to Central Europe

Organization
Zvedavec.org
Regressive/pro-Kremlin agenda or activity
Motto: I am Trying to Find the Truth. All is Connected and All is Heading in
Certain Direction. The More I Read the More I Understand the Intentions of
Powerful People. I Like Controversial Topics. Zvedavec is Independent,
Simply Because It Can be. The website presents conspiracy theories,
publishes articles about the Ukrainian crisis and criticizes Western
countries. 299 It was founded by a Czechoslovakian emigrant living in
Toronto, Vladimir Stwora in 1999. Stwora was sentenced to a suspended
sentence in September 2011 for questioning the existence of concentration
camps and gas chambers.
Social media
A very important platform for spreading illiberal values is Facebook. From Šlerka’s graph 300
(Figure 3 below) we can see the intricate correlation between fans of various pages.
Figure 3. Value-sets of selected Czech Facebook pages
Radio
Russian influence can also be disseminated in the form of radio broadcasting. Two of the most
popular radios of this sort are Svobodné radio—which claims that people are deprived of their
basic liberties by laws adopted by governments that are directed against citizens—and Svobodný
vysílač, with content including strong anti-EU feelings and conspiracy theories. The two radio
stations do not possess a clear value-orientation, but they indirectly promote anti-liberal
narratives, mostly with geopolitical motives (on Ukraine or Syria).
Institutions
Two key institutions that are the sources of Russian influence are the Embassy of the Russian
Federation in the Czech Republic and the Office of the President of the Czech Republic. These two
299 Michael Jabara Carley: Ukrajina – článek řetězce amerického obkličování Ruska. Zvedavec.org. 9.10.2015. WWW:
http://www.zvedavec.org/komentare/2015/10/6614-ukrajina-clanek-retezce-americkeho-obklicovani-ruska.htm
300 ŠLERKA Josef, http://databoutique.cz/post/132864956223/jak-lajkovali-na-facebooku-antiislamist%C3%A9
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