Public debate “How to defend democracy against extremism” took place in Prešov on 28 June 2017 as part of the project Focused on Extremism. The event was organized by the Institute for Public Affairs  in cooperation with the Wave – Center of Independent Culture, speakers included Grigorij Mesežnikov (political scientist), Radovan Bránik (political and security analyst) and Péter Hunčík (psychiatrist).  Discussion was moderated by journalist Michal Frank.

The debates touched upon several issues related to the activation of radical and right-wing extremist forces in recent times in Slovakia and in the region of Central Europe. Grigorij Mesežnikov focused mainly on wider political, socio-cultural and ideological factors of support offered to right-wing extremists by part of the Slovak public (including factors of electoral behavior). Radovan Bránik analyzed the state of affairs and shifts occurred on the extremist scene. Péter Hunčík offered his characteristics of psychological peculiarities of political leaders of totalitarian movements in the past and drawn the personal portraits of contemporary representatives of radical nationalist and xenophobic groupings.

Invitation in PDF




Discussion on June 28, 2017 in Prešov. From the left: Péter Hunčík, Radoslav Bránik, Grigorij Mesežnikov, Michal Frank.