Slovakia protest largest since 1989 anti-communism rallies

Slovakia has witnessed its largest protest since anti-communism rallies in 1989, with an estimated 50,000 gathering in the capital, Bratislava. The reason: the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée. Their murders sent shockwaves across the country and the EU. Kuciak was working on a story linking businessmen operating in the country with the Italian Mafia before his death.

The protesters have demanded Prime Minister Robert Fico and the rest of his government resign. According to Kuciak's last unfinished story, one of the businessmen had worked with two people who worked in Fico's office. Although the men have resigned and denied any links, Slovak citizens are frustrated at the government's failure to tackle corruption in the country, chanting "Enough of Fico."

Kuciak's murder has pushed growing frustration to a fever-pitch, with protesters saying the government can't be trusted to properly investigate the crime. "Politicians in power have lost our trust," said one of the protesters. "We don't trust them to guarantee an independent investigation. They have failed to investigate all previous scandals."

Slovak President Andrej Kiska, considered a political rival of the prime minister, said the country is facing a crisis of trust. He has called on the government to reconfigure its three-party coalition or face early elections. But that's not what protesters have demanded. Instead, demonstrators have called for a "new trustworthy government."

Analysts believe Fico is unlikely to make out of the ensuing political crisis. Martin Slosiarik of the Focus polling agency told Reuters news agency. "Kuciak's last story has had a serious impact on people's trust in the system of government, and the murder of two young people has added a strong moral aspect," said Slosiarik. ls/sms (Reuters, dpa)