Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, center, talks with people before a cabinet meeting in the town of Handlova, Slovakia, on Wednesday.
Radovan Stoklasa/AP
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Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, center, talks with people before a cabinet meeting in the town of Handlova, Slovakia, on Wednesday.
Radovan Stoklasa/AP
PRAGUE — Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is in life-threatening condition after being shot after a political event Wednesday afternoon, according to his Facebook profile.
The pro-Russian populist leader, 59, was shot in the stomach after four shots were fired outside the House of Culture in the town of Handlova, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) northeast of the capital, where the leader met supporters. according to information from TA3, a Slovak television channel.
A suspect has been arrested, he said.
A post on Fico’s Facebook account said the leader “had been shot multiple times and is currently in a life-threatening condition.”
He was transported by helicopter to Banská Bystrica, 29 kilometers from Handlova, because it would take too long to arrive in Bratislava due to the need for an acute procedure.
“The next few hours will decide,” he said.
Shock reactions in Slovakia and across Europe
President-elect Peter Pellegrini, a Fico ally, called the assassination attempt “an unprecedented threat to Slovak democracy. If we express other political views with guns in the squares, and not in the polling stations, “We are putting at risk everything we have built together over the past few years.” 31 years of Slovak sovereignty.”
There were shock reactions across Europe, and some called it an assassination attempt on the NATO state leader, although no motive for the shooting was immediately apparent.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on social network X that he was “shocked and dismayed by the shooting.”
The shootings in Slovakia come three weeks before crucial European Parliament elections, in which the 27-nation bloc’s populist and far-right parties appear poised to make gains.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico speaks at a news conference before being shot and wounded after the cabinet session in the town of Handlova, Slovakia, on Wednesday.
Radovan Stoklasa/TSAR via AP
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Radovan Stoklasa/TSAR via AP
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico speaks at a news conference before being shot and wounded after the cabinet session in the town of Handlova, Slovakia, on Wednesday.
Radovan Stoklasa/TSAR via AP
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Lubos Blaha confirmed the incident during a session of the Slovak Parliament and adjourned it until further notice, the Slovak TASR news agency reported.
Slovakia’s main opposition parties, Progressive Slovakia and Freedom and Solidarity, have canceled a planned protest against a controversial government plan to overhaul public broadcasting that they say would give the government full control of public radio and television .
“We absolutely and strongly condemn today’s violence and shooting against Prime Minister Robert Fico,” said Progressive Slovakia leader Michal Simecka. “At the same time, we call on all politicians to refrain from any expression or measure that could contribute to further increasing tension.”
President Zuzana Caputova condemned “a brutal and merciless attack” on the prime minister.
“I’m shocked,” Caputova said. “I wish Robert Fico a lot of strength at this critical moment and a speedy recovery after this attack.”
Fico campaigned on a pro-Russian, anti-American message
Fico, prime minister for the third time, and his left-wing Smer, or Direction, party won Slovakia’s September 30 parliamentary elections, making a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian, anti-American message.
Critics feared that Fico’s Slovakia would abandon the country’s pro-Western path and follow the direction of Hungary under populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico speaks during a press conference with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday (January 16).
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Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico speaks during a press conference with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday (January 16).
Denes Erdos/AP
Thousands of people gathered repeatedly in the capital and across Slovakia to protest Fico’s policies.
Leaders across Europe quickly condemned the political violence, although no motive for the attack was immediately apparent.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned what she called a “vile attack”.
“Such acts of violence have no place in our society and undermine democracy, our most precious common good,” von der Leyen said in a message on X.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala called the incident “shocking”, adding “I hope the Prime Minister recovers soon. We cannot tolerate violence, it has no place in society.” The Czech Republic and Slovakia formed Czechoslovakia until 1992.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on the social network X: “Shocking news from Slovakia. Robert, my thoughts are with you at this very difficult time.”
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