against them and that people in positions of power are -- to use a diplomatic term of art -- crooks who are stealing the future of their own people.  It's everybody's responsibility to condemn and expose corruption, to hold perpetrators accountable and to replace a culture of corruption."

You may also be interested in this report undertaken by the Kosovar Center for Security Studies, "Report Inquiring into Causes and Consequences of Kosovo Citizens' Involvement as Foreign Fighters in Syria and Iraq": KCSS Report Kosovo Citizens Involvement as Foreign Fighters


And here is a link to Professor David Phillips' book about Kosovo (one of the speakers and facilitators at the conference):  https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/liberating-kosovo

The conference at SEEU was informative and productive, featuring panels devoted to "External Influences to Radicalization in the Western Balkans," "Local Drivers of Violent Extremism: Role of the Education Sector," and "The Way Forward."

the conference agenda