Hundreds of people rally in Bratislava against pro-Russian policies of Slovak PM's government
Several hundred people gathered in the centre of Bratislava on Tuesday evening to express their disagreement with the foreign policy of the current coalition government in Slovakia, in particular on the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
As reported by Slovak daily newspaper and online platform DennikN, the protest was organised by the Slovak civic initiative Peace for Ukraine, which emphasises that the government of PM Robert Fico is pursuing a foreign policy favourable to Russia, which is contrary to the interests of Slovakia and the EU.
The rally on Freedom Square began with the sound of an air-raid siren.
The speakers on stage, including civil society activists and some politicians, said that some of the government's actions "crossed all boundaries" and were a disgrace to the country. They also read out a joint statement from the initiative on why they had organised the rally.
"Pro-Russian rhetoric and propaganda by government officials is unacceptable and threatens our interests and future," it said.
In particular, they mentioned Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár's handshake with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, as well as the Czech Republic's recent decision to pause intergovernmental consultations with Slovakia due to disagreements between the two capitals over the Russian-Ukrainian war.
Last week, Andrej Danko, leader of the far-right Slovak National Party, which is part of the government coalition, claimed that Russia is "not an aggressor" in the full-scale war against Ukraine but is "protecting its interests".
Slovakia will soon hold presidential elections, in which the victory of the candidate supported by Fico – Parliament Speaker Peter Pellegrini – will allow the prime minister to consolidate power in one single hand, like his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán.