Four shots are said to have been fired in connection with a government meeting outside the city of Handlova during the afternoon. The witnesses tell Dennik N that Robert Fico fell to the ground and was then carried away by security personnel.
A healthcare spokesperson says that Fico’s condition is stable, Reuters reports. Several sources tell the newspaper Dennik N that he was hit by shots in the stomach, legs and arms.
A suspected perpetrator was arrested at the scene. The motive is still unclear.
The President: “In shock”
A number of politicians from both the government and the opposition have condemned the act and call it an attack on Slovak society.
“I condemn today’s brutal and reckless attack on Robert Fico. I am in shock,” signed Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová Facebook.
Parliament has taken a break from its work due to the incident. A committee of members will meet shortly to develop an action plan.
European leaders condemn
Several EU leaders have condemned the attack, including Hungary’s Victor Orbán.
“I am deeply shocked by the disgusting attack on my friend Prime Minister Robert Fico. We pray for his health,” he writes on X.
Germany’s Olaf Scholz calls the incident “a cowardly attempted murder”.
“Violence has no place in European politics. During these hours, my thoughts go to Robert Fico, his family and the citizens of Slovakia,” he writes X.
The text is updated
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A video circulating on social media purportedly shows the arrest of the suspected perpetrator. Slovakia’s prime minister is said to have been shot in connection with a government meeting on Wednesday. Photo: Twitter