Wednesday’s shooting of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in the town of Handlova following a political event sent shockwaves across Europe, three weeks before elections for the EU parliament were scheduled to take place.
Leaders across political divides denounced the apparent assassination attempt on the populist, pro-Russian leader, calling it an attack on democracy.
Concern is growing that populists and nationalists, like Fico, could make significant gains in the elections from June 6th to 9th.
Here’s what European leaders and others are saying:
“What happened is something that we can’t seem to understand because we can’t understand it. A physical attack on the Prime Minister is, first and foremost, an attack on a person, but it is also an attack on democracy. Any violence is unacceptable. The hateful rhetoric we have witnessed in society leads to hateful actions. Please let’s stop this. – Slovak President Zuzana Caputova, Fico’s political rival, in a televised statement.
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“An assassination attempt on one of the highest constitutional officials is an unprecedented threat to Slovak democracy. If we express different political opinions with weapons in the squares, and not in the polling stations, we will endanger everything we have built together in 31 years of Slovak sovereignty. – President-elect of Slovakia, Peter Pellegrini.
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“We strongly condemn this act of violence against the head of government of our neighboring partner state. Every effort must be made to ensure that violence does not become the norm in any country, form or sphere.” — Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine on social media.
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“Shocked and horrified by the assassination of Prime Minister Robert Fico. I wish you strength for a speedy recovery.” — NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
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“I was deeply shocked by the heinous attack on my friend, Prime Minister Robert Fico. We pray for your health and speedy recovery! God bless him and his country!” — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
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“I am alarmed to hear reports of an attack on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. Jill and I pray for a speedy recovery and our thoughts are with his family and the people of Slovakia. We condemn this horrific act of violence. Our embassy is in close contact with the Slovak government and ready to help.” – US President Joe Biden in a statement.
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“Such acts of violence have no place in our society and undermine democracy, our most precious common good.” – President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
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“The shots fired at Robert are shots against freedom and democracy… there can be no room for violence in politics.” Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic.
