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In the Slovak capital, Bratislava, thousands of people protested on Friday against the policies of Prime Minister Robert Fico, accusing him of dragging the country to Russia.
This was reported by Reuters, as cited by Ukrinform.
Protesters gathered not only in Bratislava but also in other cities to oppose the government’s push for closer ties with Russia, despite its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
According to organizers, approximately 15,000 people gathered in Bratislava’s central square.“Slovakia is Europe, we are not Russia,” declared one organizer, waving Slovak and EU flags. Other demonstrators held signs saying “Slovakia stands with Ukraine,” while chanting “Enough of Russia!” “Shame!” and “We are ashamed of Fico.”
The Slovak initiative Peace for Ukraine announced on Facebook that it organized the protests under the slogan “Slovakia is Europe” to emphasize that Slovakia is “not Russia, but a sovereign democratic country,” according to Euractiv.
Local media reported demonstrations in about ten Slovak cities.
Co-organizer Lucia Stasselová criticized the government for “dragging Slovakia into Russia’s sphere of influence and trying to sever our ties with our alliances preferring good relations with Russia.”
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is one of the few Kremlin allies within the European Union. Since returning to power in 2023, he has brought Slovakia closer to Moscow. On Friday, Fico told parliament that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, whom he met recently, guaranteed stable gas supplies for Slovakia and described Moscow as a reliable supplier.
Fico had met Putin in Moscow on December 22, marking the third visit by an EU head of government since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
As previously reported by Ukrinform, on January 2, Fico stated that Slovakia’s government would discuss retaliatory measures against Ukraine after it stopped the transit of Russian gas through its territory to Slovakia.
On December 19, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine is ready to transit gas to European countries as long as it is not of Russian origin.
