"Enough of Fico!" - Thousands of Slovaks took to the streets in large-scale anti-government protests.

On January 24, protests erupted in over 20 cities across Slovakia under the slogan "Slovakia is Europe," aimed at opposing the government of Prime Minister Robert Fico, according to the Slovak publication Aktuality.

Demonstrators chanted slogans such as "Enough of Fico" and "We are Europe," expressing their dissatisfaction with the Prime Minister's policies and his pro-Russian rhetoric.

The protests, organized by the initiative "Peace for Ukraine" and opposition parties, attracted large crowds, with organizers claiming 60,000 participants at Freedom Square in Bratislava.

Fico, who has criticized Western support for Ukraine, accused opposition leader Michal Šimečka of conspiring to overthrow the government on January 18.

In a Facebook address, Fico stated that Šimečka "kisses Zelensky's ring" and promises support for Ukraine's NATO membership.

Šimečka, leader of the pro-Western party "Progressive Slovakia," recently led a delegation of opposition deputies to Kyiv on January 17 to reaffirm Slovakia's support for Ukraine.

Fico compared the opposition's actions to the Euromaidan revolution in Ukraine, claiming they were preparing to stage a coup in Bratislava.

Fico's government has faced criticism for defending Russian interests, contrasting sharply with the pro-Western orientation of opposition leaders like Šimečka.

Background. It is worth noting that on January 17, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with a delegation from the "Progressive Slovakia" party led by Michal Šimečka.

There have also been reports that the Slovak opposition is preparing a vote of no confidence against Fico's government, which threatens to withdraw Slovakia from the EU. The current voting has been postponed, but the opposition has stated that they will attempt to convene another vote soon.