Slovakia: Anti-corruption rally in Bratislava November 16 /update 1

Event

The For a Decent Slovakia group is calling for a rally in Bratislava on Friday, November 16. Participants will gather at Namestie SNP (Slovak National Uprising Square) from 17:00 to 19:00 (local time). Group leaders called for the protest after some of its members were reportedly detained by the National Crime Agency (NAKA) on Tuesday, November 13, following allegations they were planning to stage a coup. Heightened security measures and localized traffic disruptions are anticipated in the area.

Context

For a Decent Slovakia has staged a series of anti-government protests since early March. These demonstrations began as an outcry against the murder of a local investigative journalist and his fiancée but have grown into a wider denunciation of government corruption and general ineffectiveness. Earlier protests led to the resignation of Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Advice

Individuals in Bratislava, and those in Slovakia more generally, are advised to avoid all large demonstrations as a precaution and allow for additional time to travel in the vicinity of such gatherings.