Slovak protests draw 100,000 denouncing pro-Putin tilt by Fico government

Some 100,000 demonstrators in cities across Slovakia on Friday demanded that their government stop flirting with Russia and respect the country’s obligations toward its Western partners in NATO and the European Union.

“We’re here to remind you, politely but clearly, that we already chose years ago where we want to belong,” said actor Tomáš Maštalír in front of 60,000 people in the capital Bratislava, in a reference to Slovakia’s membership in the EU and the North Atlantic defense alliance since 2004.