Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot several times in Handlova, in what has been described as an assassination attempt – and a 71-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder
Slovakian PM ‘survived death by just a hair’
Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico “survived by a hair” after being shot several times in an apparent assassination attempt.
Leaders from across the political divide have denounced the alleged attempt to kill the populist, pro-Russian leader, calling it an attack on democracy. A 71-year-old man has today been charged with attempted murder and reports say he could face life in prison.
Mr Fico, 59, is now able to speak but remains in a serious condition in hospital. It is understood he narrowly avoided death after being gunned repeatedly in broad daylight following a meeting in Handlova, Slovakia on Wednesday.
Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok told a news conference today that the suspect had acted alone and that he had previously taken part in anti-government protests. He said: “This is a lone wolf whose actions were accelerated after the presidential election since he was dissatisfied with its outcome.”
Footage showed several officers bundling the wounded PM into a car, before driving away at high speed, while the others detained the suspect, who hasn’t formally been identified as yet.
Slovak President Zuzana Caputova, Mr Fico’s political rival, said: “What has happened is something that we cannot seem to realize because we cannot comprehend it. A physical attack on the prime minister is, first of all, an attack on a person, but it is also an attack on democracy. Any violence is unacceptable. Hateful rhetoric we’ve been witnessing in society leads to hateful actions. Please let’s stop it.”
The attack happened weeks before EU parliament elections are scheduled to be held. Several Slovak politicians have called the shooting an “attack on democracy”.
Slovak President-elect Peter Pellegrini, who won his vote last month, said: “An assassination attempt on one of the highest constitutional officials is an unprecedented threat to Slovak democracy. If we express different political opinions with guns in the squares, and not in polling stations, we endanger everything we have built together in 31 years of Slovak sovereignty.”
And, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president of Ukraine, posted on social media: “We strongly condemn this act of violence against our neighboring partner state’s head of government. Every effort should be made to ensure that violence does not become the norm in any country, form, or sphere.”
Mr Fico has divided opinion in Slovakia by calling to end military aid to Ukraine and sanctions on Russia. His parliament had discussed, on the day of the shooting, the government’s proposal to abolish Slovakia’s public broadcaster RTVS.
Thousands of Slovaks have protested against the proposed reform of the public broadcaster in recent weeks. However, a planned opposition-led demonstration was called off on Wednesday as news of the shooting emerged.
But the man charged with attempted murder is said to have founded an “anti-violence” movement in 2015 and claimed “every normal person rejects violence. Our goal is to unite people, preserve peace and restore democracy.”
‘It is very difficult because no one trusts anyone anymore. The world is full of chaos and hatred.” According to the group’s Facebook page, The Movement Against Violence, it describes itself as an “emerging political party whose goal is to prevent the spread of violence in society. To prevent war in Europe and the spread of hatred.”