Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico rejected calls to resign on Friday after massive demonstrations against the government’s turn toward Russia. Protesters estimated at 100,000-plus in number organized rallies in the capital, Bratislava, and in other cities. It was the first mass anti-government protests since Fico returned to power in 2023.
The protests were triggered by Fico’s recent scandalous visit to Moscow, where he met Russian President Vladimir Putin, a move that was at odds with Slovakia’s European Union and NATO membership. The visit, combined with Fico’s statements that indicated the possibility of changing Slovakia’s foreign policy, including the possibility of leaving the EU and NATO, further inflamed public anger.
Leftist-nationalist Fico, in office since May, countered the protests by stating that only elections can prompt a change of government, not street demonstrations. His administration has accused progressive opposition groups of trying to destabilize the government through illegal means, which the protesters and civic groups outright deny.
Critics of Fico’s government say that his foreign policy turn and declining support for Ukraine are undermining the democratic values of Slovakia. His pro-Russia stance has defined his return to power, and his party, Smer, won the 2023 election on an anti-American and pro-Russia platform. Since then, Slovakia has stopped military aid to Ukraine, criticized EU sanctions against Russia, and promised to block Ukraine’s NATO membership.
More demonstrations are likely as another protest will be held February 7 with the slogan “We are Europe.” Fico’s divisive leadership and controversial decisions continue to cause division within the country, given his recovery from an assassination attempt in May 2024.
