Slovakia’s populist prime minister, Robert Fico, was shot and significantly wounded on Wednesday in what the federal government known as an assassination try.
A submit on the prime minister’s official and verified Fb web page mentioned that Mr. Fico was in “life-threatening situation” after sustaining “a number of” gunshot wounds.
“The following few hours will determine,” the submit mentioned.
Native media reported that the assault unfolded within the central Slovak city of Handlova, the place Mr. Fico, a veteran politician, had been assembly with supporters.
President Zuzana Caputova, whose place is basically ceremonial, condemned what she described as a “brutal and reckless assault.”
“I’m shocked,” she wrote in a message on Fb. “I want Robert Fico plenty of energy on this important second to recuperate from the assault.”
The precise nature of Mr. Fico’s accidents was not instantly identified. There was no rapid remark from the police.
Photographs from the scene revealed by the Reuters information company confirmed what seemed to be members of Mr. Fico’s safety element operating round a black sedan. Different pictures confirmed an individual handcuffed on the bottom on the scene.
Ms. Caputova, whose time period ends in June, has used her restricted powers to withstand Mr. Fico’s drift towards Russia and his efforts to restrict the judiciary’s capacity to prosecute corruption.
Mr. Fico has aligned with the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orban, in opposing help to Ukraine and difficult mainstream opinions inside the European Union.
On Wednesday, Mr. Orban was fast to ship properly needs to Mr. Fico, whom he known as “my pal.”
“We pray for his well being and fast restoration,” Mr. Orban wrote on social media.
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Fee who has butted heads with Mr. Fico up to now, additionally mentioned she strongly condemned the “vile assault.”
“Such acts of violence haven’t any place in our society and undermine democracy, our most treasured widespread good,” she wrote on social media.
Mr. Fico, who ended an earlier stint as prime minister by resigning in 2018 amid a swirl of corruption accusations, has additionally adopted Mr. Orban in making an attempt to neuter his nation’s judiciary and in casting supporters of Ukraine as disloyal lackeys of the USA.
Mr. Fico returned to energy after a normal election in September, reviving a political profession that many had thought of over when he give up amid massive avenue protests after the killing of an investigative journalist who had been trying into authorities graft.
