PRAGUE 

Thousands of people in the Czech Republic protested against the government on Wednesday.

Demonstrators gathered in Wenceslas Square in the capital Prague and called for the resignation of the five-party coalition government.

They demanded that the Czech Republic leave the European Union and NATO and be neutral as well as the resumption of natural gas imports from Russia under a special deal.

Expressing their dissatisfaction with Ukrainian immigrants, the demonstrators announced that they would hold the next demonstration on Oct. 28.

Protests were also held in other cities of the country against the cost of living, EU sanctions against Russia, and the government's anti-Moscow policies.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar