Gunshots: Fico was shot

Slovakia in shock: attack on Prime Minister Robert Fico. The politician was wounded by several gunshots to the abdomen, chest and a limb. The attack occurred at the end of a government meeting, near a …

Gunshots: Fico was shot

Slovakia in shock: attack on Prime Minister Robert Fico. The politician was wounded by several gunshots to the abdomen, chest and a limb. The attack occurred at the end of a government meeting, near a cultural center in the city of Handlova. After greeting the crowd, the Slovak prime minister was hit by five bullets fired by a man – seventy-one-year-old Juraj Cintula, originally from Levice – stopped by some passers-by and immediately arrested by the police present in the area. Fico was immediately rescued and rushed to a hospital in Bratislava.

Based on the first available information, published by the Slovakian portal Pluska.sk, the conditions of Fico are considered very serious. Confirmed injuries to the abdomen and a limb. The prime minister will undergo surgery in the next few hours. The prime minister's official account issued a note: “He was shot several times and is currently in danger of life. At this moment he is being transported by helicopter to Banská Bystrica, because it would take too long to get to Bratislava” and an emergency procedure is required, “the next few hours will be decisive”.

From the initial investigations, the attack is “clearly attributable to political reasons“, confirmed the Slovak Interior Minister, Matus Sutaj-Estok, urging journalists and politicians to “stop spreading hatred” on social media, adding that “what has started now has been sown by many of you, by your hate”. The attacker explained that he shot because “disagree with government policies in my country”. In particular, according to what Slovak TV reports, the man contests Bratislava's actions “aimed at limiting freedom of the press”. Also according to the broadcaster, Cintula had been planning the attack on Fico for a month already.

The international community expressed solidarity and closeness to the Slovak Prime Minister, condemning the horrible attack in no uncertain terms. “We don't have any news yet, let's see. These are worrying things, there shouldn't be violence in Europe. We need to understand what it is, it's too early to comment”, the words of the Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani: “We don't know if it's a terrorist thing, if he's deranged. We are close to Fico.” Thus the President of the European Council Charles Michel: “I am shocked by the news of the attack on Slovakian Prime Minister Fico after the Slovak cabinet meeting in Handlova. Nothing can ever justify violence or such attacks. My thoughts go to the Prime Minister and his family.” Further updates coming soon.