Slovakia: Thousands join anti-govt protest on 30th anniv. of Velvet Revolution

W/S Demonstration in Freedom square, Bratislava
W/S Demonstration
SOT, Demonstrator (Slovak): "We can achieve big changes just if there will be huge amount of people behind them. That was in 1989."
M/S Audience clapping
SOT, Filip Vagac, Co-leaders of 1989 Velvet Revolution (Slovak): "There is so much dirt that it is killing our hope. How can we still believe in change? Who is strong enough to sustain this corruption, hopelessness and decaying of the state?"
M/S Person recording on smartphone
W/S Audience clapping
C/U Child clapping
M/S Audience
SOT, Chris Keulemans, Dutch writer: "Thank you for showing us in Amsterdam, Berlin, London, Paris, Brussels, that the post-89 generation has discovered an alternative to populism, hate-speech, corruption and violent patriarchy. Thank you also for showing us that it is complicated, to be decent."
M/S Audience listening
W/S Audience
SOT, Matej Sajfa Cifra, Slovak radio host (Slovak): "Our Sara (the baby) and we all, and you all, deserve to live in the country which respects every religion, skin colour or sexual orientation."
C/U Demonstrator
M/S Light installation "17th November 89"
SOT, Beata Balogova, Chief Editor of SME daily newspaper (Slovak): "In Slovakia, things became so wrong that they wanted to silent a journalist. So they killed Jan Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova. But they haven not discouraged us. Thanks to you as well. We are not powerless while you are standing behind us. We confess just to you."
M/S Person recording speech
W/S Bratislava
SCRIPT
Leaders of the Velvet Revolution were joined by activists, journalists and artists to demonstrate 'For a Decent Slovakia' in Bratislava on Sunday, where they celebrated the legacy of the 1989 revolution while also protesting the current political situation.
"In Slovakia, things became so wrong that they wanted to silent a journalist. So they killed Jan Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova. But they have not discouraged us. Thanks to you as well. We are not powerless while you are standing behind us," said Chief Editor of SME daily newspaper Beata Balogova to the over 7,000 people that turned up.
Balogova's comments referred to the murder of young investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee in February 2018. Kuciak had been investigating alleged relationships between the Italian mafia and former Prime Minister Robert Fico's party, Direction - Social Democracy (SMER). New details have since emerged suggesting a link with state bodies.
"Thank you for showing us in Amsterdam, Berlin, London, Paris, Brussels, that the post-89 generation has discovered an alternative to populism, hate-speech, corruption and violent patriarchy. Thank you also for showing us that it is complicated, to be decent," said Dutch writer Chris Keulemans.
During the event organisers emphasised the importance of the upcoming February 2020 Slovak elections, after mass protests last year forced then-prime minister Robert Fico to resign. His successor Peter Pellegrini has attracted the ire of protesters, who criticise the government's handling of the Kuciak case.