Doctors are still operating on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico after the shooting. The operation has been going on for over three and a half hours.
This was announced at a joint briefing by the Minister of Defense of Slovakia, Robert Kalyniak, and the Minister of Internal Affairs, Matusz Šutaj-Eštok.
Ficoʼs condition is assessed as "very serious", but Kaliniak hopes for his improvement. He also believes that the attempt on the prime minister had a political motive.
According to TV channel Joj, Robert Fico was shot by a 71-year-old man from Levice in western Slovakia. The publication HN writes that the attempt on the prime minister was made by 71-year-old Juraj C. (Juraj C.). According to unconfirmed media information, writer Juraj Tsintula is suspected of the attack on Fico — he is a supporter of the opposition party "Progressive Slovakia". The Slovak authorities have not officially commented on this.
According to Aktuality, Tsintula previously worked for a private security company, and in 2016 he was attacked in a shopping center in Levica. His son told the media that the man owned the gun legally and denied that his father was a patient in a psychiatric hospital.
Slovak media publishes a video with the alleged detainee for the attack on Prime Minister Fico. In the video, he says, “I donʼt agree with the governmentʼs policy. Mass media are liquidated. Why is RTVS being attacked? Judge Mazak — why is he being dismissed from office?"
In connection with the attack on Robert Fico, the Slovak Parliament will strengthen security measures and take measures to protect the deputies, said the Deputy Speaker of the Slovak Parliament, Peter Žyga. The Peopleʼs Council of Slovakia suspends its work and will resume it no earlier than May 21. Visits to the Slovak Parliament will also be canceled indefinitely.
- On the afternoon of May 15, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was wounded during a shooting near a building in the Slovak city of Handlova, where an external government meeting was held.