Having grown up in Banská Bystrica in totalitarian Czechoslovakia, I vividly keep in mind standing within the metropolis’s historic sq. a number of days after 17 November 1989, the beginning of the Velvet Revolution, holding candles in solidarity with the scholars protesting in Prague. By no means would I’ve imagined that 35 years later, I’d be talking at a rally in the identical sq., this time urging the preservation of democracy.
Again then, once I was a younger social anthropology tutorial at our native college, activism was removed from my thoughts. However every little thing modified for me in 2013 when Marian Kotleba, chief of the neo-Nazi Individuals’s Occasion Our Slovakia, was elected as regional governor. The shock was monumental. Nobody I knew had believed that such an final result was doable, but it occurred. Realising the hazards this posed, many like-minded people knew we couldn’t stand by idly.
On the night time after the election, a bunch of us gathered on the steps of the Museum of the Slovak Nationwide Rebellion, a website symbolising resistance in opposition to Nazi Germany and its Slovak puppet state. Echoing the previous, we lit candles, shed tears, sang songs and embraced. That second marked the start of our dialogue of tips on how to promote democratic values actively. Our objective was to not oppose a democratically elected candidate however to domesticate democratic consciousness all through the area and Slovakia. To not discuss however to do.
From this small gathering emerged an off-the-cuff grassroots motion that performed an important position in mobilising civil society in opposition to Kotleba and his extremist get together. Just a few hundred volunteers, with no prior activism expertise, had been pushed by the fervour to defend our freedoms and guarantee Slovakia by no means returned to its historical past of Nazi or communist tyranny.
The battle was lengthy and infrequently discouraging. In 2016, Kotleba’s get together gained seats within the nationwide parliament, emboldening his supporters. But in 2017, after 4 years of relentless effort, we succeeded in serving to to oust Kotleba as regional governor. Our motion, Not in Our City (Niot), uncovered his extremist ideology by public discussions, academic programmes, protests and cultural occasions. We labored with journalists, teachers and activists to distribute fact-based flyers detailing his mismanagement of the financial system, his racist statements and dangerous insurance policies. We organised screenings of movies like A Gap within the Head (in regards to the Roma Holocaust) and The White World In accordance with Daliborek (a documentary about up to date neo-Nazis). We additionally engaged faculties and native organisations to teach younger folks about democracy, tolerance and Slovakia’s historical past of extremism. Our Colleges for Democracy programme, a joint initiative of Niot and the Centre for Group Organising, used a technique known as residing libraries, the place people from varied minority teams shared their life tales in school rooms.
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A vital technique was growing voter participation, since Kotleba’s 2013 victory resulted largely from low turnout and apathy: within the run-off that elected him, solely 25% turned as much as vote. By means of social media campaigns, door-to-door outreach and public occasions, Niot inspired residents to vote within the 2017 elections. Our marketing campaign Spolu je nás viac (Collectively We Are Stronger) instantly engaged voters, explaining how abstention enabled extremism. For instance, we confirmed how Kotleba rejected hundreds of thousands of euros in EU funds that might have improved faculties and hospitals.
Most impactful, nevertheless, was speaking to folks head to head. This manner we had been capable of clarify Kotleba’s failures as a governor: blocking EU funds, neglecting financial progress and implementing discriminatory practices concentrating on the Roma, Jews and migrants. None of those had put cash in folks’s pockets – the truth is, Kotleba’s governorship had made life worse for a lot of strange voters. Underneath his management, the Banská Bystrica area had the lowest funding ranges in Slovakia and rising unemployment.
Recognising that fragmented opposition had weakened previous election efforts, Niot facilitated dialogue amongst democratic and average teams to unite behind a single democratic candidate. Ján Lunter, a revered businessman and credible various to Kotleba, emerged because the strongest challenger.
Our efforts paid off. Within the 2017 regional elections, Lunter gained almost 49%, whereas Kotleba suffered a crushing defeat with solely 23%. It was a decisive second, proving the ability of grassroots activism. We had been comfortable, however we knew this was just one battle in an extended battle.
Then, in October 2023, Robert Fico turned Slovakia’s prime minister for the fourth time, adopting an more and more anti-EU and pro-Russia stance. His authorities launched authorized adjustments broadly seen as makes an attempt to protect get together associates from corruption investigations. Civil society mobilised as soon as once more.
On 22 December 2024, Fico visited Vladimir Putin in Moscow – with none public clarification. The subsequent day, simply earlier than Christmas, Niot organised the primary protest in opposition to Fico’s go to to Moscow and his international coverage. Regardless of the vacation season, tons of gathered in Banská Bystrica.
Since then, Niot has held weekly protests and marches every Friday, that includes speeches by activists, artists and teachers. We coordinate intently with actions – reminiscent of Peace for Ukraine – in different cities, sustaining a peaceable, non-violent and pro-democratic stance. Police cooperation has been wonderful.
Our key message since December 2024 is straightforward: “Slovakia is Europe. We are Europe”. Dwelling lower than 220 miles (350km) from Ukraine’s border, the prospect of Slovakia aligning with Russia is alarming. Our protests have grown, now attracting 5,000 to 10,000 weekly individuals in Banská Bystrica, a city of 75,000. On 7 February 2025, greater than 100,000 folks took half in protests in additional than 40 Slovak cities in addition to in cities overseas reminiscent of Prague, Brno, London, Luxembourg, Paris, Stockholm, Copenhagen and New York.
Regardless of threats, we refuse to be silenced. In January 2025, a Telegram channel printed the house addresses of a number of Niot activists, resulting in elevated police monitoring of native activists. However, Niot continues to organise protests and public discussions throughout Slovakia to foster dialogue and engagement amongst numerous communities.
Our organisation stays an off-the-cuff grassroots platform, with out a authorized standing. Selections are made collectively, and our mailing record contains solely about 150 residents. The initiative’s power is in its range and authenticity. And in a number of off-line, face-to-face discussions that contribute to constructing mutual belief. We merely comply with our proper to assemble, categorical our views and act on information.
Slovakia is certainly one of Europe’s most stunning but typically missed nations. Although small in measurement, the Niot motion is set to defend democracy right here. It’s not extremism however indifference that’s the actual enemy of freedom.
Because the Velvet Revolution and our accession to the EU in 2004, Slovakia has flourished regardless of the challenges of populism. Historical past has taught us painful classes: we had been invaded by the Nazis in 1939, fell into communist totalitarianism in 1948 and suffered Soviet occupation in 1968. Not in Our City says, “Never again. We will not be silent.”
