Full SNP Square in Bratislava Expressed Solidarity with RTVS Journalists

Bratislava, May 4 (TASR) – Another ‘For a Decent Slovakia’ rally, which took place in Bratislava on Friday afternoon, filled a large part of the SNP Square in the centre of the Slovak capital.

Thousands of people, among other things, expressed solidarity with journalists in the public-service broadcaster RTVS, who are criticising the situation in this institution.

The protest was organised by the civic initiative ‘For a Decent Slovakia’ with the students’ initiative ‘We Do Care’. Before the rally in the traditional place, a march that started in front of an RTVS building at Mytna Street (the inverted pyramid) was held as the organisers also called this time upon decent and independent media and rejected the current happening in RTVS.

There was no specific requirement presented as in previous rallies which wanted a snap election or departure of Police Corps President Tibor Gaspar. The organisers said that they wanted to say this time that politics should be a service to all, not only to those who are connected with the ruling power, and they also rejected to sweep the corrupt and political cases under the carpet. However, people in the square repeatedly chanted slogans calling for an election and criticising the governing party Smer-SD.

Representatives of Slovak farmers, who went out in their agriculture machinery on Slovak roads on Friday to fight for their rights and land, also joined the protest. Similar rallies were held in other Slovak cities, including Banska Bystrica, Nitra, Trnava and Presov.