Mass Protests Across Slovakia Against Prime Minister Robert Fico's Pro-Russia Policies
Mass protests erupted across Slovakia against Prime Minister Robert Fico's pro-Russia policies. On Friday, January 25, nearly 60,000 people participated in the protests across the country, including in Bratislava.
Prime Minister Fico's attempts to strengthen relations with Russia and his indications of a possible withdrawal from the European Union and NATO have sparked anger among the people. A civil organization called "Miar Ukraina" (Peace for Ukraine) called for the protests. The organization condemned Fico's statements and called for the protection of Slovakia's democracy.
Frantisek Valach, a protester, said, "We do not want to stay with Russia. We want to stay in the European Union and NATO."
On the day of the protest, Fico's left-wing nationalist government claimed that foreign powers and political opponents were behind the organization of the protests. The Prime Minister alleged that there was a "coup d'état" conspiracy to overthrow his government.
Fico claimed that some experts who had assisted protests in Ukraine in 2014 and Georgia last year had entered Slovakia. However, he could not provide specific evidence to support this claim.
The protest reached the level of the 2018 protests, when Prime Minister Fico was forced to resign after the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak.
Meanwhile, protests have intensified since Fico's visit to Moscow and his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. His efforts to improve relations with Russia amid the Russia-Ukraine war have created tension in Slovakia's relations with the European Union.
Joseph Betak, another protester, said, "Fico is behaving very aggressively, which is making us frightened. He has lost his way, and he should step aside for the sake of the people's lives. We cannot remain silent, or no change will come."
