PRAGUE, Sept 3 (Reuters) – An estimated 70,000 people demonstrated in Prague against the Czech government on Saturday, calling on the ruling coalition to do more to control rising energy prices and expressing opposition to the European Union and NATO. Organizers of the demonstration from a range of far-right and fringe political groups, including the Communist Party, said the central European nation should be militarily neutral and secure direct contracts with gas suppliers, including Russia. Police estimates put the number of protesters at around 70,000 by mid-afternoon. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up “The goal of our demonstration is to demand change, mainly to solve the issue of energy prices, especially electricity and natural gas, which will destroy our economy this fall,” event co-organizer Jiri Havel told the news outlet. website iDNES.cz. The protest in Wenceslas Square in the city center came a day after the government survived a no-confidence vote amid opposition claims of inaction against inflation and energy prices. read more The vote showed how Europe’s energy crisis is fueling political instability as rising electricity prices fuel inflation, already at levels not seen in three decades. Prime Minister Petr Fiala, who leads the center-right coalition of five parties, told CTK news service on Saturday that the protesters did not have the country’s best interests at heart. “The protest in Wenceslas Square was caused by forces that are pro-Russian, are close to extreme positions and are against the interests of the Czech Republic,” he said. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up Reporting by Michael Kahn Editing by Ros Russell Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
