Huge crowds gathered in dozens of cities and towns across Slovakia on Friday to mount vocal protests against the pro-Russian policies of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico.
The latest wave of anti-government rallies was fueled by Fico’s recent trip to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a rare visit to the Kremlin by a European Union leader.
Fico’s recent remarks that Slovakia’s foreign policy orientation could involve leaving the European Union and NATO contributed to the anger of protesters.
“Resign, resign,” was the the clear message to the premier. “Slovakia is Europe,” they chanted.
Fico, who survived an assassination attempt in May 2024, has escalated the tension in the country by accusing protest organizers of being in contact with foreigners who organized recent anti-government protests in Georgia and are under control of Ukraine’s authorities who, he said, are working toward engineering a coup in Slovakia.
The latest wave of anti-government rallies was fueled by Fico’s recent trip to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a rare visit to the Kremlin by a European Union leader.
Fico’s recent remarks that Slovakia’s foreign policy orientation could involve leaving the European Union and NATO contributed to the anger of protesters.
“Resign, resign,” was the the clear message to the premier. “Slovakia is Europe,” they chanted.
Fico, who survived an assassination attempt in May 2024, has escalated the tension in the country by accusing protest organizers of being in contact with foreigners who organized recent anti-government protests in Georgia and are under control of Ukraine’s authorities who, he said, are working toward engineering a coup in Slovakia.
30 days ago
