The prime minister of Slovakia sustained life-threatening injuries after being shot in the street while leaving a meeting.
Prime Minister Robert Fico was taken to a hospital via helicopter after the apparent assassination attempt in Handlova, 90 miles from the capital city of Bratislava. Fico was elected for a third time in October 2023 and is a member of a populist SMER party.
“We are all shocked by the terrible and vile attack on Prime Minister Robert Fico. We may not fully comprehend yet the seriousness of what has happened today,” said Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová in a statement on X. “The shooting of the Prime Minister is first and foremost an attack on a human being — but it’s also an attack on democracy.”
“Violence is absolutely unacceptable,” she said. “Hate speech and rhetoric full of hate, which we witness across society, leads to hateful acts.”
Čaputová said a perpetrator had been arrested but asked the public to refrain from “judgment.”
Fico was reportedly shot multiple times outside of the House of Culture. He was hit in the leg, stomach and lungs, and underwent surgery. Additional updates on his health are expected later today. BREAKING: The Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, has just been shot in public.
This comes only days after Fico formally & publicly rejected The WHO Global Pandemic Accord. pic.twitter.com/cQKmmJKb4c
— Pubity (@pubity) May 15, 2024
Fico is known for his left-populist political positions. Born in 1964, Fico was a member of the Communist Party until its disillusionment in the late 1980s. He has previously served as a member of parliament and as prime minister twice – between 2006 and 2010 as well as from 2012 to 2018. During his most recent campaign, he vowed to “do everything” he could to commence peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, according to CNN which described the Slovak politician as “pro-Kremlin.”
“More killing is not going to help anyone,” said Fico.
He also “vowed to bring an end to Slovakia providing Ukraine with military support as it battled Russia's full-scale invasion, and has argued that [NATO] and the United States provoked Moscow into war,” reports The Mirror. “After his election victory, the new government immediately halted arms deliveries to Ukraine. Thousands of protesters repeatedly took to the streets across Slovakia to rally against Mr Fico's pro-Russian and other policies, including plans to amend the penal code to eliminate a special anti-graft prosecutor and to take control of public media.”
Fico also angered other European political leaders in 2016 when he vowed that Slovakia would only accept Christian migrants. He sued the European Union after the governing body set mandatory refugee resettlement quotas.
“It may look strange but sorry … Islam has no place in Slovakia,” Fico said while speaking with TASR in May of 2016.
World leaders have condemned the attack and sent the Slovak prime minister their well wishes.
“I kindly request to convey to Prime Minister Fico the sincerest words of support, as well as wishes for a swift and full recovery,” said Russian President Vladimir Putin in a statement reported by The Mirror. “This hideous crime can have no justification.”
“I was deeply shocked by the heinous attack against my friend, Prime Minister Robert Fico,” said Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary on X. “We pray for his health and quick recovery! God bless him and his country!”
“I am alarmed to hear reports of an attack on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. Jill and I are praying for a swift recovery, and our thoughts are with his family and the people of Slovakia,” said President Joe Biden in a statement released by the White House. “We condemn this horrific act of violence. Our embassy is in close touch with the government of Slovakia and ready to assist.”
