Slovakia’s populist prime minister, Robert Fico, was shot and significantly wounded on Wednesday in what the federal government referred to as an assassination try.
A submit on the prime minister’s official and verified Fb web page stated that Mr. Fico was in “life-threatening situation” after sustaining “a number of” gunshot wounds.
“The subsequent few hours will determine,” the submit stated.
The assault unfolded within the central Slovak city of Handlova. Mr. Fico, a veteran politician, held a authorities assembly after which a almost hour-long press convention. He was shot outdoors of the venue whereas greeting supporters, native media reported.
The precise nature of Mr. Fico’s accidents was not instantly identified. There was no rapid remark from the police.
Pictures from the scene printed by the Reuters information company confirmed what gave the impression to be members of Mr. Fico’s safety element working round a black sedan. Different images confirmed an individual handcuffed on the bottom on the scene.
The president of Slovakia, Zuzana Caputova, whose place is basically ceremonial, condemned what she described as a “brutal and reckless assault.”
“I’m shocked,” she wrote in a message on Fb. “I want Robert Fico loads of power on this crucial second to recuperate from the assault.”
Ms. Caputova, whose time period ends in June, has used her restricted powers to withstand Mr. Fico’s drift towards Russia and his efforts to restrict the judiciary’s potential to prosecute corruption.
Mr. Fico has aligned with the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orban, in opposing support to Ukraine and difficult mainstream opinions inside the European Union.
On Wednesday, Mr. Orban was fast to ship good needs to Mr. Fico, whom he referred to as “my buddy.”
“We pray for his well being and fast restoration,” Mr. Orban wrote on social media.
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Fee, who has butted heads with Mr. Fico up to now, stated she strongly condemned the “vile assault.”
“Such acts of violence haven’t any place in our society and undermine democracy, our most valuable frequent good,” she wrote on social media.
Mr. Fico, who ended an earlier stint as prime minister by resigning in 2018 amid a swirl of corruption accusations, has additionally adopted Mr. Orban in attempting to erode the independence of his nation’s judiciary and in casting supporters of Ukraine as disloyal lackeys of the USA.
Mr. Fico returned to energy after a basic election in September, reviving a political profession that many had thought-about over when he stop amid massive road protests after the killing of an investigative journalist who had been trying into authorities graft.
Since coming to workplace, Mr. Fico has sought to undermine the independence of media shops, based on an open letter written by Reporters With out Borders and different press freedom teams, as his nominally leftist Smer celebration has more and more moved to the best on immigration and cultural points.
In October, Mr. Fico stated he was halting all navy support to Ukraine, however stated it might proceed nonmilitary support, in what would make Slovakia the primary amongst these nations which have despatched weapons to Kyiv because the struggle broke out to say it might cease.
