Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico was in a critical condition in hospital Wednesday after he was shot multiple times in an assassination attempt.
The shooting occurred following an off-site government meeting in Handlova. Fico was initially taken to a local hospital and later airlifted to a major trauma center in Banska Bystrica, approximately 20 miles (30 kilometers) away.
Video footage from the scene depicts the wounded prime minister being hurried into a vehicle by several of his aides, which swiftly departed as soon as he was inside.
“There was an assassination attempt on R. Fico. He sustained multiple gunshot wounds and is presently in a life-threatening condition. The next few hours will be decisive,” according to a statement on Fico’s official Facebook page.
No other individuals were harmed in the assault, according to Slovak Labor Minister Erik Tomáš.
The official release stated that the PM was transported to Banska Bystrica instead of the capital city of Bratislava due to the necessity of "an acute intervention". Handlova is approximately a two-hour drive from the capital Bratislava.
Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová confirmed that the suspected shooter had been apprehended by law enforcement. She assured that more details would be provided by the authorities and urged the public to refrain from spreading unverified information.
A video from the scene depicted a man being restrained on the ground by several officials.
Čaputová condemned what she termed a “brutal and reckless” assault on the 59-year-old statesman. “I’m shocked. I wish Roberto Fico all the strength in this critical moment to recover from the attack,” Čaputová expressed on Facebook. Speaking at a subsequent news conference, she characterized the assault as “an attack on democracy as well.”
Fico secured a third term as Slovakian prime minister last October after a campaign that criticized western support for Ukraine. Fico had pledged an immediate cessation of Slovak military aid to Ukraine and vowed to thwart Ukraine’s NATO aspirations, diverging from Slovakia’s steadfast support for Ukraine.
Prior to the election, Fico openly expressed his sympathies towards the Kremlin and attributed blame to “Ukrainian Nazis and fascists” for provoking Vladimir Putin into launching the invasion, echoing the false narrative propagated by Russia’s president to justify his incursion.
While in opposition, Fico forged a close alliance with Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, particularly in their criticism of the European Union.
Fico had previously served as Slovakia’s prime minister for over a decade, first from 2006 to 2010 and then again from 2012 to 2018. He resigned in March 2018 following weeks of mass protests over the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée, Martina Kušnírová. Kuciak had reported on corruption within the country’s elite, including individuals directly linked to Fico and his party SMER.
European leaders promptly denounced the assault. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted: “I strongly condemn the vile attack on Prime Minister Robert Fico. Such acts of violence have no place in our society and undermine democracy, our most precious common good. My thoughts are with PM Fico, his family.”
Hungarian Prime Minister Orban added: “I was deeply shocked by the heinous attack against my friend, Prime Minister Robert Fico. We pray for his health and quick recovery! God bless him and his country!”
