The man who fired shots at Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico on Wednesday has been identified as 71-year-old Juraj Cintula, a poet and founder of the Slovak Association of Writers, and a supporter of the opposition Progressive Slovakia party. As per reports, Cintula used his licensed gun for the crime.
Slovak Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok in an address to the media called the attack politically motivated and claimed that the decision was born right after the presidential election. Further, he blamed “social media hate” for the attack.
Fico regains consciousness
Meanwhile, Fico, who was critically injured in the attack has regained consciousness after an operation lasting several hours, local media has reported.
According to local media TA3, BBC quoted Slovakian Environment Minister Tomas Taraba as saying that the Prime Minister's life is not in danger.
"I was very shocked ... fortunately as far as I know the operation went well -- and I guess in the end he will survive ... he's not in a life-threatening situation at this moment," Taraba said. According to Taraba, one shot hit the stomach and the other a joint.
Fico was in critical condition while undergoing surgery, Slovakian Defence Minister Robert Kalinak said earlier on Wednesday evening at a press conference.
Fico shot right after cabinet meeting
Fico was wounded Wednesday afternoon after attending a government meeting in the town of Handlova, some 150 km northeast of the capital. According to eyewitnesses, the man shot the premier several times after a cabinet meeting as he was greeting supporters.
Fico had been transported by helicopter to the Roosevelt Hospital in Banska Bystrica, as the flight to the capital would take a longer time.
The head of the left-wing Smer-SD party, Fico returned to office in October 2023 after serving two stints as Prime Minister from 2006 to 2010 and from 2012 to 2018.
He halted the previous policy of military aid to Kiev and called for a negotiated settlement between Russia and Ukraine. This had put him at odds with other European countries, save Hungary, which follows a similar course.
