19-5-2024 (BANSKA BYSTRICA) Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico remains in serious condition but has stabilised following an assassination attempt on Wednesday, officials reported on Saturday. The 59-year-old leader was shot five times at point-blank range, an incident that has sent shockwaves through Europe and highlighted the deeply polarised political climate in Slovakia, a nation of 5.4 million people in central Europe.
“We have not won yet, that is important to say,” Deputy Prime Minister Robert Kaliniak stated in an update on Fico’s condition outside the hospital in Banská Bystrica where the prime minister is receiving treatment.
The Slovak Specialised Criminal Court has ordered the suspect, identified by prosecutors as Juraj C., to remain in custody after being charged with attempted murder. Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok confirmed that the attacker, apprehended at the scene, acted alone and had previously participated in anti-government protests.
Despite the severity of the attack, Kaliniak noted that there is no immediate need to formally transfer Fico’s official duties, as some communication with the prime minister is still possible. Fico underwent a two-hour operation on Friday, which has improved his chances of recovery.
“We are succeeding in gradually nearing a positive prognosis,” Kaliniak said. “In the initial hours, the prognosis was very, very bad. Shots into the abdomen are typically fatal, but in this case, doctors managed to overturn this state and further stabilise his condition.”
However, Kaliniak emphasised that Fico still faces a significant risk of complications. “The body’s reaction to a gunshot wound is always very serious and brings a number of complications, which lasts for 4-5 days, including today and tomorrow,” he explained, adding that it is unlikely Fico will be moved to the capital, Bratislava, in the coming days.
Approximately 100 of Fico’s supporters, some carrying flowers, gathered on Saturday outside the F.D. Roosevelt University Hospital in Banská Bystrica to show their support for the ailing leader.
Local news outlets have identified the suspect as a 71-year-old former security guard at a shopping mall and the author of three poetry collections. The court’s decision to keep him in custody pending further investigation is subject to appeal, due to concerns over the risk of escape or continued criminal activity.
Since his return to office for a fourth term last October, Fico has enacted rapid policy changes that opposition critics describe as a power grab. His administration has reduced support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia and is overhauling the public broadcaster, raising concerns among critics about media freedom.
