Thousands rally in Slovakia against PM Fico government's policies – photo
Mass protests against the policies of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico's government took place across Slovakia on 21 March.
Source: Slovak news outlet Aktuality, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Thousands of protesters marched through Slovakia's cities, voicing their opposition to Fico and his pro-Russia policies.
For the past three months, tens of thousands of people have taken part in protests every two weeks in Bratislava and other towns, demanding Fico's resignation.
The protests began in late December after Fico travelled to Moscow for talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Artists also joined demonstrations in Bratislava, protesting against Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová’s actions concerning the Slovak National Gallery.
The "Slovakia is Europe" rally was also held in Luxembourg, Brussels, Oslo and Amsterdam.
Background:
- Fico, who survived an assassination attempt in May 2024, has encountered calls to resign over his remarks on Slovakia’s EU and NATO membership, as well as his claims that Russia had security reasons for invading Ukraine.
- Protesters also condemned recent pro-Russian actions by Fico's close associates, particularly remarks by Erik Kaliňák, who stated that Slovakia would "finally have a reliable neighbour" if Russian troops occupied Ukraine.
- Fico's stance on Russia diverges sharply from the European mainstream. He has halted Slovakia’s military aid to Ukraine, criticised EU sanctions against Russia and vowed to block NATO accession to NATO.
- He declared Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy an "enemy of Slovakia" after Ukraine cut off Russian gas supplies to Slovakia and other European consumers.
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