Nationwide rallies in Slovakia gathered tens of thousands protesting Prime Minister Robert Fico's intentions to align the country with Russia. Organised by the civic group Mier Ukrajine for the defense of democracy, these protests were fueled by Fico's suggestion of abandoning the EU and NATO. Amidst growing tensions, Fico's government accused protest organizers of attempting a coup with foreign backing, tying their actions to a secret intelligence report. The recent protests echoed significant previous protests sparked by corruption, highlighting the public's demand for a European-centered foreign policy.
"We do not want to be with Russia. We want to be in the European Union, we want to be NATO and we want to stay that way," protester Frantisek Valach said in Bratislava.
Fico alleged that unidentified experts in Slovakia had assisted protests in Ukraine in 2014 and Georgia last year, linking his claims to a secret report from the SIS.
Tensions escalated after the prime minister's government accused organisers and political opponents of attempting a coup d'etat in league with foreigners.
Friday's protests neared levels seen in 2018 when the murder of Jan Kuciak, a journalist investigating high-level corruption, forced Fico's resignation.
Collection
[
|
...
]