A protest in Humenné, eastern Slovakia. The caption reads "Leave the government, not EU and NATO. (source: TASR)
In the 2023 snap election, the Smer party won in towns of Vranov nad Topľou, Michalovce and Gelnica by a wide margin with 31.11 percent, 28.22 percent and 29.91 percent, respectively. The Hlas party came second with 17.85 percent, 16.82 percent and 20.98 percent, respectively.
Now these towns are joining dozens of others all over Slovakia under the banner of Slovakia is Europe to protest against the actions of Prime Minister Robert Fico's government that weaken Slovakia's membership in the EU and NATO. This is the first time Gelnica and Michalovce joined such events. People only took to streets in the latter when journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová were murdered in 2018.
Inspired by a teacher
The protest in Gelnica was initiated and co-organised by writer Milo Janáč. He was travelling home from the protest in Bratislava two weeks ago and reading an interview with a teacher Eva Wolfová who made a speech at the Košice protest.
In the interview, she said that it wasn't a feat for 50,000 people in Bratislava and 15,000 in Košice to gather. If 300 gather on the square in Gelnica that would be something, she opined.
"That was the inspiration," Janáč told the Korzár daily. He himself took part in previous protests in Košice and Spišská Nová Ves. The protest in Gelnica will take place on Friday, February 7 at 17:30.
"It is a protest for a good and just state. Society is divided into two camps all over Slovakia. One of the goals of the protests is to overcome this division, which is why I also appealed to the voters of the ruling parties to come. I know that some of them are dissatisfied. The rally will be peaceful," he said, adding that he hopes this action will awake other smaller town where people are afraid to voice their dissatisfaction.
The protest in Michalovce will take place on Námestie Osloboditeľov square at 18:00. aktivisti Juraj Čarný a Peter Horňák.
"We were ashamed that nothing like this has been held here yet. Here too live people that cannot imagine living without the EU. Our voices need to be heard," said activist Juraj Čarný, who is co-organising the event with activist Peter Horňák. "We are afraid of exiting Europe and the democratic world."
It requires courage
After almost a year a protest will be held on Námestie Slobody square in Vranov nad Topľou at 17:00.
"Prime Minister Fico's statements about a possible EU exit have gone too far. Even though recently he has stopped mentioning the idea, it does not mean that these actions have stopped too. I do not want to take the bait," says co-organiser Alexandra Hájniková's motivation for not letting them be fooled and deciding to organise a protest, or rather, protests.
Political scientist Michal Cirner told the Korzár daily that participating in a protest held in a smaller town often requires courage.
"Every time you put yourself out there, go outside your comfort zone, you lose privacy and become an easy target for criticism, hateful attacks. But that's what democracy is all about. Not being afraid and getting involved and accepting that not everyone will like it," said Cirner.
Where the protests will be held:
Banská Bystrica, Banská Štiavnica, Bardejov, Bratislava, Čadca, Dolný Kubín, Dunajská Streda, Gelnica, Humenné, Komárno, Košice, Levice, Liptovský Mikuláš, Malacky, Martin, Myjava, Nitra, Nové Mesto nad Váhom, Nové Zámky, Pezinok, Poprad, Považská Bystrica, Prievidza, Revúca, Rimavská Sobota, Ružomberok, Senec, Senica, Spišská Nová Ves, Trnava, Vranov nad Topľou, and Žilina.
In Galanta, Šaľa, Trenčín, Zlaté Moravce, Prešov, Skalica, Rožňava, Trebišov, and Piešťany protests will be held by the non-parliamentary party Demokrati.
In addition, gatherings will also be held abroad in Amsterdam, Berlin, Brno, Brussels, Copenhagen, Kraków, London, Luxemburg, Newbridge, New York, Paris, Prague, Stockholm.
