The demonstrators called on President Pellegrini, usually an ally of Prime Minister Fico, to veto the changes.
Published December 16, 2025
Thousands of people rallied across Slovakia to protest changes to the judicial system that opposition politicians and commentators say are destroying the rule of law, according to Slovak media.
Demonstrators filled most of the central squares in the capital, Bratislava, and there were protests in eight other cities on Tuesday.
Recommended stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
The main opposition party, Progressive Slovakia, called for protests after Prime Minister Roberto Fico’s left-wing nationalist government pushed through parliament last week to abolish the Whistleblower Protection Agency and change how the state treats government witnesses.
“They brought chainsaws to the rule of law,” Progressive Slovakia party leader Michal Šimecka told a crowd in Bratislava, according to a live video streamed online.
“Slovakia is the only country where the government approves laws that make life easier for criminals and the mafia,” he added.
People held placards with Slovak and European Union flags as well as slogans such as “The Fico government supports the mafia” and shouted “Enough of Fico” and “Shame on you!”.
Fico’s critics say that under Fico, Slovakia is following the example of Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Fico’s government claims the former whistleblower agency was politically abused. The government is also pushing for constitutional reforms that would weaken criminal laws against financial crimes, revamp public broadcasting and assert national sovereignty over some EU laws, raising scrutiny from the European Commission.
Fico’s government has faced several large-scale protests since coming to power in 2023. Tuesday’s rally was one of the largest since February last year, when tens of thousands of people demonstrated against what critics say is an increasingly pro-Russian foreign policy.
