The Slovakian prime minister is in an ‘extraordinarily serious’ condition ‘fighting for his life’ after a ‘politically motivated’ assassination attempt, government officials have confirmed.
Robert Fico, 59, was shot five times by a gunman while he greeted supporters in Handlova, north-east of Bratislava, following a Slovak government meeting.
In footage published by RTV Prievidza the gunman, who is reportedly 71-year-old Juraj Cintula, from Levice, was waiting at a barrier for the PM to approach before pulling out the weapon.
Despite being flanked by five security guards, Cintula manages to fire off five shots at point blank range before being taken down by the PMs detail.
In the latest development the country’s interior minister Matus Sutaj Estok suggested during a press conference outside the hospital treating Fico that preliminary information ‘clearly’ points to a ‘political motivation’.
While the country’s defence minister, Robert Kalinak added there is ‘no good news at the moment’.
And we now need to put our trust ‘in the hands of the medical specialists’, as he appealed to the public to ‘pray’ for Fico’s recovery.
Slovak Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok speaks during a press conference at F.D. Roosevelt University Hospital, where Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is being treated
Slovak Defence Minister Robert Kalinak said we must put our trust ‘in the hands of the medical specialists’, as he appealed to the public to ‘pray’ for Fico’s recovery
Mr Kalinak continued that ‘no one wants a Slovakia like this’ and he can’t ‘find the words’ for the ‘madness’ that is being witnessed
Mr Kalinak continued that ‘no one wants a Slovakia like this’ and he can’t ‘find the words’ for the ‘madness’ that is being witnessed.
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In videos published online Fico can be seen stumbling backwards after the first shot, before tripping over a bench behind him and falling to the ground, as armed security piles in from all sides.
Onlookers can be seen jumping back in horror at what they have just witnessed.
Before a black car speeds around a corner and the prime minister’s slumped body is bundled into the back of the vehicle, Fico was eventually airlifted by helicopter to a nearby hospital.
World leaders have begun to send in their messages of condemnation for the attack and well-wishes to the PM.
US President Joe Biden condemned the shooting as a ‘horrific act of violence,’ adding that he and First Lady Jill Biden ‘are praying for a swift recovery, and our thoughts are with his family and the people of Slovakia.’
Russian President Putin called the attach a ‘heinous crime’, adding ‘I know Robert Fico to be a courageous and strong-spirited man. I very much hope that these qualities will help him to withstand this difficult situation’.
While French President Macron offered ‘solidarity’ with Slovakia and German Chancellor Scholz called for the ‘end to violence in politics.
Fico was re-elected for the fourth time last October and has since supported a more pro-Russia position, including most recently by pledging to stop military support for Ukraine.
He also ruffled feathers in the UK, when he said Britain must ‘suffer’ for Brexit.
A witness told Slovakian news site Dennik, that Fico had left the building to greet people who had gathered to catch a glimpse of him before ‘several shots were fired’.
The alleged assassin 71-year-old Juraj Cintula, from Levice
Juraj Cintula, 71, is a writer and founder member of a literary club. His son was quoted as telling local media: ‘I have no idea what father intended, what he planned, why it happened. Maybe there was some short circuit’
Harrowing footage captured the moment Robert Fico’s security officials lunged over a barrier to take down the shooter
An individual from within the crowd can be seen lunging forward, with a gun in hand as he begins shooting in the direction of the PM who is out of the camera frame
The security scrambled to tackle the man, who is reportedly 71-year-old Juraj Cintula, from Levice, to the ground while shoving into the metal barriers and knocking him to the floor
A general view of the F. D. Roosevelt University Hospital where Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico is undergoing operation
A black car was seen speeding around to the scene of the attack before the PM was bundled in
The man accused of shooting PM Robert Fico is a writer and founder member of a literary club, it has emerged.
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Juraj Cintula, 71, has also published several poems and shocked neighbours have described him and his wife as ‘fantastic’.
His son was quoted as telling local media:’ I have no idea what father intended, what he planned, why it happened. Maybe there was some short circuit.’
It has also emerged that in 2016, while working as a security guard in a supermarket in Levice where he lives, he was attacked by a man and left badly bruised.
A TV interview with Cintula from the time shows him with a black eye in the clip he said of his attacker:’ He was drugged. He started throwing chickens from the shelves onto the ground, then he started juggling them.’
The man then began punching and kicking Cintula before police arrived and his attacker was taken away.
Cintula, who was chairman of the Duha Literary Club until he left in 2016 wrote three poems which were posted onto the club’s Facebook page.
They were called Dream of a Rebel, Diptych and Wasps and he is also a member of the Association of Slovak Writers.
Police work at the scene after a shooting incident in which Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was wounded by five gun shots, police confirmed
Forensics teams set up outside the House of Culture in Handlova
An emergency services helicopter takes off from the F. D. Roosevelt University Hospital
Police and security officers stand guard outside F.D. Roosevelt University Hospital, where Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was taken after he was wounded in a shooting incident in Handlova
Robert Fico (pictured centre) being carried away by security officials into a car after he was shot in Handlova, north-east of Bratislava, following a Slovak government meeting
The Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico has been ‘shot and wounded’
Cintula has also posted several political videos on YouTube and Facebook.
In one from eight years ago he said:’ The world is full of violence and weapons. People seem to be going crazy.
‘A number of migrants are flowing into Europe, there is hatred and extremism everywhere. But worst of all, the governments of European states have no alternative to this chaos. But that’s what a person is after all.’
In the video, he also said that, together with other people, was founding an anti violence movement in Levice.
