Tens of thousands of people protested on Thursday across Slovakia against a draft revision of the criminal code, which in particular envisages softening the punishment for corruption and which also drew criticism from the European Union, AFP and Agerpres agencies reported.

About 26,000 people took to the streets of the capital Bratislava, police said, while smaller rallies were held in more than 20 other cities.

Demonstrators in Bratislava carried placards with the inscription “Don’t touch our democracy!” and “We will not be silent!”.

Amendments to the criminal code, proposed by populist Prime Minister Robert Fizo, also include easing sanctions for economic crimes, as well as limiting police protection for whistleblowers.

The government, which includes far-right pro-Russian ministers, wants the changes to dissolve the Special Prosecutor’s Office, which has handled serious corruption cases in the EU country of 5.4 million people for two decades. According to Prime Minister Fico, this body is biased and treats the leaders of his Smer-SSD party unfairly.

“Slow down, Mr. Fico. You are drunk with power,” said Michal Simecka, leader of the opposition PS party, during the main demonstration in the capital.

“Slovakia will see the biggest amnesty for criminals in history,” condemned Richard Sulik, head of the opposition SaS party.

The EU asked the Slovak government to abandon this project to revise the criminal code

Parliament plans to vote on the controversial amendments under an accelerated legislative procedure, drawing criticism from Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová and opposition lawmakers.

On Wednesday, the European Parliament condemned the bill in a resolution and expressed “deep concern at the unjustified acceleration of the legislative process” to pass it, also believing that the planned revision of the criminal code threatens the integrity of judicial processes, undermines the European Union’s fight against fraud and jeopardizes the protection of financial interests EU.

In a letter dated December 5, the European Commission asked the Slovak government to suspend this project.

Several thousand people have already demonstrated on December 12 and 19 in Bratislava and several other Slovak cities against this project.

On Thursday, President Zuzana Chaputova, a lawyer, asked the government in parliament to review these “ill-conceived and hasty” amendments, which “may cause unforeseen public harm and irreversibly interfere with the rights of the affected parties.”