Slovakian Prime Minister was attacked with gunfire

The Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico was critically injured in an assassination attempt. Four shots are said to have been fired at him on the street. He was flown to a hospital.

The Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico was critically injured in an assassination attempt with a firearm. The 59-year-old was flown to a hospital by helicopter, the Slovak government’s office said. According to media reports, a suspect was taken into custody at the scene.

The attack took place in the city of Handlova, around 150 kilometers northeast of the capital Bratislava. Meanwhile, Fico is said to have been transported by helicopter to a hospital in the town of Banská Bystrica. A reporter from the daily newspaper “Dennik N” claims to have heard several shots and then observed rescue workers carrying Fico into a car. As the broadcaster TA3 reported, a total of four shots were fired in Fico’s direction.

European politicians react in horror

The attack caused international consternation. On Platform X, Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke of a “cowardly attack” that shocked him greatly. “Violence must have no place in European politics,” continued Scholz. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also condemned the attack on X as “abhorrent.” Such acts of violence would undermine democracy, wrote von der Leyen.

Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj also reacted with shock to the attack. Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X: “Robert, my thoughts are with you at this very difficult moment.”

Parliament session interrupted

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Lubos Blaha confirmed the incident during a session in the House of Representatives, which was then adjourned indefinitely, the TASR news agency reported.

The following statements were made in the statement made on ico’s official social media account:

“R. Fico was assassinated today. He was shot multiple times and is now in life-threatening condition. He is currently being transported by helicopter to Banska Bystrica because it will take too long to reach Bratislava (the capital) due to emergency response. “His situation will become clear in the next few hours.”