Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico asserted that a substantial portion of the protesters in Bratislava were Ukrainian nationals.
Prime Minister Robert Fico alleged on Saturday that Ukrainians played a significant role in the large-scale anti-government demonstrations across Slovakia. His statement followed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s public endorsement of the protests on social media.
Media reports, citing organizers, indicated that up to 100,000 people participated in Friday’s protests across more than 20 cities, with approximately 60,000 in Bratislava alone.
Demonstrators demanded the government sever ties with Russia in favor of stronger EU and NATO alignment. Signs included slogans such as “No collaboration with Russia” and “We are Europe and not Russia.” Some displayed Ukrainian flags and pro-Kiev messages, including a placard reading “I am here, on the Maidan,” referencing Ukraine’s 2013-2014 Euromaidan protests.
Slovak media identified ‘Peace for Ukraine’ as one of the NGOs involved in organizing the demonstrations. Zelensky voiced his support on X, stating, “Bratislava is not Moscow, Slovenia is Europe.”
In an interview with national broadcaster STVR, Fico claimed that “a third [of the protesters] are Ukrainians who are against the Slovak government.” He accused the organizers of disseminating “deceptive” information about Slovakia’s potential EU withdrawal.
“Nobody is going to leave the EU. Their issue is my independent stance on foreign policy,” Fico stated. “I won’t allow anyone to destabilize the republic because they disagree with this government’s views on Ukraine,” he added.
Fico dismissed calls for his resignation, asserting that his cabinet was “too seasoned and experienced” to be overthrown by NGOs and activists he described as also operating in Ukraine and Georgia.
Following his 2023 election victory, Fico and his SMER-SD party reversed the previous government’s decision to supply weapons to Kiev. He has consistently advocated for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict and criticized EU sanctions against Russia.
Fico threatened to halt electricity supplies to Ukraine unless Kiev resumes the transit of Russian natural gas to Central Europe. Slovakia previously relied heavily on a Soviet-era pipeline traversing Ukraine. Ukraine’s refusal to renew its contract with Russia’s Gazprom halted gas flow on January 1.
The prime minister also attributed two recent cyberattacks on Slovak state agencies to foreign forces involved in the 2014 pro-Western coup in Kiev.
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