Slovakia accuses Ukraine of assisting in coup plan

(MENAFN) Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has accused a Ukrainian military intelligence unit, the Georgian Legion, of organizing anti-government protests in Slovakia. Fico, who has frequently criticized the EU's support for Ukraine, claimed that the Georgian Legion, led by Mamuka Mamulashvili, is being used by Ukrainian secret services to destabilize Slovakia's government.

Last week, around 100,000 people rallied in Slovak cities, calling for Fico's resignation. The opposition has labeled him pro-Russian due to his opposition to EU policies on Ukraine. Fico alleges that the Georgian Legion was involved in manipulating these rallies to force a snap election. He pointed to alleged links between Mamulashvili and the group 'Peace for Ukraine,' which helped organize the protests.

The Georgian Legion, originally a militia of Georgian nationals supporting Ukraine, is now integrated into the Ukrainian military and operates under military intelligence. Fico compared the tactics used in Slovakia to those seen in Georgia and Serbia last year.

In response, Slovakia has sanctioned Mamulashvili and banned him from entering the country. Ten individuals have been sanctioned, and one Ukrainian national will be deported. The Slovak Information Service described the protests as part of a "long-term organized hybrid operation."

The group Peace for Ukraine rejected Fico's accusations, calling Mamulashvili and the Georgian Legion heroes defending Ukraine and Europe. Meanwhile, Progressive Slovakia's leader, Michal Simecka, defended the protests as a legitimate response to Fico’s government, accusing him of mismanagement.

Fico, elected in late 2023, has reversed the previous administration’s full support for Ukraine, advocating for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia. In May 2023, he survived an assassination attempt by a pro-Ukraine activist.

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