Protests Against Fico And Ties With Russia Flare Up Again In Slovakia

Thousands of citizens took to the streets with the slogan "Slovakia is Europe."

Mass protests have once again erupted in Slovakia, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Robert Fico due to his pro-Russian policies. Participants in the rallies expressed their support for Ukraine and Slovakia’s European orientation, reported the Slovak news portalAktuality on Friday, March 7.

Protests Span 40 Cities

According to the report, rallies under the general slogan "Slovakia is Europe" were held in over 40 cities, including abroad. Slovak diaspora groups organized demonstrations in cities like Prague and Amsterdam.

In Bratislava, between 9,000 and 11,000 people participated. In Košice, up to 15,000 took part, while in Banská Bystrica, around 3,000 to 4,000 people gathered. Protesters carried European Union and NATO flags. One of the slogans read, "Stop Russian Imperialism."

Regular Protests in Slovakia

Aktuality notes that such protests have been held every two weeks for over two months. The civil association "Peace for Ukraine" is the main organizer. A key difference in the March 7 rally in Bratislava was that participants directed their appeal not only to Fico but also to the Slovak opposition, urging them to support their demands.

Representatives of the "Peace for Ukraine" association stated that they have raised over 5 million euros in donations from approximately 75,000 people for ammunition for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Previously, Fico had halted the delivery of weapons to Ukraine from Slovakia’s reserves.

Slovak Prime Minister Has No Plans to Resign

On December 22, 2024, shortly before the cessation of Russian gas transit through Ukraine, Fico visited the Kremlin and discussed fuel supplies with Russian President Vladimir Putin. These were the first personal talks between the two politicians in eight years.

On January 2, Fico threatened to reduce support for Ukrainian refugees in Slovakia because Kyiv did not extend its agreement with Gazprom on gas supplies. He called this "sabotage" on the part of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Amid the protests, Fico declared that he had no intention of resigning and warned of the threat of a coup allegedly being prepared by "structures with ties to foreign countries and the Slovak opposition."

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