Demonstrators convened in the Slovak capital, Bratislava, on Friday to express their opposition to the recent visit of Prime Minister Robert Fico to Russia.
Fico was the sole leader from a European Union nation to attend the celebrations in Moscow commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
“We’ve had enough of Fico,” “Slovakia is Europe,” and “Stay there,” the people who gathered at the Freedom Square chanted.
The organisers stated that Fico does not embody the entirety of Slovakia.
The Kremlin has leveraged the yearly ‘Victory Day’ festivities to showcase its military capabilities.
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin commended the Russian forces fighting in Ukraine, stating that “we are proud of their courage and determination, their spiritual force that always has brought us victory.”
Fico stated in a video message that his objective was to create a relationship of “normal, friendly cooperation” with Russia.
The rallies in Bratislava and some other towns and cities across Slovakia were the latest in a wave of protests that were fuelled by Fico’s recent trip to Moscow for talks with Putin over gas deliveries in December.
Fico, a controversial figure both domestically and internationally, regained power in 2023 when his leftist Smer party triumphed in a parliamentary election that promoted pro-Russian and anti-American sentiments.
Renowned for his pro-Russian perspective, he has publicly opposed the European Union’s policies regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine.
His administration has encountered significant protests against its pro-Kremlin stance and increasingly Eurosceptic approach. Fico has routinely echoed anti-EU rhetoric and threatened on numerous occasions to withdraw Slovakia from NATO.
Additional sources • AP
