RAccording to police reports, 70,000 people demonstrated against the policies of the Czech government on Saturday on Wenceslas Square in Prague. Several organizations critical of the government, citizens’ initiatives and some extra-parliamentary opposition parties had called for the protest rally under the slogan “The Czech Republic first”, as reported by the CTK news agency.
Participants waved Czech flags and carried banners denouncing high energy prices and calling for the government’s resignation. They also demanded an end to the EU’s sanctions policy against Russia because it is damaging to the Czech economy and population.
The liberal-conservative Prime Minister Petr Fiala accused the organizers of the demonstration of a “pro-Russian orientation” that harms the interests of the Czech Republic. The CTK quoted him as saying: “It is clear that the Russian propaganda and disinformation campaign shows up again and again in our country and someone falls for it.”
The Czech Republic, which currently holds the EU Council Presidency, has taken in around 400,000 war refugees from Ukraine and has provided the country with significant military supplies and humanitarian aid. On Friday, Fiala’s government survived a vote of confidence in parliament requested by former Prime Minister Andrej Babis’ populist ANO party and a far-right party.
