Slovak prime minister in life-threatening condition after being shot, his Facebook profile says

PRAGUE — Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is in life-threatening condition after being wounded in a shootout following a political rally on Wednesday afternoon, according to his Facebook profile.

The pro-Russian populist leader, 59, was hit in the stomach by four shots in front of the House of Culture in the town of Handlova, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) northeast of the capital, where the leader was meeting. with his followers. according to the Slovak television channel TA3. A suspect has been detained, the country’s president said in a televised statement.

A message posted on Fico’s Facebook account said the leader “has been shot multiple times and is currently in life-threatening condition.”

He said he would be transported by helicopter to Banská Bystrica, 29 kilometers (63 miles) from Handlova, because it would take too long to reach Bratislava due to the need for an urgent procedure.

“The next few hours will decide,” he said.

Outgoing president Zuzana Caputova, Fico’s political rival, said in a televised statement: “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 it.”

President-elect Peter Pellegrini, a Fico ally, called the assassination attempt “an unprecedented threat to Slovak democracy.” If we express other political opinions with guns in the squares and not in the polling stations, we are putting at risk everything we have built together during 31 years of Slovak sovereignty.”

There were shocked reactions across Europe, with some calling it an assassination attempt on the leader of the NATO state, although no motive for the shooting was immediately apparent.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg posted on social media platform X that he was “shocked and dismayed by the shooting.”

The shooting in Slovakia comes three weeks before crucial European Parliament elections, in which the 27-nation bloc’s far-right and populist parties appear poised to make gains.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Lubos Blaha confirmed the incident during a session of the Slovak Parliament and postponed it until further notice, Slovak news agency TASR said.

Slovakia’s main opposition parties, Progressive Slovakia and Freedom and Solidarity, have canceled a planned protest against a controversial government plan to reform public broadcasting that they say would give the government full control of public radio and television.

“We absolutely and strongly condemn today’s violence and shooting against Prime Minister Robert Fico,” said Slovakia’s progressive leader Michal Simecka. “At the same time, we ask all politicians to refrain from any expressions or steps that could contribute to further increasing tension.”

President Zuzana Caputova condemned “a brutal and ruthless attack” against the prime minister.

“I’m shocked,” Caputova said. “I wish Robert Fico a lot of strength at this critical time and a quick recovery from this attack.”

Fico, prime minister for the third time, and his leftist party Smer, or Directorate, won Slovakia’s parliamentary elections on September 30, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American message.

Critics feared that Slovakia under Fico would abandon the country’s pro-Western course and follow the lead of Hungary under populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Thousands of people have repeatedly demonstrated in the capital and throughout Slovakia to protest against Fico’s policies.

Condemnations of political violence came quickly from leaders across Europe.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned what she described as a “vile attack.”

“Such acts of violence have no place in our society and undermine democracy, our most precious common good,” von der Leyen said in a post on X.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala called the incident “shocking” and added: “I wish the Prime Minister a speedy recovery. “We cannot tolerate violence, there is no place for it in society.” The Czech Republic and Slovakia formed Czechoslovakia until 1992.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on the social network X: “Shocking news from Slovakia. “Robert, my thoughts are with you at this very difficult time.”