**Thousands Protest in Bratislava Against Slovak Prime Minister‘s Pro-Russian Policies**
On January 3, thousands of people gathered in the streets of Bratislava to protest Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s pro-Russian policies. The demonstrations began less than two weeks after Fico visited Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and just days after Ukraine stopped the flow of Russian gas to Europe via its territory.
**Protesters Demand Change**
Approximately 4,000 people assembled in Bratislava to protest Fico’s Kremlin-friendly stance. Demonstrators waved the flags of Slovakia and the European Union, chanting “We are not Russia.” Protesters played the EU anthem and carried posters labeled “We are Europe.”
**Lead Speaker Calls for Unity**
The Slovak artist Rudolf Sikora, one of the lead speakers at the protest, called on opposition parties to unite with activists and civil associations against the threat of Russian influence. “I beg you, opposition politicians, come together sensibly,” he said.
**Fico’s Pro-Russian Policies Spark Tensions**
Fico’s government initiated a stark policy reversal, halting weapons deliveries to Ukraine and adopting rhetoric blaming the West for Russia’s war. Fico also has close ties to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, another Central European populist leader with friendly attitudes toward Putin.
**Escalating Tensions Between Bratislava and Kyiv**
Tensions between Bratislava and Kyiv have escalated due to President Volodymyr Zelensky’s decision to allow a pre-war agreement on Russian gas transit via Ukraine to expire without renewal. In retaliation, Fico threatened to reduce aid to Ukrainian refugees living in Slovakia.
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