Reports are emerging that Robert Fico, Slovakia’s populist prime minister, is in a critical state following a shooting incident on Wednesday. According to information relayed from his Facebook account, Fico has been shot multiple times and is in a life-threatening situation. Currently, he is being airlifted to Banska Bystrica, as reaching Bratislava for emergency procedures would prove too time-consuming. The next few hours are crucial for him.
Slovakian TV station, TA3, reports that Fico, aged 59, was shot in the abdomen during an attack outside the Cultural Centre in the town of Handlova, roughly 150km northeast of the capital city. This is where Fico was in a meeting with his followers. A suspect in response to this incident is already in police custody, according to TA3.
Lubos Blaha, Deputy Speaker of the parliament, informed a parliamentary session of the event, adjourning it indefinitely as reported by the Slovak TASR news agency.
In light of the incident, significant opposition factions, Progressive Slovakia and Freedom and Solidarity, decided to call off a demonstration meant to oppose a contentious government proposal to reform public broadcasting. This plan, they feared, would allow the government unfettered control of public radio and TV.
Michal Simecka, leader of Progressive Slovakia, expressed strong condemnation for the violence and the attack on Fico. He further urged fellow politicians to avoid further straining tensions.
President Zuzana Caputova slammed the callous and brutal assault on Fico. “I’m appalled,” stated Ms Caputova, wishing Robert Fico strength during this dire time and a speedy recovery from the grievous injuries.
In a post on Facebook, it was stated that the Slovak emergency service dispatched an air ambulance for a 59-year-old man in Handlova following reports of a shooting incident.
According to a report from daily Dennik N, a journalist overheard shooting sounds followed by the sight of emergency responders lifting the premier onto a vehicle. A witness reported hearing several gunshots and seeing a man being arrested by the police.
Another witness, as reported by Reuters, claimed to have seen security staff thrusting an individual into a car and driving away.
Simon Harris, the Taoiseach, announced in a statement on Wednesday afternoon his profound shock at the attack on Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico.
European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, strongly deplored the heinous assault on Slovakian Prime Minister, Robert Fico, on platform X on a Wednesday. Stating that acts of violence compromise the fundamentals of democracy, she expressed her thoughts and assurances of solidarity to Robert, his relatives and the individuals of Slovakia.
“The violation against Fico is, indeed, a violation of democracy, a core value universally shared across the EU states,” she stated. Other leaders across Europe have expressed their solidarity with Fico after the incident. Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the President of Ukraine, characterised the attack as “disgusting”.
Zelenskiy, in statement on platform X, insisted, “Efforts must be exhausted to hinder violence from becoming standard practice in any nation, context or situation.”
Mr Fico resumed his role as the Prime Minister for the fourth stint last year aligning his political strategies to cater to an evolving voter base. Over the span of his thirty-year career, Fico has oscillated between European mainstream and nationalist views, often opposing the EU and US policies. His ability to adapt based on public sentiment or shifting political landscapes has been noteworthy.
The shooting in Slovakia surfaces a mere three weeks before influential European Parliament elections. The forthcoming elections portend potential advancements for populist and far-right parties across the 27-member union.