Slovakia Prime Minister Robert Fico 'Fighting For His Life' After Assassination Attempt In Broad Daylight
Robert Fico, a prominent populist figure, was taken to the hospital following an assassination attempt on Wednesday.
Video footage captured at the scene depicts an individual from the public approaching the politician and discharging four rounds in his direction.
The prime minister sustained "threatening injuries" in a daylight shooting following a political gathering.
The incident occurred in Handlova, located approximately 112 miles north of Bratislava, where shots rang out outside the House of Culture. Fico, 59, who was attending a government meeting and engaging with supporters in the town, was reportedly targeted during the shooting.
An updated statement on Fico's official Facebook page reveals that he sustained multiple gunshot wounds and is presently in critical condition. He was airlifted by helicopter to the nearby town of Banská Bystrica for urgent medical care.
Following the shooting, Slovak police apprehended a suspect linked to the incident. Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok said the assassination attempt was politically motivated, according to CNN. Witnesses, including journalists present at the scene, reported hearing multiple gunshots before witnessing the prime minister collapsing.
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Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Lubos Blaha, spoke about the shooting during a parliamentary session, as reported by the Slovak TASR news agency. The area surrounding the scene of the shooting remained cordoned off throughout Wednesday afternoon.
According to reports from TA3, a prominent Slovakian television station, Fico sustained a gunshot wound to the stomach following the discharge of four rounds. CNN reports he was shot five times.
Fico won a third term as Slovakian prime minister last October after running a campaign that criticized Western support for Ukraine.
