BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — On Friday, massive crowds rallied in multiple cities and towns throughout Slovakia to express their opposition to the pro-Russian stance taken by populist Prime Minister Robert Fico.
The recent surge in these anti-government protests was spurred by Fico’s visit to Moscow, where he held discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This visit marked one of the few occasions when a European Union leader has met with Putin since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine commenced on February 24, 2022.
Fico’s comments suggesting that Slovakia’s foreign policy might pivot toward exiting the European Union and NATO ignited further outrage among demonstrators. The crowd made their demands clear as they chanted “Resign, resign,” along with “Slovakia is Europe.”
This latest wave of demonstrations unfolded across 41 venues within Slovakia, an increase from the 28 sites reported two weeks prior, with additional protests occurring in 13 cities overseas, according to organizers.
The scale of these protests marks the largest public demonstrations since 2018 when widespread outrage followed the murders of an investigative journalist and his fiancée. Those events led to a political upheaval that ultimately resulted in the fall of Fico’s previous government.
Fico, having survived an assassination attempt in May 2024, has heightened the country’s socio-political tensions by alleging that protest organizers have ties to external entities that orchestrated recent anti-government protests in Georgia. He claims they are being influenced by Ukrainian authorities with the aim of inciting a coup in Slovakia, a statement that has not been substantiated by any evidence and is dismissed by the Peace for Ukraine organization.
Fico’s perspective on Russia markedly contrasts with the predominant views held in Europe. He made a comeback to leadership last year after his leftist party Smer (Direction) secured victory in parliamentary elections, running on a platform that favored pro-Russian and anti-American policies.
Since assuming office, he has halted Slovakia’s military support for Ukraine, criticized the European Union’s sanctions against Russia, and vowed to obstruct Ukraine’s bid to join NATO. His relations with Ukraine deteriorated further when he labeled President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as an adversary following Ukraine’s suspension of natural gas supplies to Slovakia and other European nations.
