Tens of thousands protest against PM Fico in Slovakia

Tens of thousands of people across Slovakia are demonstrating against Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government, ignoring warnings that provocateurs linked to the liberal opposition will use the protests to bring about a coup.

Rallies are taking place in about 25 Slovak towns and cities, the latest in a series of protests against his populist-nationalist coalition.

Protesters are angry that FICO is undermining the country’s institutions, culture and position in the EU and NATO, particularly his growing attacks on Ukraine and his violence with Moscow.

Fico insisted his country’s membership was not an issue, with the opposition claiming they wanted to take Slovakia out of the EU and NATO.

Local newspaper Dennik N estimated that around 100,000 people across Slovakia attended the protest, with possibly more than 40,000 in the capital.

About 10,000 reportedly took to the streets of Banska Bystrica, a city of 75,000.

On Thursday, 15,000 people demonstrated in Slovakia’s second city, Kosice, to avoid clashes with a separate event being held this evening.

Contrary to FICO warnings this week, there were no reports of violence or disorder, and provocateurs encouraged protesters to attack public buildings, provoking a police response that led to larger protests.

On Friday, FICO told reporters it would soon begin expelling foreign “instructors.”

On Wednesday, he called the government’s Security Council meeting and said that intelligence services have concrete evidence that a group of foreign provocateurs, involved in recent protests in Georgia and in Ukraine, is operating in Slovakia.

Slovakia’s domestic intelligence service, SIS, confirmed the claim but provided few details. The opposition party has little faith in SIS.

FICO said Friday that the “massive” cyberattack that hit the country’s health insurer was “a way to liquidate a disobedient government with unorthodox views on certain things” – a reference to Ukraine and his opposition to the effort. To preserve relations with Moscow.

He said such activities were being carried out “by opposition party representatives, NGOs organized abroad, foreign lecturers and the media”.

Dennik N later reported that the incident was not actually a phishing attempt, a cyberattack, and was not particularly large-scale.

Slovak officials have claimed that previous cyberattacks on the country’s land registry could have come from Ukraine. Kyiv has denied the accusations.