Tens of thousands of people in Slovakia have gathered at squares and street across the country to voice their opposition to the pro-Russia policies of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in a central square in the Slovak capital on Friday, waving banners opposing Prime Minister Robert Fico's policy shift closer to Russia after tensions between the government and the opposition rose.

Ahead of planned pro-European protests in around 20 Slovak cities Friday, the pro-Moscow ruling coalition on Thursday used an emergency meeting of the country’s Security Council to address what it alleged was an “organized escalation” of domestic tensions directed from abroad.

(Reuters) -Slovakia's opposition parties will call a no-confidence vote against the government, a party chief said on Tuesday, accusing Prime Minister Robert Fico of dragging foreign policy closer to Russia while failing to tackle problems at home.

Slovakia's opposition accused Prime Minister Robert Fico on Tuesday of laying the groundwork to take the country out of the European Union, but dropped its no-confidence motion to dismiss him and his leftist-nationalist government.

Slovakia's populist prime minister, Robert Fico, has claimed opposition forces are planning a "Maidan"-style coup in Slovakia, referring to the popular uprising that toppled Ukraine's pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych in 2014.

Tens of thousands of people protested against the government across Slovakia Friday evening, as anger grows over nationalist Prime Minister Robert Fico's push for closer ties with Russia.