Robert Fico is transported into a hospital in the town of Banska Bystrica after he was wounded in a shooting.
Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico was in a critical condition on Wednesday after being shot multiple times in an assassination attempt. The incident occurred following an off-site government meeting in Handlova, a town in central Slovakia.
The Attack
The suspected gunman, mingling with a small crowd waiting to greet the prime minister outside the cultural center where the meeting took place, opened fire. Local media reported that footage from the scene showed the injured prime minister being quickly bundled into a vehicle by his staff, which then sped away. Fico was initially taken to a local hospital before being transferred by helicopter to a major trauma center in Banska Bystrica, approximately 20 miles (30 kilometers) away.
A statement posted on Fico’s official Facebook page and his party’s website described the incident as an "assassination attempt." It further detailed that "he was shot multiple times and is currently in a life-threatening condition. The next few hours will be decisive."
Response and Reactions
Slovak Labor Minister Erik Tomáš confirmed that no one else was injured in the attack. Meanwhile, Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová stated that the suspected gunman had been detained by the police and urged the public not to spread unconfirmed rumors. A video from the scene showed a man on the floor being detained by several officials.
Čaputová condemned the "brutal and reckless" attack on the 59-year-old politician, expressing her shock and wishing Fico strength in his critical moment. Speaking at a news conference later, she emphasized that the attack was "an attack on democracy as well." Opposition lawmaker Maria Kolikova echoed these sentiments, describing the assault as "an attack on the internal security" of Slovakia.
Eyewitness Accounts
Lubica Valkova, an eyewitness, described the incident as a "nightmare." She recounted hearing three quick shots, initially mistaking them for firecrackers. "I think it is a nightmare," she told Reuters. "That this is not possible to happen in Slovakia." Valkova had been waiting to shake Fico’s hand and was taking pictures of him when the shooting occurred. She claimed that police did not search people attending the event.
Political Implications
The assassination attempt comes after Fico’s stunning comeback last October, when he won a third term as Slovakian prime minister following a campaign that criticized Western support for Ukraine. Fico had pledged to end Slovak military support for Ukraine and block Ukraine’s NATO ambitions, aligning himself with the Kremlin's narrative. During his time in opposition, Fico became a close ally of Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, particularly in their criticism of the European Union.
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