Protest against Slovak Prime Minister Fico is growing. ‘We want to show the world that we are not all pro-Russian’

Dressed in thick winter coats and sipping hot tea, more and more slow teasing the cold to protest against the government of Prime Minister Robert Fico. In more than fifty cities at home and abroad, Slovaken took to the streets on Friday- a doubling compared to the size that the demonstrations had two weeks ago. The demonstrators demand Prime Minister Fico, after his open flirts with Russia.

Fico, who survived a murder attack in May, won the elections in Slovakia at the end of 2023 with the promise to end the military support for Ukraine and became prime minister of the country for the fourth time. Since then, his government has released convicted loyalists for corruption, limited anti -corruption investigations, dismissed prominent figures within the culture sector and a new public broadcaster has been set up, which serves as a mouthpiece of the government.

The demonstrations in Slovakia followed after a visit by Fico to Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow at the end of December. The demonstrators fear that Fico wants to leave the EU and NATO. A step he mentioned as an option in recent weeks, but after fierce reactions he has taken those statements back. In the meantime, Fico does not know what to do with the demonstrations – he claimed that “foreign powers” try to commit a “coup.” Without providing convincing evidence for this. It only caused more anger among the demonstrators and even led to protests in strongholds of Fico’s party Smer.

More than 40,000 demonstrators appeared in Bratislava on Friday.

Jasmine Ondriasova (19)

The 19-year-old Jasmine Ondriasso took two classics from George Orwell to the protest because she believes that “this kind of governments arises and continues to exist.”

Photo: Mark Middel/NRC

At the very front of the stage is the 19-year-old Jasmine Ondriasova with two books in her hand. Animal farm and 1984 from the British journalist and writer George Orwell. “These books show how such a government as we have now can arise in Slovakia and can continue to exist,” she says in her own words about Orwell’s dystopic novels. “The politicians here do not serve the people, but only themselves.”

She has been demonstrating arranged since 2018 – when investigative journalist Jan Kuciak was murdered with his fiancé after he investigated corruption within the earlier governments of Prime Minister Fico. “I was thirteen at the time,” says Undriasova. “Since then it has not improved. The situation in the country is even worse. “

This year she takes a final exam and wants to study “in a country as far away as possible”. She calls the education system in Slovakia “bad,” where “teachers are underpaid” and “the tables in my school are repainted every year because they are so old.”

But she is also struggling to leave Slovakia with her choice. “What happens to the country when all the critics of the government leave?”

Simon Omanik (19)

Simon Omanik (19) became known nationally after he refused to shake hands with a politician from the Fico government. “Don’t let your mouth cable,” is his message for other young people.

Three weeks ago Simon Omanik was still a stranger to the general public in Slovakia. On Friday he was on stage in Bratislava to address the audience with loud cheers. The 19-year-old student became known in one fell swoop after he refused to shake hands with President Pellegrini-whose party in the government coalition of Prime Minister Fico at a presentation of a math price. “The President abuses the war in Ukraine for his own gain,” he says in addition to the stage with a Ukrainian flag spelled on his coat.

The video Was shared worldwide. Omanik’s action received criticism from Prime Minister Fico, who said Omanik “deserves three hits.” He doesn’t regret his action, says Omanik. “I would do it again.” And Fico’s words don’t do anything to him either, according to the 19-year-old student. “Fico cannot insult me.”

That is also the message that he wants to transfer to other young people. Omanik: “Don’t be afraid of the attacks of politicians and don’t let your mouth cable.”

Petronela Basnak Rudzanova (48) and Ana Valentova (75). “Corruption is in Fico’s DNA,” says Ana who is forced to give herself to doctors to be treated. Photo Mark Middel

Petronela Basnak Rudzanova (48)

Petronela Basnak Rudzanova has been going to the psychologist for a year. “I am so shocked by the policy of this government,” says the accountant from Bratislava. “Convicted criminals have been released by the government. They don’t care about nature. They have destroyed the culture sector. The public broadcaster was closed. Fico is friends with Putin. And in the meantime, a Ukrainian has been murdered on the street, “she says, referring to a homeless Ukrainian man who was killed in unclear circumstances last week. “In a few months, this government destroyed everything in the country.”

And that did not benefit her mental health. “But now that I am going to the psychologist, I am doing a little better. I put it on a little less personally and try to stay calm. “

Immediately after Fico’s election profit, she started demonstrating. She has since been to all demonstrations – certainly a dozen. “We want to show the world that we are not all pro-Russian,” says Basnak Rudzanova. “And it also helps us mentally, we show that we are not alone.”

Anna Valentova (75)

After she pronounces her first sentence, Anna Valentova has to cry. She has just told that her brother fled to Utrecht in 1969, a year after the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia. “He returned to Slovakia in 2018 to demonstrate after the murder of Jan Kuciak,” she talks about the mass protests after the murder of the investigative journalist. It led to Fico’s stepping. “But my brother told us on return in 2018 that everything has remained the same since he left during the communist regime in Slovakia,” says Valentova.

“The Fico regime provides even more corruption than the communists,” said the 75-year-old, who says he has to take an envelope with money to doctor’s visits. “Fico and his comrades have corruption in their DNA. It’s disgusting. “

In contrast to her brother, Valentova does not want to leave Slovakia. “And I hope that my grandchildren will not leave either, so that there is someone to give me tea if I can no longer do it myself. But if they do leave, I understand that. I will experience what I have experienced in this country. “

Lubo Tuchscher (48) and daughter Tabita (16)

Lubo Tuchscher is holding a sign up with the data of all Russian raids from the past years: Budapest 1956, Bratislava 1968, Georgia 2008, De Krim 2014 and Ukraine 2022. “I love Russian Wodka,” says Tuchscher. “But since the occupation of Crimea I don’t drink it anymore.”

He is worried about the future of his daughter who stands next to him. Tabita (16) knows for sure that she will study abroad. “I want to live in a free, democratic and peaceful country,” she says. “And that is not Slovakia at the moment.”

But back to the vodka. “I still have a bottle at home,” says Tuchscher. “Real Quality Wodka from Russia. But I will only open it when the Crimea belongs to Ukraine again, “he says. “Well, maybe it will only be my grandchildren who drink the bottle.”

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