Mass anti-government rallies were held in Slovakia

 They were organized by liberal parties that lost power in the republic following the parliamentary elections held in September 2023.

Anti-government rallies demanding the resignation of the Cabinet headed by Social Democrat Robert Fico were held in Slovakia. This was reported by Markiza TV channel.

According to the TV channel, "many thousands of citizens" took part in the rallies. They were organized by liberal parties that lost power in the republic following the parliamentary elections held in September 2023.

In addition to Bratislava, the rallies were held in the cities of Nitra, Banská Bystrica, PieštŽani, Kosice, Trencin, Považska Bystrica, Prievidza, Žilina, Liptovski Mikuláš, Levice, Prešov, Spiška Nova Ves and Trnava. The largest of them was held on the Slovak National Uprising Square in the center of Bratislava. According to the organizers, about 20,000 activists took part in it.

The reason for the protests of opposition supporters, which began at the end of 2023, was the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers on December 6 to abolish the management of the special prosecutor's office in the legal system of Slovakia. The day after that, a mass anti-government rally was held in Bratislava.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor's Office is investigating high-profile cases, a number of defendants of which were associated with big politics. Fico and members of his cabinet claim that the special prosecutor's office violated the rights of the citizens whose cases it investigated. This unit, they say, abused the powers granted, and the departmental authorities put themselves above the leadership of the Prosecutor General's Office of Slovakia. At the opposition rallies, on the contrary, they claim that the current authorities are destroying the rule of law. Liberal parties have initiated a civil petition demanding that the Cabinet abandon plans to amend the national criminal code, providing for the abolition of the special prosecutor's office.

Slovak President Zuzana Chaputova also opposed its liquidation. In turn, the European Commission, whose position was supported by the U.S. Embassy in Slovakia, in December also called on the government to reconsider the decision to liquidate the special prosecutor's office.