Thousands of people protested on January 26 in the central square of Slovakia’s Bratislava against Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government and what they saw as its shift in his foreign policy towards Russia.
According to organisers, around 60,000 demonstrators took part, significantly more than in previous such protests.
It was estimated that at least 100,000 protested nationwide, the largest demonstrations since Fico returned to power in 2023.
Tensions have escalated after Fico met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in December last year, raising concerns among opponents. Many said they feared that his government was drifting away from the European Union and NATO.
The protesters chanted slogans such as “Enough of Fico!” and “We are Europe!” and demanded that the government realign itself with Brussels’ guidelines.
In an interview with a Slovak public broadcaster on January 27, Fico stated that his government could only be changed through elections, rejecting the protesters’ pressures.
The PM has been critical of Ukraine, particularly after Kyiv decided to halt the transit of Russian gas to Slovakia on January 1, 2024.
That further heightened tensions between the Slovak government and European allies.
At the same time, Fico stated his foreign policy was still governed by EU and NATO membership, although he questioned some specific European policies.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has faced criticism over his apparent ambiguity regarding Slovakia’s membership of the European Union. https://t.co/CbtEiqZYbZ
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) January 23, 2025
