The prime minister was shot at close range with a handgun in the central Slovak city of Handlova at around 2:50 p.m. local time as he was leaving a government meeting and was greeting a crowd of supporters in the city's square.
The assailant, 71-year-old Juraj Cintula, was among the crowd. He beckoned Fico to greet him and when the prime minister got close, Cintula fired his handgun five times. Two of the shots struck Fico in his abdomen and shoulder.
Following emergency surgery that lasted five hours, Deputy Prime Minister Tomas Taraba reported that while Fico's condition remains critical, he is stable and expected to recover.
President-elect Peter Pellegrini, an ally of Fico, later reported that he had spoken with the prime minister and that his condition "remains very serious."
Cintula is a former security guard at a shopping center, the author of several books of poetry and has spoken on social media of his desire to form a new political movement. He has been charged with premeditated attempted murder.
Slovak authorities are still speculating over Cintula's motive for attempting to assassinate the prime minister, but Minister of Interior Matus Sutaj Estok has announced that the government believes Cintula acted alone. However, they agreed that Cintula's actions were politically motivated.
"I can confirm that this person is not a member of any right-wing or left-wing radicalized party," said Estok.
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Fico opposed war in Ukraine, WHO Pandemic Treaty
Fico is notable for his openly Russia-friendly views, which have contributed to deep divisions in the small Eastern European nation that shares a border with Ukraine.
Fico, who had previously served three terms as prime minister, returned to power last year in a contentious election on a pro-Russian, anti-American message that became a cause for concern within the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, with many worried that he would abandon his country's pro-Western course, especially on the topic of Ukraine.
At the beginning of Russia's special military invasion in 2022, Fico's predecessors turned Slovakia into one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters. Upon his return to office, Fico immediately halted arms deliveries to Ukraine.
The assassination attempt against Fico also occurred only days after his government announced that it would not be supporting the World Health Organization's Pandemic Treaty, including the new International Health Regulations in the proposal.
Health Minister Zuzana Dolinkova noted that the country would not be signing any agreements that could potentially weaken the nation's sovereignty.
In November, Fico referred to the Pandemic Treaty as "nonsense" that "could only be invented by greedy pharmaceutical companies, which began to perceive resistance from some governments against mandatory vaccination." (Related: Slovakian PM Robert Fico links COVID-19 vaccines to cardiovascular DEATHS.)
Both Fico's allies and opponents have already come out condemning the assassination attempt.
"This atrocious crime cannot be justified," said Russian President Vladimir Putin in a message released by the Kremlin. "I know Robert Fico as a courageous and strong-willed person. I truly hope these personal qualities will help him overcome this harsh situation."
"Every effort should be made to ensure that violence does not become the norm in any country, form or sphere," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a statement denouncing the attack against Fico.
Pellegrini called on political parties to suspend or scale back campaigns for the European Parliament elections which will be held from June 6 to 9.
"If there is anything that the people of Slovakia urgently need today, it is at least basic agreement and unity among the Slovak political representation," he said. "And if not consensus, then please, at least civilized ways of discussing among each other."
Watch this clip from RT with legal expert Andre Napolitano discussing how Robert Fico's opposition to current European policy should not cost him his life.
This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
Slovakia's PM reveals NATO, EU states still considering sending troops to Ukraine.
Slovak PM: Russian-Ukraine war "started in 2014 with the rampant spread of Ukrainian neo-Nazis."
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