ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
(ANSA-AFP) - PRAGUE, 11 MAR - Thousands took to the streets
of Prague on Saturday in protest against the Czech government,
high inflation and demanding an end to the country's military
support for Ukraine. The Czech Republic has been battling record
inflation levels for a year mainly because of a spike in energy
prices caused by the war in Ukraine. In February, annual
inflation in the EU and NATO member state of 10.5 million people
reached 16.7 percent. Saturday's "Czechia against poverty" rally
was organised by a new political party. "We have gathered here
today to take a stand against this poverty," Jindrich Rajchl, a
lawyer leading the non-parliamentary PRO party, told the crowd
in central Wenceslas Square. The protesters called on the
centre-right government of Petr Fiala to resign, while Rajchl
said he wanted leaders who "care about the interests of Czech
citizens first". Critics accuse Fiala's government of caring
more about Ukraine with substantial military and humanitarian
aid sent to the war-torn country since the invasion started in
February 2022. Protesters also slammed NATO, with Czech media
reporting a protester with a loudspeaker called on the crowd to
tear down a Ukrainian flag from the National Museum building at
the top of Wenceslas Square. (ANSA-AFP).
