BRATISLAVA - Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in 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 people protested against the government across Slovakia Friday evening, as anger grows over nationalist Prime Minister Robert Fico's push for closer ties with Russia.

Slovakia's opposition accused Prime Minister Robert Fico on Tuesday of laying the groundwork to take the country out of the European Union, but dropped its no-confidence motion to dismiss him and his leftist-nationalist government.

Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico addresses the media during a meeting with his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban in Bratislava, Slovakia, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.