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PRAGUE (Reuters) – An estimated 70,000 people demonstrated in Prague on Saturday against the Czech government, demanding more action from the ruling coalition to curb rising energy prices and against the EU and NATO. expressed.
Demonstration organizers from many far-right and fringe political groups, including the Communist Party, said the central European country should be militarily neutral and secure direct contracts with gas suppliers, including Russia.
Police estimated the number of protesters had reached about 70,000 by mid-afternoon.
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“The purpose of our demonstration is to demand change. Mainly to solve the problem of energy prices, especially electricity and gas, which will destroy our economy this fall. event co-organizer Jiri Hubbell told the iDNES.cz news website.
The protests in the city center’s Wenceslas Square came a day after the government survived a no-confidence vote amid opposition claims to do nothing against inflation and energy prices.
The vote showed how Europe’s energy crisis is fueling political instability as high electricity prices drive inflation, already at levels not seen in 30 years.
Prime Minister Petr Fiala, who heads the center-right five-party coalition, told the CTK News Service on Saturday that the protesters did not have the country’s best interests at heart.
“The protests on Wenceslas Square were convened by pro-Russian, near-extremist forces and against the interests of the Czech Republic,” he said.
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Reporting by Michael Kahn, Editing by Ross Russell
Our standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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