Slovakia's prime minister shot
15/05/2024
Slovakia's prime minister was shot, state media reported
The Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico. -
ATHENS: Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was sent to hospital after being shot and injured on Wednesday, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported citing state media, TASR news agency.
The incident occurred when an assailant fired several shots in front of the House of Culture in downtown Handlova, where a government meeting was held.
The attacker was arrested after the attack, he said.
Local television JOJ reported that a man in the crowd opened fire on the prime minister as he came out of the building to mingle with the people of the town.
SLOVAK PM FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico who was reportedly shot on Thursday is "fighting for his life" at the moment, said the country's Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák in a press conference at the hospital where Fico was being treated.
"The surgery lasted for three and a half hours. His medical condition is very complex.
"We are specifically focusing on the health of Robert Fico. And we hope he will be strong enough to get through it," said Kaliňák.
In the same development, Prime Minister Fico was shot five times, said the Minister of the Interior, Matúš Šutaj Eštok.
"The criminal shot as many as five shots. The prime minister is in critical condition. We will do everything we can to investigate this matter," Eštok said in a press conference.
Meanwhile, Eštok said the assassination attempt on Fico was politically motivated and the information was obtained based on "preliminary interviews with the suspect."
"This assassination attempt was politically motivated and the suspect decided to do it right after the presidential election," Eštok explained.
"It is clear that this is politically motivated," said Defense Minister Kaliňák who was also present at the press conference with Eštok.
Kaliňák said Fico, "suffered multiple injuries," but did not provide any details when reporters asked if the Prime Minister was shot in the stomach.
In yesterday's incident, Fico was attacked by several gunshots causing him to be in critical condition. - Agency
