Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot many times on Wednesday and brought to the hospital with life-threatening injuries following a cabinet meeting, according to officials, in an attack condemned by EU leaders.
Fico, a populist leader accused of being pro-Kremlin, has been prime minister since last year.
“Today, after the government meeting in Handlova, there was an assassination attempt on the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, Robert Fico”, the government said in a post on social media.
“He is currently being transported by helicopter to Banska Bystrica in a life-threatening condition, because it would take too long to get to Bratislava due to the necessity of an acute intervention”, it said.
Fico was shot multiple times, said a post on his official Facebook page.
“We confirm the attack on the prime minister,” police spokesman Matej Neumann told AFP.
Handlova local hospital director Marta Eckhardtova said “Fico was brought into our hospital and he was treated at our vascular surgery clinic”.
She was unable to describe his injuries.
The Dennik N daily said its reporter heard several shots fired and then saw security guards lift the premier off the ground and into a car.
The newspaper also reported that police had detained the suspected gunman.
Attack condemned
Slovak President Zuzana Caputova said she was “utterly shocked by today’s brutal and reckless attack on Slovakia’s prime minister… which I condemn in (the) strongest possible terms”.
“I wish him a lot of strength in this critical moment and early recovery,” she said on X, formerly Twitter.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala also called the news of the attack “shocking”.
“I hope the prime minister will get well as soon as possible. We must not tolerate violence, it must have no place in society,” he said on X.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated, “Robert, my thoughts are with you in this very difficult moment.”
In addition to his present position as premier, Fico led the government from 2006 to 2010 and 2012 to 2018.
Since his election in October, Fico has made a number of statements that have strained relations between Slovakia and its neighbor Ukraine.
He has specifically questioned Ukraine’s sovereignty and advocated for a deal with Russia.
He also triggered widespread protests with contentious amendments, including a media regulation that critics claim will weaken the impartiality of public television and radio.
MP Lubos Blaha of Fico’s Smer party lashed out at his detractors during a press conference following the incident.
“You, the liberal media, and progressive politicians are to blame. Robert Fico is fighting for his life because of your hatred,” Blaha said.