Tens of thousands of Slovaks protested against Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government in more than 40 cities Friday, seeking to defend the country’s pro-European alignment.

The weekly protests have come on the heels of a recent trip to Moscow by Fico, one of the few leaders of a European Union (EU) country to visit Russia since the beginning of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago.

Tens of thousands of people have once again taken to the streets in numerous cities across Slovakia under the slogan "Slovakia is Europe!" They accuse left-nationalist Prime Minister Robert Fico of taking a pro-Russian stance and lacking solidarity with Ukraine.

Tens of thousands of people gathered in dozens cities and towns across Slovakia as vocal protests against pro-Russian policies of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico intensified.

Protests erupt in Slovakia against Prime Minister Fico's pro-Russian stance, with citizens rallying in 50 cities, including demonstrations abroad.

Huge crowds have gathered in dozens of cities and towns across Slovakia to protest against the pro-Russian policies of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico. The latest wave of anti-government rallies was fuelled by Mr Fico’s recent trip to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin,

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico rejected protesters' calls for his resignation on Saturday after tens of thousands demonstrated against his government's policy shift closer to Russia.

"Smer has lost a lot of moderate support, so Fico is using extremist rhetoric and a pro-Russian stance to try to attract more radical voters, of which there are a fair number in Slovakia," Radoslav Stefancik, a political scientist at the University of Economics in Bratislava, told DW.

There will be more and more of us. Those who want to live in our little Slovakia, but in a civilized Europe,” said Eva Kulová, 84, who helped topple Communism.