Slovakia protesters call on Fico to resign over government’s pro-Russia policy shift

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) - Huge crowds gathered in dozens of cities and towns across Slovakia on Friday to mount vocal protests against the pro-Russian policies of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico.

The latest wave of anti-government rallies was fueled by Fico's recent trip to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a rare visit to the Kremlin by a European Union leader since Moscow's all-out invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24, 2022.

Fico's recent remarks that Slovakia's foreign policy orientation could involve leaving the European Union and NATO contributed to the anger of protesters.

"Resign, resign," was the the clear message to the premier. "Slovakia is Europe," they chanted.

The latest rallies took place in 41 locations in Slovakia, up from 28 two weeks ago, and in another 13 cities abroad, organizers said.

They are biggest demonstrations since major street protests in 2018 prompted by the slayings of an investigative reporter and his fiancee. The ensuing political crisis led to the collapse of Fico's previous government.

Fico, who survived an assassination attempt in May 2024, has escalated the tension in the country by accusing protest organizers of being in contact with foreigners who organized recent anti-government protests in Georgia and are under control of Ukraine's authorities who, he said, are working toward engineering a coup in Slovakia. Government officials have failed to provide evidence for the claim, which has been dismissed by the Peace for Ukraine organization.

Fico's views on Russia have sharply differed from the European mainstream. He returned to power last year after his leftist party Smer (Direction) won a parliamentary election on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform.

He has since ended Slovakia's military aid for Ukraine, criticized European Union sanctions on Russia and vowed to block Ukraine from joining NATO. He declared Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as an enemy after Ukraine halted on Russian gas supplies to Slovakia and some other European customers.