He said:’Every normal person rejects violence. Our goal is to unite people, preserve peace and restore democracy. It is very difficult because no one trusts anyone anymore. The world is full of chaos and hatred.’
On its Facebook page, which includes Cintula’s email, The Movement Against Violence describes itself as a ’emerging political party whose goal is to prevent the spread of violence in society. To prevent war in Europe and the spread of hatred.’
The last post is from April 2022, a few weeks after the start of the war in Ukraine and says:’ What Slavic brotherhood? He is only the aggressor and the attacked.’
In a message posted later on Fico’s Facebook page, his staff said he was shot a number of times and was ‘currently in a life-threatening condition’.
They said he was being transported to Banksa Bystrica as he needed urgent surgery.
The next few hours would be critical, the post said.
The alleged assailant was detained by cops at the scene
The gunman is allegedly 71-year-old Juraj C
The attacker was pushed to the ground and handcuffed
Robert Fico is in ‘life threatening condition’ according to a message posted to his Facebook following the attack
According to The Herald, an eye witness who had been waiting to greet the PM said: ‘I was just going to shake his hand, when the shots rang out it almost deafened me’.
It was also reported that someone from within the crowd yelled ‘Robo, come here’ before the shooting began.
The alleged assailant was nabbed by cops on site, who then cordoned off the area and the House of Culture was evacuated.
The alleged 71-year-old was seen on the ground with his hands cuffed behind his back, his face bloody after seemingly hitting the floor.
Images from outside Banksa Bystrica show the PM being wheeled into the hospital surrounded by at least seven rescue workers, while covered in a white sheet.
According to a local report from Digi24, a Romanian news TV channel, Fico was hit by at least two bullets, before the Slovak Ministry of the Interior confirmed it was an assassination attempt.
A 66-year-old resident who had been lining up to see the PM spoke to a local news outlet about the tragic and terrifying incident.
‘We went to shake hand to mister Fico, I was taking pictures of him when he walked out of the building, we were waiting for long time, we were excited, we wanted to shake his hand, even one man next to me, and at this moment we heard something like a petard, we thought someone made a joke and threw a firecracker on the ground, that was my first reaction,’ she said.
‘I heard three shots, it was quick one by one like if you throw a firecracker on the ground,’ she added.
When asked by a journalist if she had seen his injuries, she responded: ‘Yes I saw a scratch on a head and then he fell next to the barrier.
‘I think it is a nightmare, I’ll tell you I think I will not wake up from this. That this is not possible to happen in Slovakia.’
Following the shock attack, Peter Pellegrini, Slovakia’s president-elect and an ally of Robert Fico, has said that ‘an assassination attempt on the Prime Minister is a threat to everything that has adorned Slovak democracy so far.’
‘I am horrified by where the hatred towards another political opinion can lead.
‘We don’t have to agree on everything, but there are plenty of ways to express our disagreement democratically and legally,’ he added.
The head of the liberal political party Progressive Slovakia, Michala Šimeček, said:’ We unequivocally and strongly condemn any violence. We trust that Prime Minister Fico will be fine and that this terrible act will be brought to light as soon as possible.’
Fico has been serving as the PM of Slovakia since September 2023, having returned to power after serving previously from 2006 to 2010 and from 2012 to 2018.
During his run in 2016, the leader commented on Brexit saying it was unclear what the United Kingdom wanted, adding that it ‘must suffer’ more than the 27 countries who will remain in the bloc.
The PM was shot in Handlova, north-east of Bratislava
The prime minister was airlifted to a nearby hospital after suffering gunshot wounds to the arm and stomach
Rescue workers take Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who was shot and injured, to a hospital in the town of Banska Bystrica, central Slovakia. He is pictured covered in a white sheet
Robert Fico pictured speaking with people before the cabinet’s away-from-home session in the town of Handlova, Slovakia
It is not currently known what the shooter’s motives were behind the attack
Czech PM, Petr Fiala said: ‘We must not tolerate violence, it must have no place in society’
Law enforcement arrives at the scene of the gun attack which saw the prime minister shot
Following Wednesday’s shooting, Slovakian President Zuzana Caputova condemned ‘a brutal and ruthless’ attack on the premier.
‘I’m shocked,’ Ms Caputova said.
‘I wish Robert Fico a lot of strength in this critical moment and a quick recovery from this attack.’
Law enforcement has arrived at the scene of the gun attack as they carry out investigations into the disaster.
Deputy speaker of parliament Lubos Blaha confirmed the incident during a session of Parliament and adjourned it until further notice, the Slovak TASR news agency said.
Czech PM, Petr Fiala, has responded to the attack on X, formerly Twitter, posting: ‘The news about the shooting Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is shocking.
‘I wish the prime minister to get well as soon as possible. We must not tolerate violence, it must have no place in society.’
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has also shared a message to X, relaying his shock following the gun attack.
‘Shocked to hear this awful news. All our thoughts are with Prime Minister Fico and his family,’ he wrote.
Ukraine’s PM, Volodymyr Zelensky said: ‘The attack on Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico is appalling.
‘We strongly condemn this act of violence against our neighboring 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.
‘We sincerely hope Robert Fico recovers soon and express our solidarity with the people of Slovakia’.
There is allegedly no information about the shooter’s motives at this time.
Fico’s renewed leadership as prime minister got off to a rocky start after he halted military aid to Ukraine in January, and just last month he pushed through plans to crap public broadcaster RTVS.
Parliament was sitting at the time of the attack and local Slovak media reported that a party colleague of Fico’s shouted at opposition MPs, accusing them of inciting the attack.