Thousands in Slovakia gather in renewed protest against pro-Russian policies of Prime Minister Fico

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BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Thousands gathered at the Slovak capital on Thursday to protest a meeting between populist Prime Minister Robert Fico and Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an escalation of previous protests against Fico's pro-Russia stance. The government's planned austerity measures also drew condemnation from protesters.

The latest wave of protests was fueled by a trip by Fico to China where he again met Putin, along with other authoritarian leaders. Fico traveled to Beijing for a military parade hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Fico was the only head of a European Union country to attend the event, where he discussed bilateral relations with Putin in their third meeting since the Russian all-out invasion of Ukraine.

Before Beijing, the previous two visits took place in Moscow. Fico has not visited Kyiv or anywhere in Ukraine hit by the war, but has repeatedly called for “normalizing” relations with Russia.

“Shame, shame,” the crowd at the central SNP square in Bratislava chanted, along with “We had enough of Fico."

A recent plan for austerity measures presented by government — that the parliament is set to debate on Friday — was another target of protesters' ire, as well as various scandals, including the misuse of European Union funds.

“This is just a beginning,” Alojz Hlina, an organizer from the Freedom and Solidarity opposition party told the noisy crowd. “We have to stop them.”

Thursday’s protest will be followed by a rally by another major opposition force, the liberal Progressive Slovakia, on Tuesday.

Fico has long been a divisive figure in Slovakia and beyond. He returned to power for the fourth time after his leftist Smer, or Direction, party won the 2023 parliamentary election after campaigning on a pro-Russia and anti-American message.

He has openly challenged the European Union’s policies over Ukraine while his critics have charged that Slovakia under Fico is following the direction of Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who is regarded by many as an autocrat.