dpa
Bratislava
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico is in life-threatening condition following a shooting attack, the TASR news agency reported, citing a government statement.
The shooting took place after a Cabinet meeting in the town of Handlová.
Witnesses told the TA3 news channel that at least four shots were heard near the House of Culture in Handlová when Fico went outside after the meeting to mingle with people and shake hands. One shot hit him in the chest. The police announced that the attacker had been taken into custody.
TASR said a helicopter had been dispatched to take the injured politician to hospital. The police evacuated the cultural centre where the government meeting was being held. Handlová lies about 190km north-west of the capital Bratislava.
The shooting was quickly condemned by political leaders in Slovakia and beyond.
Slovakia’s outgoing President Zuzana Čaputová posted on X that she was "utterly shocked by today’s brutal attack on Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico, which I condemn in strongest possible terms”. Slovakia’s president-elect Peter Pellegrini called the attack an "unprecedented threat to Slovak democracy.” "If we express political opinions with guns in the public squares, and not in the polling stations, we are jeopardizing everything we have built together in the 31 years of Slovak independence,” the Social Democrat politician warned. Pellegrini cancelled a trip abroad.The leaders of other European nations also expressed their dismay at the shooting.
"Shocking news from Slovakia. Robert, my thoughts are with you in this very difficult moment,” wrote Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on X.
"I was deeply shocked by the heinous attack against my friend, Prime Minister Robert Fico”, wrote Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Fico’s latest term as prime minister began in October. The 59-year-old previously held the post of prime minister from 2006 to 2010 and 2012 to 2018.