As per reports, thousands of protesters gathered in Bratislava, accusing Prime Minister Robert Fico of dragging Slovakia closer to Russia amidst a gas dispute with Ukraine on Friday (10 January).
• Fico’s meeting with President Putin last month has sparked significant backlash. The ongoing interruption of gas transit from Ukraine, which Slovakia had relied on, has cost Slovakia approximately 1.5 billion euros. The protesters demanded Slovakia to maintain its alignment with Europe and not move toward closer ties with Russia.
• Protesters voiced strong opposition, with around 15,000 people attending the demonstration. Fico has threatened retaliation, including halting humanitarian aid to Ukraine and cutting emergency electricity supplies.