16-5-2024 (BANSKA BYSTRICA) Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister, Robert Fico, was critically injured on Wednesday after being shot multiple times at a public event. Deputy Prime Minister Tomas Taraba expressed cautious optimism about Fico’s condition, stating, “I believe he will survive,” while speaking to the BBC. He added that the Prime Minister was not in a life-threatening situation at that moment.
The attempted assassination occurred as Fico, 59, was greeting supporters outside a cultural centre in Handlová, a town nearly 140 kilometres northeast of the capital, Bratislava. Government officials revealed that five shots were fired during a meeting of Fico’s government in the town, which has a population of 16,000 and a history rooted in coal mining.
Fico, who was struck in the abdomen, was immediately transported to a hospital in Banská Bystrica, approximately 29 kilometres from Handlová, due to the urgency of his condition. Defence Minister Robert Kalina informed the press that doctors had been working tirelessly to save his life.
Authorities have apprehended a suspect, and Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok confirmed that preliminary investigations indicated a “clear political motivation” behind the attack. Estok, speaking alongside the Defence Minister, underscored the gravity of the situation, describing the country as being on “the edge of a civil war” due to escalating political tensions.
The moment when a man shot Slovakia PM Robert Fico. pic.twitter.com/pvSeSXAaEC
— RadioGenoa (@RadioGenoa) May 15, 2024
Fico, a divisive figure both domestically and internationally, returned to power last year with a pro-Russian, anti-American stance. His leadership has caused significant concern among European Union members, fearing Slovakia’s shift away from Western alliances towards a path similar to that of Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Upon commencing his fourth term, Fico’s administration halted arms deliveries to Ukraine, stirring further controversy.
The assassination attempt has intensified the already heated atmosphere just three weeks before the European Parliament elections. Slovakia’s political landscape has been marred by protests against Fico’s policies, with thousands rallying in Bratislava and other cities.
The nation has been reeling from the attack, with prominent figures condemning the violence. Outgoing President Zuzana Caputova, a political rival of Fico, addressed the nation, saying, “A physical attack on the Prime Minister is, first of all, an attack on a person, but it is also an attack on democracy. Any violence is unacceptable.” She called for an end to the hateful rhetoric that she believes has permeated Slovak society.
President-elect Peter Pellegrini, an ally of Fico, echoed these sentiments, calling the shooting “an unprecedented threat to Slovak democracy.” He warned against using violence as a means of political expression, emphasising the potential destruction of Slovakia’s democratic foundations.
Political analyst Gábor Czímer from Ujszo.com highlighted the deep societal divisions in Slovakia, exacerbated by the war in Ukraine and differing views on relations with the EU and Russia. “Slovak society is strongly split into two camps,” Czímer remarked, expressing his shock that these tensions had escalated to physical violence.
International reactions poured in swiftly. U.S. President Joe Biden condemned the attack, labelling it a “horrific act of violence,” while NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg expressed his shock and dismay. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the incident as a “vile attack,” and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed the importance of preventing violence from becoming commonplace.
In the wake of the incident, Slovakia’s Parliament was adjourned indefinitely, and opposition parties, including Progressive Slovakia and Freedom and Solidarity, cancelled a planned protest against a controversial government proposal to overhaul public broadcasting.
Progressive Slovakia leader Michal Simecka called for restraint from all political actors to avoid further inflaming tensions. Similarly, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala extended his wishes for Fico’s swift recovery and reiterated that violence has no place in society.
