Radicalisation in Bulgaria: Threats and Trends Radicalisation in BulgaRia thReats and tRends The phenomena of radicalisation today develop and change at high speed, with their extreme forms manifested globally. The destructive dimensions of (violent) Islamist or right-wing radicalisation have become dramatically visible in Europe posing serious challenges to European societies at large. This report aims to address a knowledge gap with regard to how and to what extent internationally observed radicalisation processes are manifested in Bulgaria. Four different forms of radicalisation are investigated, including Islamist radicalisation, right-wing and left-wing radicalisation, as well as football hooliganism. The report provides policy makers and the expert community with a systematic overview of the main risks to which the Bulgarian society is exposed, as well as of the main actors and ideas, the repertoire of actions and the groups at risk associated with radicalisation. The report outlines recommendations for improvement of the policy and institutional response with regard to radicalisation by way of monitoring and prevention measures as well as multi agency collaboration and community engagement. Authors: Rositsa dzhekova, Coordinator, Security Program, Center for the Study of Democracy (Chapter I) Mila Mancheva, Senior Analyst, Center for the Study of Democracy (Chapter II) Maria doichinova, Analyst, Center for the Study of Democracy (Chapter III) lyubomira derelieva, Analyst, Center for the Study of Democracy (Chapter III) tihomir Bezlov, Senior Fellow, Center for the Study of Democracy (Chapter IV) Maria Karayotova, Analyst, Center for the Study of Democracy (Chapter IV) Yavor tomov, Analyst, Center for the Study of Democracy (Chapter IV) dimitar Markov, Senior Analyst, Center for the Study of Democracy (Chapter V) Miryana ilcheva, Research Fellow, Center for the Study of Democracy (Chapter V) The Center for the Study of Democracy would like to thank all representatives of intelligence, law enforcement and other institutions as well as independent experts for their contribution to this report. Еditorial Board: ognian shentov Boyko todorov alexander stoyanov With the financial support of the Prevention and Fight against Crime Program of the European Commission, Directorate General Home Affairs. This publication reflects the views only of its authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. ISBn: 978-954-477-258-1 © 2015, center for the study of democracy all rights reserved. 5 Alexander Zhendov Str., 1113 Sofia Tel.: (+359 2) 971 3000, Fax: (+359 2) 971 2233 www.csd.bg, [email protected] TABLE oF CONTENTS IntroductIon............................................................................................................ 7 I. PolIcy approaches to counterIng, monItorIng and PreventIng (vIolent) radIcalIsatIon...............................................................11 . 1.. IntroductIon.................................................................................................11 . 2. NatIonal.strategIes.and.actIon.plans.............................................................13 . 3. Threat.assessments.and.strategIc.analyses.......................................................18 . 4. MonItorIng.radIcalIsatIon.trends.and.avaIlabIlIty.of.data..............................19 . 5. Counter-radIcalIsatIon.polIcy.measures.and.programmes.................................23 II. rIsks of IslamIst radIcalIsatIon..........................................................................27 . 1.. IntroductIon.................................................................................................27 . 2..Islam.and.muslIms.In.bulgarIa......................................................................30 . 3. OrganIsatIonal.forms.and.actors..................................................................37 . 4. RepertoIre.of.actIons.and.Ideas.related.to.IslamIst.radIcalIsatIon...................39 . 5..InstItutIonal.and.law.enforcement.response...................................................43 . 6. Root.causes.and.motIvatIons.........................................................................48 III. rIght-wIng and left-wIng radIcalIsatIon............................................................55 . 1.. rIght-wIng.radIcalIsatIon.trends....................................................................55 . 2. Left-wIng.radIcalIsatIon.trends...................................................................... 80 . 3. Root.causes.and.motIvatIons:.contrIbutIng.factors to.rIght-wIng.and.left-wIng.radIcalIsatIon.....................................................91 . 4. Groups.at.rIsk.of.radIcalIsatIon....................................................................96 Iv. football hoolIganIsm......................................................................................101 . 1.. background.................................................................................................101 . 2. Root.causes.and.motIvatIons.......................................................................103 . 3..Ideology.and.Ideas......................................................................................108 . 4. DevIant.behavIour.and.crImInal.actIvIty.of.hoolIgans/ultras....................... 111 . 5. OrganIsatIonal.forms.and.actors................................................................ 114 . 6. RepertoIre.of.actIons................................................................................... 127 . 7.. polItIcal.affIlIatIons.and.the.use.of.hoolIgans............................................130 . 8..InstItutIonal/law.enforcement.response........................................................ 137 4 v. legal framework and InstItutIons.................................................................... 143 . 1.. legal.framework......................................................................................... 143 . 2..InstItutIonal.framework...............................................................................148 conclusIons.......................................................................................................... 155 appendIx. electoral results of natIonalIst PartIes 2005 – 2014...........................165 references.............................................................................................................. 167 5 list oF abbreviations ACAB All Cops Are Bastards BHC Bulgarian Helsinki Committee BFu Bulgarian Football Union BNU Bulgarian National Union BsP Bulgarian Socialist Party Bwc Bulgaria without Censorship CCCJd Central Commission for Combating Juvenile Delinquency CCB Corporate Commercial Bank CEVIPOL Centre d’étude de la vie politique [Center for the Study of Politics] CSD Center for the Study of Democracy CSKa Central Sports Club of the Army cWIHP Cold War International History Project ECPR European Consortium for Political Research ECRi European Commission against Racism and Intolerance EU European Union Fc Football Club For the homeland – DCI-NL For the Homeland – Democratic Civil Initiative-New Leaders CERB Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria GURd Citizens’ Union for a Real Democracy iMF International Monetary Fund iMRo Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation IS Islamic State LGBt Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Moi Ministry of Interior MP Member of Parliament MRF Movement for Rights and Freedoms NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organisation nFsB National Front for Salvation of Bulgaria nMsP National Movement for Stability and Progress NSBM National Socialist Black Metal RAND Research ANd Development RPlP/F Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front SAFiRe Scientific Approach to Finding Indicators and Responses to Radicalisation SANS State Agency for National Security SDI Sofia Directorate of the Interior sMc Senior Muslim Council TE-SAT TЕrrorism Situation And Trend uBNL Union of Bulgarian National Legions UDF Union of Democratic Forces USA United States of America vMRo-BdM Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation – Bulgarian Democratic Movement vMRo-BnM Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation – Bulgarian National Movement vMRo-uMa Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation – Union of Macedonian Associations intRoduction Since 11 September 2001, “old” and “new” forms of radicalisation related to religion-inspired, right-wing, left-wing, ethno-nationalist, separatist and single-issue extremism, have undergone dynamic development and are to be found in most European countries. Over the last decade, Islamist radicalisation has become an issue of particular concern for many European governments. Exemplified, until recently, by the terrorist attacks in Madrid (2004) and London (2005) the phenomenon has reached new dramatic dimensions with the violent attacks in Paris from 7 January and 13 November, 2015. The current situation in Syria and Iraq and the emergence of the Islamic State have led to new forms of radicalisation, especially the phenomenon of transnational fighters traveling to and from conflict zones, who are believed to pose serious security threat to many member states. Also worrying for many countries in Europe is right-wing extremism. The terrorist attacks in Norway in July 2011 testified to the highly destructive capacity of this phenomenon. At the same time, lawful manifestations of discontent by movements such as Pegida in Germany bear the potential to escalate into violence. Preventing and