Chinese President Hu Jintao ended today his two-day visit to Slovakia, clouded by brief clashes a day earlier between his supporters and activists protesting against human rights violations in China, dpa reported. Hu took off for Croatia after completing his Slovak visit aimed at boosting economic ties, said spokesman for Slovak president, Marek Trubac. Before departing on Friday, the Chinese leader talked trade and investment with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and parliament speaker Pavol Paska. On Thursday, Hu's supporters attacked Slovak and Chinese human rights activists in front of Bratislava's presidential palace shortly before the Chinese leader met with his Slovak counterpart, Ivan Gasparovic, local reports said citing witnesses. They wrestled over placards and injured several activists, including a Chinese female practitioner of Falun Gong, a spiritual movement banned in communist China. Police soon restored calm and made nine arrests of people from both sides. Police however have faced accusations of doing little to protect the human rights activists. The Interior Ministry denied any wrongdoing. The clashes and the subsequent police action have sparked anger in the Slovak media, nearly 20 years after communism collapsed across Europe. Opposition lawmakers Friday demanded an investigation into the incidents with questions lingering over the identity of Chinese men dressed in dark suits and red caps who had picked scuffles with the human rights activists. Slovak Interior Minister Robert Kalinak said Friday that the black-clad men were organizers of the Chinese welcome rally. "No Chinese security service, bodyguards, police were there," Kalinak told a news conference televised on the TA3 news channel. "Any presence of bodyguards or agents is nonsense," he said. On Friday, several dozen supporters of both camps brought their competing protests to a square near the Slovak government's seat where Hu met Fico. No more clashes took place, reports said.
