News

Organizační a finanční pozadí

The Czech Republic’s disinformation scene consisted mainly of alternative online outlets spreading disinformation and conspiracies in the past, roughly until the Covid-19 pandemic. They were mostly non-transparent, by default hiding and obfuscating their ownership structure, contributors, and financing. However, this scene has diversified significantly in recent years due to the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and domestic political and economic developments. It now also consists of civil movements of "freedom fighters," influencers, celebrities, far-right/left politicians and individuals who began to engage in the disinformation discourse for their personal interest, for example to cover their debts or enter politics. 

Western Balkans

Albania has found itself in the middle of the political “chessboard” created by the most influential external actors after the EU and the USA, namely, Russia, China, Türkiye, and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf. The study explores Albania’s multifaceted attitudes within the context of the dynamics in the Western Balkans and sheds light on how the Open Balkan (OB) initiative has shaped relations among the Western Balkan countries.

 
banneryRMSSA_585x516px

Jste studenty magisterského oboru nebo právě začínáte svou kariéru a chcete se lépe zorientovat v oblasti mezinárodní bezpečnosti? Přihlaste se na prestižní Robinson-Martin Security Scholars Academy (RMSSA) 2023/2024 a diskutujte s nejlepšími profesionály v oboru!

Vulnerable Democracies

This study analyses the effects of foreign influence on political and social life in North Macedonia, focusing on the impact of the prolonged EU integration process, as opposed to the influence excreted by non-western actors, particularly Russia, China, Türkiye, and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf.

Understanding the Key Players and Influence

This study analyses the external influence in Kosovo and how these influences manifest in the political, economic, and social realms. The report contends that the historical context in which Kosovo emerged as a state has determined how external influence is perceived in the country.

 
The West is Dear, but the East id Dearer

This policy paper investigates the influence of Russia, China, Turkey, and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf on the process of (in)stability, including democratization, in Serbia from 2008 to 2022. 

 
Croatia_A Stable Western Ally and a Playground of External Contestation

Croatia is a committed member of the EU and NATO and a stable ally of the United States in the region. Yet, it has been experiencing illiberal tendencies since becoming an EU member, marked by widespread corruption and a weakening of independent institutions which should control the executive.
 

PSSI

Our Space Security Program Project Coordinator, František Avrat was nominated by Adam Hayes from the U.S. Department of State to attend two intense traineeships in Washington, DC, on May 1-5, 2023.

Democratic Vulnerabilities of Small Systems

The PSSI's Western Balkans Project is delighted to publish the first analytical study under the project titled "The Western Balkans at the Crossroads: Democratic Backsliding and External Actors' Influence." The study examines democratic backsliding in Montenegro and the influences of external actors. It seeks to answer the following question: What is the role of non-European external actors in causing democratic backsliding in Montenegro?