Tens of thousands of Slovaks on Friday protested against the government and corruption, following the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee last month. The SME daily said about 40,000 people gathered in Bratislava, making it the biggest protest in the country since the 1989 Velvet Revolution that toppled Communism in former Czechoslovakia.
Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova, both 27, were found shot dead at their home near Bratislava on February 25. Police have said Kuciak's death was "most likely" related to his investigation resulting in an article on ties between Slovakia's top politicians and the Italian mafia, which his employer posthumously published.
The murder and the article sparked anti-government sentiment in the EU and NATO member of 5.4 million people. The rallies got off to a peaceful start despite Prime Minister Robert Fico's warning earlier on Friday that protesters might attack "public buildings." "Fico, step down!" read a banner held by one protester in central Bratislava. Others held up messages reading' "We want a decent Slovakia" and "Fico in bed with the mafia."
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