Slovakia\u2019s Prime Minister Robert Fico was battling life-threatening wounds Wednesday after officials said he was shot multiple times in an assassination attempt condemned by European leaders.<\/p>\n
The Dennik N daily said its reporter in the central town of Handlova heard several shots fired and then saw security guards rushing to lift the premier off the ground and into a car.<\/p>\n
The newspaper also reported that police had detained the suspected gunman.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday, after the government meeting in Handlova, there was an assassination attempt on the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, Robert Fico\u201d, the government said in a post on social media.<\/p>\n
Fico, whose Smer-SD party won the general election last September, is a four-time prime minister and a political veteran.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is currently being transported by helicopter to Banska Bystrica in a life-threatening condition because it would take too long to get to Bratislava due to the necessity of an acute intervention\u201d, the government\u2019s statement added.<\/p>\n
Fico was shot multiple times, according to a post on his official Facebook page.<\/p>\n
Handlova local hospital director Marta Eckhardtova said \u201cFico was brought into our hospital and he was treated at our vascular surgery clinic\u201d.<\/p>\n
She was unable to describe his injuries.<\/p>\n
It added that the chief of police and health ministry official would hold a press conference at 1500 GMT.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Attack condemned \u2013<\/p>\n
Slovak President Zuzana Caputova said she was \u201cutterly shocked by today\u2019s brutal and reckless attack on Slovakia\u2019s prime minister\u2026 which I condemn in (the) strongest possible terms\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wish him a lot of strength in this critical moment and early recovery,\u201d she said on X, formerly Twitter.<\/p>\n
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala also called the news of the attack \u201cshocking\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope the prime minister will get well as soon as possible. We must not tolerate violence, it must have no place in society,\u201d he said on X.<\/p>\n
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said: \u201cRobert, my thoughts are with you in this very difficult moment\u201d.<\/p>\n
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on X he was \u201cshocked to hear this awful news\u201d.<\/p>\n
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda called for a \u201cthorough investigation\u201d and wished Fico \u201ca fully recovery\u201d.<\/p>\n
As well as his current stint as premier, Fico also headed the government in 2006-10 and 2012-18.<\/p>\n
Since he was elected last October, Fico has made a string of remarks that have soured ties between Slovakia and neighbouring Ukraine.<\/p>\n
He has notably questioned Ukraine\u2019s sovereignty and called for a compromise with Russia.<\/p>\n
After he was elected, Slovakia stopped sending weapons to Ukraine. He pledged during the electoral campaign not to provide Kyiv with \u201ca single bullet\u201d.<\/p>\n
He also sparked mass protests with controversial changes, including a media law that critics say will undermine the impartiality of public television and radio.<\/p>\n
At a press conference following the shooting, MP Lubos Blaha from Fico\u2019s Smer party lashed out against his critics.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou, the liberal media, and progressive politicians are to blame. Robert Fico is fighting for his life because of your hatred,\u201d Blaha said.<\/p>\n
Slovakia\u2019s Prime Minister Robert Fico was battling life-threatening wounds Wednesday after officials said he was shot multiple times in an assassination attempt condemned by European leaders. The Dennik N daily…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":111938,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-111937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n