Protesters gathered in the Slovak capital, Bratislava, to express their opposition to the recent visit to Prime Minister Robert Fico in Russia.
Fico was the only leader in a European Union nation to attend the Moscow celebrations commemorating the 80th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany during the Second World War.
“We are tired of Fico”, “Slovakia is Europe” and “Stay there”, the people who gathered at the Freedom Square square.
The organizers said that Fico does not represent all of Slovakia.
The Kremlin has exploited the annual festivities of the “Victory Day” to present its military capacities.
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated the Russian combat forces in Ukraine, declaring that “we are proud of their courage and their determination, their spiritual force which has always won us victory”.
Fico said in a video message that his goal was to create a “normal and friendly cooperation” relationship with Russia.
Bratislava rallies and certain other cities in Slovakia were the last of a wave of demonstrations fueled by the recent Fico trip to Moscow for interviews with Putin on gas deliveries in December.
Fico, a controversial figure both at the national and international level, found power in 2023 when his left left party triumphed during a parliamentary election which favored pro-Russian and anti-American feelings.
Renowned for his pro-Russian perspective, he publicly opposed the European Union policies concerning the current war in Ukraine.
His administration has encountered significant protests against his pro-Kremlin position and his increasingly Eurosceptic approach. The FICO has regularly echoed anti-EU rhetoric and has many times threatened to withdraw Slovakia from NATO.
Additional sources • AP
