The weekly protests have come on the heels of a recent trip to Moscow by Fico, one of the few leaders of a European Union (EU) country to visit Russia since the beginning of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago.

BRATISLAVA (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Slovaks returned to a central square in the capital on Friday for the second large protest in two weeks, opposing what they see as a policy shift by Prime Minister Robert Fico aimed at moving closer to Russia.

Robert Fico has said that Slovakia’s foreign policy orientation could involve leaving the European Union and Nato.

Tens of thousands of protesters thronged a central square in the Slovak capital on Friday, waving banners opposing Prime Minister Robert Fico's policy shift closer to Russia, after tensions between the government and the opposition rose.

Tens of thousands of Slovaks protested against Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government in more than 40 cities Friday, seeking to defend the country’s pro-European alignment.

The latest wave of anti-government rallies was fuelled by Robert Fico’s recent trip to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Protests against Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government have resumed on Friday, 7 February, in dozens of cities across Slovakia and abroad. Source: Slovak newspaper Aktuality, as reported by European Pravda Details: Demonstrations are taking place in more than 50 cities.