On Friday, protesters gathered in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, to voice their disapproval of Prime Minister Robert Fico’s recent trip to Russia. Fico was the first head of state from a member of the European Union to travel to Moscow to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.
The crowd assembled in Freedom Square yelled, “Slovakia is Europe,” “We’ve had enough of Fico,” and “Stay there.” According to the organisers, Fico does not speak for Slovakia as a whole. The Kremlin has used the annual ‘Victory Day’ celebrations to demonstrate its military might.
On Friday, Putin praised the Russian military in Ukraine, saying, “We are proud of their courage and determination, their spiritual force that always has brought us victory.” In a video statement, Fico said his goal was to establish “normal, friendly cooperation” with Russia.
Fico’s recent trip to Moscow for discussions with Putin over gas delivery in December sparked a surge of protests, including the marches in Bratislava and a few other towns and cities around Slovakia.
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