By James Brooks
Public Affairs Office
George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies

BELGRADE, Serbia (Oct. 12, 2016) - George C. Marshall Center for European Security Studies Program Director on Black Sea and Eurasia Dr. Valbona Zeneli moderated an opening panel discussion about Democracy’s Response to Populism and Internal Radicalization at the Belgrade Security Forum, Oct. 12.

Panelists included Director and CEO, Institute for Strategic Dialogue Sasha Havliček; Director, Projects for the Arab Reform Initiative Álvaro de Vasconcelos; Director and Founder, Conflicts Forum Alastair Crooke; and Former Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Mats Persson.

According to a press release from the Belgrade Security Forum, panelists shared opinions that populists were only using refugee crises as armor for their cause and that the cause for people voting right was their feeling of disappointment in institutions and establishment. Main political parties were not able to respond adequately and satisfactory.

Panelists also emphasized the necessity to find new economic model that would be integrative to both refuges and people that were afraid for their prosperity. Finding right economic model and better handling of migration crises can be one of the ways to stop the rise of populism.