Overview
- Tens of thousands in Slovakia marched in dozens of communities, with large crowds in Bratislava’s Freedom Square calling for Prime Minister Robert Fico to resign.
- Protesters in Slovakia denounced Fico’s meetings with Vladimir Putin, the halt to bilateral military aid for Ukraine, and the government’s cancellation of the Velvet Revolution holiday, which opponents say was politically motivated.
- Thousands in Prague gathered at Old Town Square to challenge Andrej Babiš’s bid to form a government that could include an anti‑EU, anti‑NATO far‑right party.
- Babiš faces an EU subsidy fraud trial and criticism over conflicts of interest tied to his business empire, as President Petr Pavel demands clarity on how those conflicts would be addressed before any appointment.
- Organizers and opposition figures framed the rallies as a defense of rule of law and independent institutions, warning that recent actions run counter to democratic values established after 1989.