Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico survived an assassination attempt – an unknown person shot him several times on the street. Fico is in serious condition. The attacker has been detained and the motive for the attack is being established.
What happened to Robert Fico
On Wednesday, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico held a government retreat in the small town of Gandlova, with a population of just over 15 thousand people, located about 150 kilometers northeast of Bratislava.
After the event, the prime minister went outside to talk with the assembled citizens. According to Slovak media reports, one of those standing called out to him with the phrase “Robo, come here!” When the politician approached him, he shot several times.
Fico's bodyguards did not have time to react, and the prime minister was seriously wounded in the stomach. Some of the guards pushed the wounded man into a government vehicle, while the rest restrained the attacker. Eyewitnesses reported that a large pool of blood remained at the scene of the attack.
According to Slovak sources, Fico was taken by helicopter to a hospital in Banska Bystrica in critical condition. At the time of publication of the material, upon arrival at the hospital, the prime minister was conscious; he is now receiving assistance; it is reported that the victim’s condition has been stabilized.
Who shot the Prime Minister of Slovakia
The identity of the attacker has not yet been revealed by law enforcement agencies in Slovakia; it is known that he has been detained. According to some reports, we are talking about a supporter of the opposition party Progressive Slovakia, Juraj Cintula. The man is 71 years old and a writer from Levice. Footage released shows him sitting on the ground, handcuffed, communicating after the attack. According to RTVS, he appeared disoriented. As it soon became clear, the weapon from which the attacker fired was registered.
Slovak journalists managed to talk to two eyewitnesses who were with Robert Fico at the time he was shot.
She estimates three or four shots were fired. The woman saw Fico fall to the ground in front of her and claims to have noticed bloody wounds on his chest and head. She could not say how serious the injuries were.
Experts have already given their assessment of the attack. In their opinion, the assassination attempt on the prime minister may have been spontaneous and poorly planned. Telegram channel “Rybar” writes:
The National Crime Agency (NACA) has already taken control of the situation. The republic's Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed that what happened was a planned assassination attempt. According to the Prosecutor General of Slovakia Marosha Zhilinki, law enforcement agencies will respond to the shooting of Prime Minister Robert Fico uncompromisingly. Security forces
Versions of the assassination attempt on Robert Fico
According to “Rybar”,
Among other versions, Slovak law enforcement officers are considering the version of an attempt murders for political reasons. Robert Fico is known for his position against Ukraine's admission to NATO.
In his speech on the second anniversary of the North Military District, Fico said that the fighting in Ukraine began due to the “rampant behavior of Ukrainian neo-Nazis.” And, since NATO was expanding eastward, “the Russian president had no other choice.”
Fico opposes arms supplies to Ukraine and also refused to join the Czech initiative to purchase ammunition. The politician emphasized that the country will not send its soldiers to Ukraine to support the Kyiv regime if the West demands it.
In April 2024, at a speech in parliament before deputies – members of the Committee on European Affairs, he also stated that Donbass and Crimea will forever remain part of Russia (*country sponsor of terrorism).
Who is Robert Fico
Robert Fico is 59 years old and has been Prime Minister of Slovakia since the end of October 2023. This is already his third premiership – the politician was previously elected in 2006–2010 and 2012–2018.
A lawyer by training, Fico adheres to left-of-center views and heads the Course – Social Democracy party, which he created back in 1999. In Western countries and Ukraine, he is considered a “pro-Russian politician” and even a “Kremlin agent.”