Slovakia has some cultural heritage ties with Russia, and populist politician Fico has visited Putin three times since the start of the war to offer his support. The prime minister also halted Slovak military aid to Ukraine. Landlocked Slovakia is heavily dependent on Russian gas supplies and Mr Fico has so far resisted calls from the EU to reduce his country’s dependence on energy from the Kremlin.
But now, in a show of dissent among ordinary Slovaks, a large march has been held in the capital Bratislava, with tens of thousands of people protesting against Mr Fico’s rule and pro-Putin stance.
A banner in the crowd carried the words of the late Czechoslovak and Czech President Václav Havel, which became the motto of the Velvet Revolution: “Truth and love must prevail over lies and hatred.”
Mr Fico has long been a divisive figure in Slovakia, and thousands of people have repeatedly gathered to protest his policies. Recently, his government canceled the national holiday marking the Velvet Revolution, calling it part of austerity measures.
Michal Šimečka, leader of the major opposition Progressive Slovakia party, rejected this statement.
“It has nothing to do with economics or savings,” Šimečka said. “Robert Fico just wants to tell us that the holiday of freedom is useless, that freedom is useless. We value freedom and we will not allow it to be taken away from us.”
Prime Minister Fico also recently angered many in Slovakia by telling students in the city of Poprad to go fight for Ukraine if they disagree with his pro-Russian positions.
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