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Thousands demonstrate against Slovakia seeking closer ties with Russia

Thousands demonstrate against Slovakia seeking closer ties with Russia

Demonstrators gathered in Bratislava and other Slovak cities on Friday to protest against the government’s move to seek closer ties with Russia despite its invasion of Ukraine.

Slovak nationalist Prime Minister Robert Fico is one of the few Kremlin allies within the European Union who has brought Bratislava closer to Moscow since returning to power in 2023.

He recently traveled to Moscow to ensure the supply of gas for his country’s consumption, following Ukraine’s decision to close the taps that kept Russian gas flowing through its territory to Europe.

Thousands of people gathered in a central square in Bratislava on Friday chanting “We are Europe,” “We are ashamed of Fico” and “We will not give up on Slovakia.”

Language teacher Vladislav Kmec, 49, told AFP he was worried about the future of Slovakia.

“It’s not going well. The ideal would be to see this government out of power and hold early elections,” he stated.

Another protester, Daniela Kralikova, told AFP: “Turning east is a big step backwards.”

“The direction of our country is unacceptable… I am a person who believes in progress and I do not agree with returning to the past,” said the 26-year-old, who works as a conference organizer.

The Peace for Ukraine initiative said on Facebook that it organized the “Slovakia is Europe” rallies to show that Slovakia “is not Russia (but) a sovereign democratic country.”

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The US Treasury Department designed more than 180 ships and Russian oil majors Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, fulfilling “the G7 commitment to reduce Russian energy revenues.”

Media reported protests in about a dozen Slovak cities.

Co-organizer Lucia Stasselova told AFP that the government “drags Slovakia into the Russian sphere of influence and tries to break ties with our alliances, preferring good relations with Russia.”

Until a peaceful split in 1993, Slovakia and the Czech Republic formed Czechoslovakia, which had spent four decades under a totalitarian communist government led by Moscow between 1948 and 1989.

Fico said in parliament on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he met, had guaranteed gas supplies for Slovakia, and described Moscow as a reliable supplier.

Europe still receives Russian gas via the TurkStream pipeline, as well as liquefied natural gas transported by ships.

Fico stopped military aid to Ukraine when he took power from a center-right government in October 2023.

In retaliation for kyiv’s decision to cut off gas supplies, it threatened to cut off electricity supplies and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

He said Slovakia could also limit aid to Ukrainian war refugees who remain in the country.

Fico has said that Slovakia is ready to host peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. Kyiv says this plays into Putin’s hands.

The Russian leader has described it as “acceptable” for NATO member Slovakia to become a “platform” for dialogue on the conflict, which US President-elect Donald Trump has said could end after take office in January.