Robert Fico, Slovakia's populist Prime Minister, was shot numerous times Wednesday and is in critical condition, according to his Facebook page and the Slovak government. The incident occurred in the village of Handlova, around 90 miles northeast of Bratislava, the country's capital. Fico's dramatic exit from a government meeting sent shockwaves through the small nation and throughout Europe.
After Fico's surgery, Slovak Deputy Prime Minister Tomas Taraba told BBC News that everything went "well" and that "I guess that at the end he will survive."The hospital reported early on Thursday that Fico's health was "stable but still very serious."
The 59-year-old pro-Russian leader was still receiving treatment on Wednesday, some hours after being shot in the abdomen, as Defence Minister Robert Kalina informed reporters outside the hospital where Fico was receiving medical attention for his wounds. Fico was still undergoing surgery, according to Kalina, who also called his condition "extraordinarily serious."
About the Assassination Attempt
The administration reported that at least four bullets were fired outside a cultural center in the town of Handlova, roughly 140 kilometers (85 miles) northeast of the city, where Fico was gathering with supporters.
A suspect was captured at the site, and an initial investigation revealed "a clear political motivation" for the murder attempt, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok told reporters besides the defense minister. In a social media post, Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár described the incident as an assassination attempt. It was decided that Fico needed to be moved urgently, so he was first driven and then flown to a local hospital by helicopter.
Lubos Blaha, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, acknowledged the occurrence during a session of parliament and adjourned it till further notice, according to the Slovak TASR news agency. Photographs and video revealed that at least one individual was being taken into custody as police promptly cordoned off the area. The suspect, according to Slovak media, is a guy of 71 years old.
There were no reports of further suspects on the run, and there were no immediate specifics regarding the reason behind the veteran politician's shooting, which was quite controversial. Security personnel were seen on camera hurrying the injured prime into a car and taking off quickly. He was carried to a helicopter, and cameras filmed him being rolled into a hospital in Banska Bystrica on a stretcher wrapped in blankets.
Inputs by Agencies
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