Slovakia PM shot, in ‘life-threatening’ condition hospitalised

Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico is in a “life-threatening condition” after he was wounded in a shooting, according to a statement on his official social media page.

The prime minister was shot “mulitple times” in an “assassination attempt”, the statement said on Wednesday, reports Al Jazeera.

Fico was hit in the abdomen after several shots were fired in the town of Handlova, local media reported. Police sealed off the scene and a suspect has been detained, according to the Dennik N news outlet and TA3, a Slovakian TV station.

The statement on Fico’s social media account said he was being transported by helicopter to hospital in Banska Bystrica, 29 kilometres (63 miles) away from Handlova because it would take too long to get to Bratislava due to the necessity of an acute procedure. “The next few hours will decide”, it said.

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

“I’m shocked,” Caputova said3. “I wish Robert Fico a lot of strength in this critical moment and a quick recovery from this attack.”

European leaders, from Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed shock at the shooting.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the assault too.