Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico was injured in a shooting that took place in the town of Handlova, approximately 150 kilometers northeast of the capital Bratislava. The incident occurred after a government meeting on May 15, 2024, sending shockwaves across the political and international landscape.
Fico, 59, was reportedly hit in the abdomen after four shots were fired outside the House of Culture in Handlova, where he was meeting with supporters. According to reports from TA3, a Slovakian TV station, the prime minister was immediately rushed to the hospital following the attack.
A suspect has been detained in connection with the shooting, as confirmed by local media. Details regarding the motive and the identity of the assailant have yet to be disclosed by the authorities.
Slovakian President Zuzana Čaputová condemned the attack, expressing her shock and calling for a swift recovery for Fico. The president took to social media to express her strongest condemnation of the "brutal and reckless attack" on the prime minister.
Fico, a third-time premier, and his leftist Smer, or Direction, party, won Slovakia's Sept. 30 parliamentary elections in 2023, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American platform. His tenure has been marked by controversy and his alignment with pro-Russian sentiments has raised concerns within the European Union.
The shooting comes just three weeks before crucial European Parliament elections, which could see gains for populist and hard-right parties in the 27-nation bloc. Fico's injuries are not life-threatening, according to sources close to the situation.
As the investigation into the attack continues, the world watches with bated breath, awaiting further developments in this critical moment for Slovakia and its political leadership.
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