Protests in Slovakia: The External Enemy and the “Georgian Legion”
The Slovak authorities have accused their opponents of orchestrating a coup d’état, alleging that the Georgian Legion, a military unit fighting against the Russian army in Ukraine, is behind the supposed plot.
Diana Petriashvili, FPEE
Mamuka Mamulashvili, commander of the Georgian Volunteer Legion, which fights alongside Ukraine, has been accused of orchestrating mass protests in Slovakia. The allegations were made by Slovak official Erik Kaliňák, an advisor to Prime Minister Robert Fico. Kaliňák recently traveled to Tbilisi, where he discussed the protests with members of the ruling Georgian Dream party.
“I can somehow understand why we are being accused of starting protests in Georgia. But in Slovakia?” — said Mamulashvili, commenting on the accusations against him and the Legion in an interview with the Slovak outlet Denník N.
What is the Georgian volunteer accused of?
A few days ago, MEP Erik Kaliňák released a video stating that he was at the Slovak embassy in Georgia, where he had recently met with Georgian officials. According to him, Georgian colleagues revealed details about the individuals behind the protests and explained their supposed ties to Slovakia.
“Just like in Slovakia, in Georgia, these people aimed to exploit legitimate protests to provoke conflict between security forces and the citizens. This was done using provocateurs trained by the so-called Georgian Legion, led by Mamuka Mamulashvili,” said Kaliňák.
As proof of Mamulashvili’s alleged ties to the Slovak protest movement, Kaliňák presented a photograph of Mamulashvili alongside Lucie Štasselová, an activist from the Slovak initiative “Peace to Ukraine.” Another piece of “evidence,”according to Kaliňák, was a Facebook post in which Mamulashvili shared content related to the protests in Slovakia.
In response to questions from Denník N journalists, Mamulashvili stated that he had no acquaintance with Štasselová or any members of the Slovak opposition, as he lacks the time or capacity to follow Slovak domestic politics.
“If they are against Russia—great, I support them. But I don’t know them,” he said. He further explained that he had visited Slovakia and attended public events, where he was frequently photographed, often alongside people he did not personally know.
Lucie Štasselová, one of the activists of the protest movement and a representative of “Peace to Ukraine,” also responded to the accusations.
According to her, Erik Kaliňák is “trying to create a scandal out of nothing.”
“Georgia has been fighting Russian imperialism for years. Russia occupied Abkhazia, attacked Georgia in 2008, and is now trying to take over Ukraine. And yes, the Georgian commander was in Bratislava at a public discussion about the war, which was completely packed—people were standing in line for autographs. I was there too, along with our team, as well as with completely random people who have nothing to do with our initiative.
Period. No conspiracies, no secret connections,” she wrote.
A Familiar Narrative
Notably, the narrative linking Georgian volunteers to protests in Georgia has gained momentum in both Georgia and Ukraine in recent months.
In late 2024, a statement circulated from Georgian unit commanders fighting in Ukraine, claiming they intended to return home to join the protests and were awaiting a signal from the president.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, who was widely regarded as the de facto leader of the protest movement, dismissed the claim as a provocation.
This narrative has been actively leveraged by Georgian state propaganda, which frames protesters as a threat to national peace and security. A core message of the government’s propaganda suggests that if the current leadership were replaced, Georgia would inevitably face another war with Russia. Within this rhetoric, Georgian soldiers fighting alongside Ukraine in defense of its sovereignty are portrayed as “missionaries of war, bloodshed, and destruction.”
Mamuka Mamulashvili himself believes that rumors about the Legion’s involvement in politics originate from Russia:
“They accuse us of everything—from political interference to violence. All of this comes from Russia. We are convinced that Russian intelligence services are trying to discredit us.
For them, we are, of course, unacceptable because we are enemies of Russia. For dictatorships, free people are a threat.
In my opinion, they are simply afraid of free people. In Russia, I have been sentenced to life in prison in absentia about eight times.
In Georgia, they have also made me the main villain, claiming that I wanted to overthrow the Georgian government.”
What is Happening in Slovakia (And How Is It Similar to Georgia?)
In Slovakia, large-scale protests have erupted, with demonstrators demanding the government’s resignation. According to the independent and reputable outlet Denník N, tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets. The scale of these protests is comparable to the 2018 demonstrations, which were sparked by the murder of an investigative journalist and ultimately forced Prime Minister Robert Fico to step down. However, in 2023, he returned to power after securing victory in the elections.
“Enough of Fico!” “We are Europe!” – these are among the most popular demands voiced by the protesters. At times, they illuminate the squares with their mobile phone screens, creating a striking visual spectacle reminiscent of the protests in Tbilisi.
Parallels with Georgia also emerge in the rhetoric of the Slovak government. Prime Minister Fico has accused protesters of attempting a “coup d’état” and has vowed to implement measures to prevent the seizure of government institutions. Citing intelligence sources—but offering no concrete evidence—Fico claimed that an unidentified group of experts in Slovakia had allegedly played a role in organizing protests against pro-Russian leaders in Ukraine (2014) and Georgia (2023).
Opposition parties, rejecting these accusations, have attempted to call a vote of no confidence in the government. However, these efforts appear unlikely to succeed, as Fico’s government still holds a slight majority.
