Slovaks rally to condemn legislation they say would harm nongovernmental groups

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BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Protesters rallied in Slovakia’s capital and several other cities Thursday to condemn legislation approved by Parliament that they say could curb free expression and hamper the work of nongovernmental organizations.

People who gathered at Bratislava’s Freedom Square compared the measure to Russia’s “foreign agent” law, which has been criticized as repressive, before marching to the presidential palace to urge President Peter Pellegrini to veto the bill. “No to the Russian law,” they chanted, and “Slovakia is Europe.”

Parliament passed the measure on April 17 and it’s supported by populist Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has frequently attacked NGOs.

Pellegrini, an ally of Fico, has not commented on the bill though he recently has questioned some of Fico’s policies. He has until May 2 to consider the legislation.

The measure would require, among other things, that NGOs publish reports with details on their leaders and any donors who have contributed more than more than 5,000 euros ($5,700) a year.

The government says the measure will make the financing and functioning of civil groups more transparent.

An analysis by Via Iuris, a nonprofit organization, said the law violates the constitution, including the right to privacy, freedom of expression and the right to freely associate, as well as European Union rules.

Its aim is to “stigmatize and limit the activities of civic groups,” the group says.

The rallies in Bratislava and five other cities are part of a wave of protests that was fueled by Fico’s recent trip to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Fico is planning to travel again to Moscow for a May 9 military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat in World War II. No other European Union leaders have announced such a plan.

“We have enough of Fico,” and “we have enough of Russia,” the protesters repeated.

Protests in 20 other locations across Slovakia and abroad are planned for Friday, organizers said.

Fico, who is a divisive figure at home and abroad, returned to power in 2003 after his leftist Smer (Direction) party won a parliamentary election on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform.

His government moved to overhaul public broadcasting to give the government control of public television and radio. That, along with an amendment to the penal code to eliminate a special anti-graft prosecutor, showed that Fico was leading Slovakia down a more autocratic path, following the direction of Hungary under populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.