Slovakia erupts: Mass protests demand Fico's resignation

On Friday evening, Slovakia was the scene of massive anti-government protests in over 50 cities. In the capital city, Bratislava, more than 40,000 people gathered at Freedom Square, and across the country, the number of participants was around 100,000. Demonstrators once again called for Prime Minister Robert Fico to step down.

Freedom Square in Bratislava, located near the government's headquarters, filled with a crowd even before the protest started. Organizers repeated their demands from two weeks ago, calling for Fico's resignation. Among the chanted slogans were: "Resignation", "Ashamed of Fico", "Treason" and "Russian agent". The main slogan of the demonstration was "Slovakia is Europe".

Prime Minister Fico has repeatedly accused protest organizers, opposition parties, and the media of attempting to overthrow the government. Politicians of the ruling coalition claimed that the Georgian Legion, which Fico alleged was behind protests in Ukraine and Georgia, is supposedly behind the coup attempt. Fico emphasized that, contrary to the organizers' claims, the government does not plan to exit the European Union.

Anti-government demonstrations began in December of last year after Prime Minister Fico's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. A few weeks later, Fico defended his party colleague Tibor Gaspar, who in a televised debate suggested the possibility of Slovakia leaving the EU.

Further demonstrations are planned for two weeks later, on the seventh anniversary of the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée. In 2018, Prime Minister Fico was held politically accountable for this crime, leading to his resignation in March 2018 under mass protest pressure.