Thousands rallied all across Slovakia on Friday to mark the seventh anniversary of the slayings of an investigative journalist and his fiancee. The rallies are part of a wave of protests against the pro-Russia policies of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Fico, long a dominant force in Slovak politics, has often waged a war of words against the pro-Western liberal opposition, non-governmental organisations and media, accusing them of conspiring against Slovakia.