On September 16, 2025, thousands of Slovaks took to the streets in 16 major cities, including Bratislava, Košice, and Žilina.
Demonstrators gathered under banners of opposition parties and civic groups, demanding Prime Minister Robert Fico’s resignation, media reported.
Anger Over Austerity Package
The latest anti-Fico protests were triggered by an austerity package passed by Fico’s government. Designed to reduce the budget deficit of 5.3% of GDP—one of the worst in the Eurozone—the plan introduces:
- Higher health and social insurance contributions
- Increased income taxes for high earners
- VAT hikes on selected food items
- Possible cuts to national holidays
Critics say these measures disproportionately burden ordinary Slovaks while failing to tackle corruption and inefficiency.
Fico’s Moscow Ties
The protests were also fueled by Fico’s third meeting with Vladimir Putin since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This time, he met the Kremlin leader in Beijing during a parade celebrating the defeat of Japan in World War II.
His overtures toward Russia and China have drawn sharp condemnation from pro-EU Slovaks.
Opposition Voices Lead Protests
Michal Šimečka, head of the Progressive Slovakia party, told crowds in Bratislava’s Liberty Square:
“Slovaks are tired of this. Robert Fico is selling our future in Europe while forcing families to pay the price for his failed policies.”
Opposition groups, including Freedom and Solidarity, Christian Democrats, and United Slovakia, co-organized rallies, framing them as a struggle for Slovakia’s European orientation.
Many Slovaks fear their country is following the path of Viktor Orbán’s Hungary, where ties to Moscow have undermined EU unity on sanctions against Russia and security policy. Analysts warn that if Fico continues on this path, Slovakia risks isolation within the EU.
What’s Next for Slovakia?
Robert Fico has defended both the austerity plan and his foreign policy stance, calling them necessary for economic stability and national sovereignty.
But growing unrest shows a widening divide between his government and a public unwilling to sacrifice prosperity and European values for closer ties with Moscow.
