On Wednesday afternoon, in the Slovak town of Handlová (in Hungarian, Nyitrabánya), a tragic event, unprecedented in Europe for a long time, occurred: an assassination attempt was carried out against Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. The 71-year-old perpetrator fired five shots, reportedly hitting the Prime Minister in the abdomen and shoulder. Fico was rushed to hospital by helicopter, where he underwent a nearly four hours long life-saving operation. According to Thursday morning news reports, his condition is stable but very serious.
According to POLITICO, doctors reportedly removed part of Fico’s small intestine due to heavy bleeding into his abdominal cavity. The Office of the Government announced that Slovakia’s Security Council would convene for an extraordinary meeting Thursday. The Slovak Cabinet will also meet.
The international community reacted in total shock. On behalf of the Hungarian government, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was the first to respond. ‘I was deeply shocked by the heinous attack against my friend, Prime Minister Robert Fico. We pray for his health and quick recovery! God bless him and his country!’ PM Orbán wrote on X.
Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, expressed his dismay and extended wishes for a quick recovery following the assassination attempt on Fico.
‘The assassination attempt on Prime Minister Robert Fico is shocking and appalling. Who could have imagined such a brutal attack occurring in Central Europe?! We hope and pray for his swift recovery. Robert Fico’s presence is crucial in Slovak and European politics,’
he stated in a Facebook post.
The United States has also condemned the attack, with both President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressing their wishes for PM Fico’s speedy recovery.
‘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. We condemn this horrific act of violence. Our embassy is in close touch with the government of Slovakia and ready to assist,’
Biden said in a statement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the attack was a ‘monstrous crime.’
‘There can be no justification for this monstrous crime. I know Robert Fico as a courageous and strong-minded man. I very much hope that these qualities will help him to survive this difficult situation,’
Putin said, wishing the Slovakian PM a speedy and full recovery.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also joined those condemning the attack and warned that violence must not be normalized.
‘We strongly condemn this act of violence against our neighbouring 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,’
Zelenskyy wrote on X.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg have also responded to the tragic event.
‘I strongly condemn the vile attack on Prime Minister Robert Fico. Such acts of violence have no place in our society and undermine democracy, our most precious common good. My thoughts are with PM Fico, his family,’ von der Leyen stated in a post on X.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on social media that he was ‘shocked’ by the attack. ‘My thoughts and solidarity are with him, his family and the people of Slovakia.’ German Chancellor Olaf Scholz decried the cowardly attack and denounced violence in European politics. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the attack and all forms of violence on the cardinal principles of democracy and freedom.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan wished a speed recovery for Robert Fico, alongside with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. The Iranian Foreign Ministry has also joined the international community in condemning the attack. The ministry said in a statement that it ‘condemns the assassination attempt against the prime minister of the Slovak Republic’ and ‘wishes [him] good health and a speedy recovery.’
According to Slovak Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok, the government believes
the attempted assassination was a politically motivated act.
The shooter has been identified locally as a 71-year-old poet. Media outlets published a leaked video of the suspect, in which he reportedly stated: ‘I don’t agree with the politics of this government,’ citing alleged crackdowns on media and the judiciary as his motives.
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