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Attempted assassination of Robert Fico

Coordinates: 48°43′38″N 18°45′34″E / 48.7271°N 18.7594°E / 48.7271; 18.7594
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Attempted assassination of Robert Fico
LocationHandlová, Prievidza District, Trenčín Region, Slovakia
Coordinates48°43′38″N 18°45′34″E / 48.7271°N 18.7594°E / 48.7271; 18.7594
Date15 May 2024 (2024-05-15)
Around 14:50 CEST (UTC+2)
TargetRobert Fico
Attack type
Shooting
WeaponsGun
InjuredRobert Fico

On 15 May 2024, Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico was injured in a shooting in Handlová, Slovakia, in front of the city's House of Culture after a government meeting,[1][2] and was subsequently hospitalized.[3] A suspect was detained by police.[1] Fico is reportedly in a life-threatening condition, having suffered wounds to his stomach, arms, and legs.[4][5][contradictory]

Shooting

Fico in 2024

The shooting occurred outside the House of Culture, a cultural centre in Handlová, which had hosted a government discussion. Fico was giving a speech to a crowd at the time of the shooting. According to journalists, several sounds of gunfire were heard and Fico collapsed to the ground.[6] The alleged assailant was captured by several people and police cordoned off the area.[7][8] Three other ministers were escorted away from the scene.[9]

Fico was carried into a car by medical personnel[10] and taken to Handlová Hospital before being airlifted to Banská Bystrica Hospital. An interior ministry official said Fico was conscious while being transported.[11] Several shots were fired, with one shot striking Fico in his abdomen and others striking his head and chest.[12][8][13] The Slovak newspaper Plus jeden deň reported that Fico's condition was severe.[9] His Facebook profile stated that Fico is in life-threatening condition.[14]

Slovakia Defence Minister Robert Kalinak said Fico is in an extraordinarily serious condition.[15]

Suspect

A 71-year-old man was immediately detained by Fico's bodyguards. According to multiple Slovak media outlets, the suspect is from Levice and possessed the firearm legally in connection with his private security job. He had authored three poetry books and founded a "Movement Against Violence".[16][17][18]

Response

Deputy Speaker of the National Council Ľuboš Blaha confirmed the shooting during a legislative session which was later suspended[12] and blamed political opposition and liberal media.[19] The interior ministry described it as an "assassination attempt".[20] Zuzana Čaputová, Slovakia's president, called the shooting "brutal and ruthless", and expressed shock for the attack and solidarity with Fico.[8] Similar sentiments were expressed by Michal Šimečka, leader of the opposition party Progressive Slovakia.[21]

Andrej Danko, deputy Prime Minister of Slovakia and leader of the nationalist Slovak National Party, blamed the political opposition and media for the attack and said the country was heading for "political war".[22][19]

Regional and global heads of state, and international organisations, condemned the attack, and expressed their support for Fico and the people of Slovakia.[23]

References

  1. ^ a b "Slovakia's prime minister injured in shooting". Newsday. Associated Press. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Slovakia's prime minister Robert Fico 'shot' - live updates". The Daily Telegraph. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  3. ^ "Slovak PM Fico in hospital after shooting". BBC. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  4. ^ JOCHECOVÁ, KETRIN; BUSVINE, DOUGLAS (15 May 2024). "Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico shot". Politico.
  5. ^ "Slovak PM Robert Fico in hospital after shooting". BBC. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  6. ^ "Slovakia's prime minister Robert Fico shot - live updates Updated 2 minutes ago". The Telegraph. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  7. ^ "Slovak PM Fico in hospital after being shot". BBC News. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  8. ^ a b c "Slovakia's prime minister wounded in shooting". The Washington Post. Associated Press. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Atentát na premiéra: Na Roberta Fica strieľal útočník, premiér padol na zem" [Assassination of the prime minister: Robert Fico was shot by an assailant, the prime minister fell to the ground]. Plénum. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  10. ^ "Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico injured in shooting". France 24. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  11. ^ "Fico in life-threatening condition - govt office". Sky News. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Slovakia: Prime Minister Fico injured in shooting - reports". DW News. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  13. ^ "Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico shot in head and chest, reports say". Politico. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  14. ^ "Roberta Fica postrelili po rokovaní vlády v Handlovej. Zasiahli ho tri guľky". TVNOVINY.sk (in Slovak). 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Slovakia prime minister shot - latest: Robert Fico's condition 'extraordinarily serious' after being shot at five times". Sky News.
  16. ^ "Šokujúce detaily atentátu na Roberta Fica: Muž, ktorý strieľal, písal básne o smrti" [Shocking details of Robert Fitz's assassination: The man who shot wrote poems about death]. Plus 7 Dní (in Slovak). 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  17. ^ "Z atentátu na Roberta Fica podozrievajú staršieho muža z Levíc. Som v šoku, reaguje jeho syn". aktuality.sk (in Slovak). 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  18. ^ Kiššová, Katarína (15 May 2024). "Podrobnosti o strelcovi: Atentát na Fica spáchal 71-ročný spisovateľ z Levíc". tvnoviny.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  19. ^ a b Mánert, Oldřich (15 May 2024). "Máte krev na rukou! Ficova vláda po atentátu ostře útočí na média a opozici". Mladá fronta DNES (in Czech). Mafra. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  20. ^ "Slovakian prime minister shot in 'brutal' attack while meeting supporters". Sky News. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  21. ^ "Spari contro il premier slovacco Robert Fico: è ferito". Il Fatto Quotidiano (in Italian). 15 May 2024.
  22. ^ "Slovakia PM shooting live: Robert Fico in hospital after being shot". BBC News. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  23. ^ "World reacts to shooting of Slovak PM Robert Fico". Reuters. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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